PPL Montana To Mothball Coal – Fired Plant in Billings [YouTube]
PPL Montana has plans to mothball the J.E, Corrette coal-fired power plant in Billings no later than April 15.
Spokesman David Hoffman said new EPA regulations set to go into effect on April 15 forced the shutdown of the 154 megawatt plant.
"It doesn't have a wet scrubber system like Colstrip does, for example," Hoffman said. "With new EPA regulations it would require the installation of some pretty pricey pollution control equipment that would cost about $45 million to install."
Hoffman said the company has had time to provide assistance to the workers who will be displaced by the shutdown.
"About 35 jobs will be gone when the power plant closes," he said. "We announced the plans to mothball the plant in September of 2012, so we have had time to relocate employees and provide them with retirement packages."
Hoffman said the greatest impacts of the plants closure will be to all the businesses that provided support and products to the facility, as well as the local tax base to the City of Billings. He said April 15 is the official date that new EPA regulations would go into effect.