Tucson Electric Power To Convert 800 MW Of Coal To Gas

Tucson Electric Power (TEP) plans to convert several coal-fired Springerville Generating Station units to natural gas by 2030.

The project will replace almost 800 MW of coal with gas, allowing the region to continue to have access to reliable energy while supporting emissions reduction goals.

Does coal to gas really make that big of a difference when it comes to GHGs? The answer is yes.

Converting the Springerville plant will reduce carbon emissions by 40%, while extending the life of the facility and lowering costs. TEP is aiming for net zero direct greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

According to a report by the National Bureau for Economic Research:

Coal-fired power plants generate about 20 percent of US electricity. Prioritizing the generation of electricity using natural gas could immediately replace at least two-thirds of coal-fired generation in the US and reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity sector by at least 18 percent. That would correspond to a reduction of between 5 and 8 percent of total US energy-related CO2 emissions

If we want to reduce emissions but maintain reliability, natural gas conversion needs to play a sizable role. It’s the best short term solution for affordable, dispatchable, available energy in light of rising demand from data centers and AI.