My column Friday noted this glaring disconnect: On the same day a grim new scientific report came out on global warming, Kansas lawmakers pretty much washed their hands of responsibility for the new Holcomb coal-fired power plant, which would emit millions of tons of greenhouse gases in the next 50 or 60 years.
What, me worry?
Despite Kansas lawmakers’ unwillingness to consider a moratorium, the political and economic landscape is changing for coal-fired plants in ways that should give lawmakers pause.
Congress, confronting climate change, is likely to pass tough new carbon controls in the next few years, and this, combined with soaring construction costs, will make the economics of coal-fired plants more problematic.
Kansas leaders haven’t done their due diligence on the true costs of coal-fired plants and the possible alternatives.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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