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EPA Plan Could End Coal Energy in Central Florida  June 4, 2014 | WMFE, Orlando - A federal proposal to cut carbon dioxide emissions in Florida would likely force two Central Florida power plant sites to stop burning coal. That's the prediction of a local energy expert. [Stanton Energy Center in Orange County. Photo: Rusty Clark] The Environmental Protection Agency wants Florida to cut CO2 emissions by 38 percent in the next 15 years. That could affect Stanton Energy Center in Orlando and C.D. McIntosh Jr. Power Plant in Lakeland, which both use a mix of coal and natural gas. Barry Moline is the executive director of the Florida Municipal Electric Association, a public power collective. He says the power plants will remain, but, “The question is what kind of energy will be used to produce the power at those sites,” he says. “My guess is that we're going to phase out coal and move into natural gas and other fuels over time.” Moline says the sites will probably switch to biomass, solar or more natural gas. The Orlando Utilities Commission operates both coal units at Stanton. OUC says it’s still reviewing the EPA proposal. |
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