More than 93 GW of U.S. power plant capacity is set to retire by 2030. Coal plant closure is expected to make up two-thirds of all retiring capacity during 2022-2030. This shift has important implications for both grid reliability and emissions since cleaner energy resources are gradually replacing coal plants.
Image Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation (OAR); Map data from Esri, TomTom, FAO, NOAA, USGS, and NRCan; Legend added by the Applied Economics Clinic.
The Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions lead in major planned coal shutdowns. If these retiring coal plants are replaced with clean energy sources such as wind and solar, nearby communities could benefit from reduced air pollution and public health benefits. Moreover, smaller retiring coal plants scattered across the West and Southwest indicate that the coal retirements are not limited to just the coal-heavy regions.
The gradual phasing out of coal plants reflects a structural shift in U.S. electricity generation away from high-emission energy sources. What replaces these plants will determine whether the changes are beneficial for sustainable development goals in the coming decades.
