EPA Doubles Number of Coal Plant Closings

EPA Doubles Number of Coal Plant Closings:
"In the run-up to the “People’s Climate March” scheduled for September 21, the non-partisan U.S, General Accountability Office (GAO) just doubled its estimate for coal plants expected to retired to comply with the Obama Administration’s new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the next decade.
EPA recently proposed or finalized four regulations that will negatively impact coal-fired generation that provides 37% of America’s electricity.
New regulations include:

(1) Cross-State Air Pollution Rule;
(2) Mercury and Air Toxics Standards;
(3) Cooling Water Intake Structures regulation; and
(4) Disposal of Coal Combustion Residuals regulation.

The GAO in 2012 stated that “between 2000 and 2011, 150 coal-fueled units with a total net summer generating capacity of 13,786 MW have been retired.” The GAO said that in response to regulations and factors such as low natural gas prices, companies might retire or retrofit about 7%, or one in 13 existing coal-fueled plants.
The GAO warned at the time that these actions may “increase electricity prices” and “affect reliability–-the ability to meet consumers' demand—-in some regions.” 
.....The updated impact will result in the loss of 42,192 megawatts, over three times the amount of production shuttered between 2000 and 2011. GAO emphasized “This level of retirements is significantly more retirements than have occurred in the past.”
....Residential utility rates rose in every year of the Obama Administration according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency (EIA).