Ricky Junquera, ricky.junquera@sierraclub.org, 617-599-7048
DAYTON, Ohio - Today, Dayton Power and Light (DP&L) announced retirement plans for the Killen and Stuart plants by June 2018. This company’s announcement comes after months of conversations between Dayton Power & Light and stakeholders regarding the company's financial health. DP&L and other co-owners of the Killen and Stuart plants agreed to the retirement, saying the plants are not economically viable beyond mid-2018; through a statement released earlier today.
Ohio continues to lead the nation in reducing it’s dependence on old, dirty and uneconomic coal plants. These plants are the 250th and 251st plants retired nationwide, respectively, since the Beyond Coal Campaign began.
In response to today’s news, Dan Sawmiller, Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign in Ohio, released the following statement:
“These coal plants are unable to compete against the cleaner, cheaper options demanded by customers to meet their energy needs. Today’s announcement underscores the profound national trend away from coal, and it remains critical that the needs of the workers and the communities affected by these decisions are appropriately addressed.
“A legacy of coal-related pollution cannot be left behind after these plants close. Sierra Club stands ready to partner with the local community to help ensure they have a fair opportunity to redevelop their economy. While the company has committed $2M in shareholder dollars to aid in redevelopment efforts, the various ongoing pollution risks must also be addressed.”