Market Reality Stands in Way of Relaxed Rules Helping Coal Plants

Power utilities won’t simply start shoveling more coal into their plants in light of the EPA’s plans to leave in place or revoke toxic air pollution limits set by the Obama administration.

Southern Co., Duke Energy Corp., and DTE Energy told Bloomberg Environment that the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent re-examination of the mercury and air toxics standards, or MATS, makes no difference to their long-term electricity generation plans.

Instead, the nation’s largest electric utilities will continue to retire uneconomic coal-fired power plants, rely more on natural gas, and add more renewables to their energy mix.

“DTE will not ...