SHREVEPORT, La. _ Southwestern Electric Power Company announced Thursday compliance plans for two recently revised environmental regulations include retiring the H.W. Pirkey Power Plant in Hallsville, Texas, in 2023 and ceasing coal operations at the Welsh Power Plant at Pittsburg, Texas, in 2028.
SWEPCO said in a news release it will file its compliance plans this month for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s.
SWEPCO owns 580 megawatts of generating capacity at Pirkey and 1,053 megawatts at Welsh.
The Flint Creek Power Plant in Gentry, Ark., will continue operations with installation of a dry bottom ash handling system and other facilities that meet federal guidelines in 2023.
The John W. Turk Jr. Power Plant in Fulton, Ark., currently meets federal standards.
“Our Pirkey and Welsh employees have provided decades of safe and reliable service to SWEPCO customers, which will continue until the transition is complete,” said Malcolm Smoak, SWEPCO president and chief operating officer. “We are committed to working with our employees, local leaders and our communities in East Texas to help them manage these transitions,” Smoak said.
SWEPCO will discuss transition options with affected employees, which include severance, educational and retraining resources and other potential job opportunities at SWEPCO and AEP.
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