The Clean Power Plan (CPP) was a climate policy initiative introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2015 under the Obama administration to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. It set ambitious goals to cut CO₂ emissions by 32% below 2005 levels by 2030, focusing on transitioning to cleaner energy sources like wind, solar, and natural gas. States were given flexibility to design tailored plans to meet these targets, incorporating measures such as energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy investments, and emissions trading programs. The CPP represented a significant federal effort to address climate change and align the energy sector with global carbon reduction commitments. Although it faced legal and political challenges, the plan highlighted the growing importance of integrating environmental goals with energy policy in the United States.

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Supreme Court’s EPA Decision to Impact Coal Plant Retirements | Emissions News

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Ethan Howland reports in Utility Dive that power plant owners have started the process of potentially retiring 3,228 MW of coal-fired generation in the PJM Interconnection’s footprint this month, according to the grid operator’s generator deactivation list. Another 1,024 MW of coal shut down last year. Looking at the explanations for the planned retirements, our Julia Criscuolo, ESAI Power’s Manager of Renewables and Emissions, said about a third are driven by environmental regulations, a quarter by unfavorable economics and roughly 20% by “end of life” plant issues.

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