Critics light coal fire under PacifiCorp

[depakid]

Electricity - The utility says a decision on whether to build traditional power plants is far off, but activists are steaming

Damn straight we are. That this is even being considered here is beyond the pale. I Look for things to get pretty nasty if their "plans" proceed.

PacifiCorp is considering building three conventional coal-fired power plants by 2014, an approach that has angered Oregon consumer groups and public officials critical of the pollutants the facilities would emit.

"They're talking about investing billions in old-fashioned coal," said Jason Eisdorfer, an attorney for ratepayer advocacy group Citizens' Utility Board. "We have repeatedly said that it's unhealthy for both the planet and PacifiCorp customers to acquire more coal resources."

PacifiCorp officials say they're still a long way from deciding whether to build the coal plants. The proposal will be used as the benchmark for a rigorous bidding process that will yield the least expensive, lowest-risk option -- perhaps not only coal, company officials said.

<snip>

"It's hard to reconcile PacifiCorp's view of the world with the carbon-constrained world we actually live in," the Oregon Department of Energy wrote in comments filed with state utility regulators.

More: (note this is a dishonest paper with a long and and sordid history of shilling for out of state interests).

http://www.oregonlive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/business/116028870769970.xml?oregonian?fng&coll=7

[acmejack]

1. Hurray for you!

We have our own problems here and a much more disinterested populace. But we already have the dirtiest air in the Country, so what are a couple more (16) dirty coal burning plants. Ramrodded through the environmental "review" process in an embarrassing (even for here) sham process, I just don't know if we will be able to stop them. We will try, but frankly we are tired, broke, unemployed, blacklisted and they are are doing so many things to our environment here. It is like pissing into the wind...

I am losing my mind, so many days it seems like it would be easier just to quit. I have to constantly apologize to people here I go nuts on to vent my rage.