Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon has signed a new measure that will keep Wyoming’s coal-fired power plants online and in business by requiring a utility to try to sell the facility before decommissioning it.
Senate File 159 was signed by Gordon Friday, which was initially sponsored by Republican Sen. Dan Dockstader of Afton.
If a new company buys the plant, the bill requires the utility that sold the plant to buy back the power, even if a cheaper source is available according to a Wyoming Tribune Eagle report.
Proponents say the bill will protect small communities with plants, critics say the move is extending the life of outdated and costly coal-fired plants.