CENTRALIA, Wash. – The Sierra Club is challenging a federal order to keep the Centralia Generating Station open, claiming it’s unnecessary and costly. Jessi Eidbo, senior adviser for the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign, said plans to retire the plant were established in 2011, with a transition to gas-burning set to begin.
“TransAlta doesn’t want this. Nobody in the community wants this. This agreement was settled a long time ago with the folks who actually live and work there, and know the facility, and know what the energy needs are in this market space,” Eidbo said.
An analysis from Grid Strategies estimated maintaining the plant will cost the state $65 million per year, with costs likely falling to regional ratepayers. The Trump Administration has issued six similar orders nationwide this year. Eidbo criticized the use of a section of the Federal Power Act meant for acute emergencies to keep the grid running.
“It’s an extraordinarily arbitrary amount of time. Ninety days is not in response to something that folks in this part of Washington are experiencing, are expected to experience through March 16 of next year,” she said.
Governor Bob Ferguson and other state leaders accused the Trump Administration of ignoring the law and facts on the ground. Eidbo mentioned that the Sierra Club is pursuing legal action against similar orders in other states and will do the same in Washington.
