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Issue link: https://coal.epubxp.com/i/56074
news continued 450-megawatt coal unit at the Philip Sporn power plant near New Haven, W.Va. With the utlitiy planning to shutter about 6,000 megawatts of coal-fired generating capacity, including more than 2,000 megawatts in Ohio, over the next several years because of new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules, the decision by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio could have broader ramifica- tions. Other Ohio utility companies, including FirstEnergy Corp., have announced plans to close older coal plants largely because of the EPA's Mercury and Air Toxics Rule and Cross-State Air Pollution Rule. FirstEnergy said in late January it would retire six vintage coal plants, including four in Ohio and one each in Pennsylvania and Maryland. AEP's cost recovery application drew opposition from a wide range of stakeholders, ranging from the Ohio Office of Consumers' Counsel to FirstEnergy Solutions, a FirstEnergy sub- sidiary, to the commission staff. m PEOPLE I N T H E N EW S Western Fuels Association has appointed Staff argued that AEP's Ohio Power subsidiary, which operates Sporn, already has been compensated for the costs it sought to recover from customers, saying Sporn 5 should have been fully depreciated in 2010. The unit was built in 1960. AEP disagreed. The company maintained that depreciation rates established more than 15 years ago should not be used to override its accounting books. AEP claimed the closure costs reflected in depreciation rates substantially underestimated the actual closure costs that apply to Sporn 5, "in light of the dramatic intervening increase in environmental regulations that apply to coal-burning power plants." But AEP's arguments failed to persuade the regulators. Citing Ohio law, the commission said it lacked the legal authority to approve the company's request. "Just as the construction and maintenance of an electric generating facility are fundamental to the generation component of electric service, we find that so too is the closure of an electric generating facility," the PUCO said. vice president of opera- tions. He will be responsible for the Dry Fork mine (Gillette, Wyo.), the New Horizon mine (Nucla, Colo.) and the Colowyo mine (Meeker, Colo). appointed manager at the Dry Fork mine and manager at the Colowyo mine. of marketing and communications. Arch Coal, Inc. recently announced the Arch Coal Sales' London team: Europe and has been appointed vice president of international thermal coal sales- has been appointed vice president of international metal- lurgical coal sales-Europe. Arch's new European office will open March 1 at Heron Tower in London. Peabody Energy has appointed senior vice president of tran- sition services in Australia. He will continue to lead the organizational integra- tion of Macarthur Coal and Peabody Energy Australia. Steven Zakaib The United Company announced promoted to CFO. has been Kaydon Bearings Division has appointed Safety Solutions International, Inc. has appointed director of organizational behavior and emerg- Jack A. Hudson ing markets. Tassco Steel has appointed engineer. EmberClear has appointed directors. Grady Covin ECSI, LLC has appointed director of civil engineering services; and and Fred Eastbridge Filiberto Gomez geologists. 12 www.coalage.com have been appointed senior has joined the industrial sales Maury Bagwell to the board of vice president of North American sales. BJM Pumps has appointed sales manager. Blastcrete Equipment Co. has appointed general manager. , former chairman and CEO of Island Creek Coal Co., recently died. Barker received his degree in mining engineering from Virginia Tech in 1951 and was employed by Island Creek Coal until his retirement in 1984. Barker was called to Washington to represent the coal operators after months of bitter negoti- ations during the coal strike of 1978. He was named the 1985 "Coal Man of the Year" by the National Coal Association, a predecessor of NMA, presiding as chair- man of the group from 1982 to 1984, and serving as chairman of the board of the Bituminous Coal Operators' Association from 1978 to 1980. February 2012 Todd Swinderman western regional Martin Engineering has announced the retirement of Chief Technical Director . has been has been appointed has been appointed vice president Pikeville office as senior project manager and has joined the Owensboro office as project manager. Sabry Hanna Andrew Beat Russ Adams announced he is retiring as CEO of J.H. Fletcher, but has been appointed vice chairman of business development. The company announced has been appointed CEO and has been appointed president. has been appointed head of the customer service group. Mine Radio Systems has appointed vice president of operations. executive Rod Duncan Russ Adams Brad Hanson Chris McCourt Mark Pettibone Newman Wyn Davis Bradley E. Phillips Jack A. Hudson John Barnes Steven Zakaib Doug Hardman Alexander Greg Hinshaw Eddie Alford Michael Todd Swinderman Stofferahn Dr. Stonie Barker Jr. Lori Guasta Grady Covin Fred Eastridge Sabry Keith Calder Filiberto Gomez, PhD Hanna, PhD Andrew Beat Kelly Leth Maury Bagwell