As part of a 2007 [[New Source Review]] (NSR) consent decree, Sporn unit 5 is required to be retired, repowered or retrofitted by Dec. 31, 2013. AEP's plan to comply with the consent decree included retirement of Sporn unit 5 at the end of 2013. But based on present and projected economic conditions, Ohio Power said Sporn unit 5 is no longer economic to operate, with the unit forecast to produce negative operating income for the next two years, bringing the company to seek 2010 retirement.<ref name=bc/>
===June 2011: AEP to retire nearly 60,000MW000 MW===
On June 9, 2011, AEP announced that, based on impending EPA regulations as proposed, AEP’s compliance plan would retire nearly 6,000 megawatts (MW) of coal-fueled power generation; upgrade or install new advanced emissions reduction equipment on another 10,100 MW; refuel 1,070 MW of coal generation as 932 MW of [[natural gas]] capacity; and build 1,220 MW of natural gas-fueled generation. The cost of AEP’s compliance plan could range from $6 billion to $8 billion in capital investment through the end of the decade.<ref name=kwj>[http://blogs.wvgazette.com/coaltattoo/2011/06/09/aep-would-shutter-5-coal-plants-to-meet-epa-rules/ "AEP would shutter 5 coal plants to meet EPA rules"] Coal Tattoo, June 9, 2011.</ref>
* [[Welsh Power Plant]], Pittsburg, Texas - Unit 2 (528 MW) retired by Dec. 31, 2014; Units 1 and 3 (1,056 MW) would continue to operate with retrofits.
The shutdowns were announced in a June 9, 2011 press release in which AEP blamed the Environmental Protection Agency for the plant closures and also said layoffs it purchases about 24 million tons of 600 workers would result. <ref>Laurence Hammack, [http://www.roanoke.com/news/nrv/breaking/wb/289284/ "AEP announces plan to close coal-burning Giles County power plant"] Roanoke Timesfrom the Powder River Basin each year, June 9, 2011. </ref> The announcement set off or more than a storm of controversy. The Wall Street Journal called it a result of "EPA's War on Jobs" and said: "The real goal third of the EPA's rule is to shut down fossil fuel electric power in coal used by the name of climate change. The consensus estimate in the private sector is company, and that it was unclear how the utility rule and eight others on potential closures would affect the EPA docket will force utility’s purchase of coal from the retirement of 60 out Powder River Basin. At least one of the country's current 340 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity." <ref>power plants due to be partially closed, the [[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703818204576206662079202844.html "EPA's War on Coal"Welsh Power Plant]] Wall Street Journalin Pittsburg, Texas, June 13is entirely fueled by the basin’s coal, 2011according to AEP. </ref> The New York Times took a different view: "This [[Kammer Plant]] that is a deceptive and particularly cynical claimin Moundsville, W.V.. These units are, on average, 55 years old. Some are running at only 5 percent of capacity. Many had long been another AEP power plant slated for retirementclosure, in part to comply with a 2007 settlement with blends the George W. Bush administration in which basin’s coal into the company agreed to settle violations of the Clean Air Act by spending $4.7 billion to retire or retrofit aging unitsmix it burns." <ref>[http://www.nytimestrib.com/2011news/06state-and-regional/20/opinion/20mon1article_953d308f-f1a4-5ddf-8aa4-c9d811fc9a3f.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=American%20Electric%20Power%20&st=cse/ "AEP protests too muchUtility's cuts could trim demand for Wyoming's Powder River Basin coal"] New York TimesJeremy Fugleberg, ''Star-Tribune'', June 2012, 2011.</ref>
Shortly after, on ====Controversy over cause of plant shutdowns====The proposed plant shutdowns were announced in a June 279, 2011, press release in which AEP blamed the Environmental Protection Agency for the AP reported that AEP spent a $2 million lobbying on clean air plant closures and clean water rules in the 1st quarter said layoffs of 2011, according to a disclosure report600 workers would result.<ref>Laurence Hammack, [http://www.businessweekroanoke.com/apnews/nrv/breaking/financialnewswb/289284/D9O4GJ6G0.htm "AEP spent $2 million lobbying in the 1st quarterannounces plan to close coal-burning Giles County power plant"] BloombergRoanoke Times, June 279, 2011.</ref>
===American Electric PowerThe announcement set off a storm of controversy. The Wall Street Journal called it a result of "EPA's plant closures War on Jobs" and said: "The real goal of the EPA's rule is to impact [[Powder River Basin]] coal production===On June 9, 2011 [[American Electric Power]] announced shut down fossil fuel electric power in the name of climate change. The consensus estimate in the private sector is that the company planned to close 21 utility rule and eight others on the EPA docket will force the retirement of 60 out of the country's current 340 gigawatts of coal-fired electricity unitscapacity." <ref>[http://online.wsj. AEP purchases about 24 million tons of coal from the Powder River Basin each yearcom/article/SB10001424052748703818204576206662079202844.html "EPA's War on Coal"] Wall Street Journal, June 13, or more than a third of the coal used by the company2011.</ref>
At least one The New York Times took a different view: "This is a deceptive and particularly cynical claim... These units are, on average, 55 years old. Some are running at only 5 percent of capacity. Many had long been slated for retirement, in part to comply with a 2007 settlement with the George W. Bush administration in which the power plants due company agreed to be partially closed, settle violations of the [[Welsh Power Plant]] in Pittsburg, Texas, is entirely fueled Clean Air Act by the basin’s coal, according spending $4.7 billion to AEPretire or retrofit aging units. The " <ref>[[Kammer Plant]] that is in Moundsville, Whttp://www.nytimes.Vcom/2011/06/20/opinion/20mon1.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=American%20Electric%20Power%20&st=cse/ "AEP protests too much"] New York Times, another AEP power plant slated for closureJune 20, blends the basin’s coal into the mix it burns2011.</ref>
As of Shortly after, on June27, 2011 it was unclear how , the potential closures would affect AP reported that AEP spent a $2 million lobbying on clean air and clean water rules in the utility’s purchase 1st quarter of coal from the Powder River Basin2011, said AEP spokeswoman Melissa McHenryaccording to a disclosure report.<ref>[http://tribwww.businessweek.com/newsap/state-and-regionalfinancialnews/article_953d308f-f1a4-5ddf-8aa4-c9d811fc9a3fD9O4GJ6G0.html htm "Utility's cuts could trim demand for Wyoming's Powder River Basin coalAEP spent $2 million lobbying in the 1st quarter"] Jeremy Fugleberg, ''Star-Tribune''Bloomberg, June 1227, 2011.</ref>
==Articles and resources==