AEP closing still another coal plant

American Electric Power, the parent company of Public Service Company of Oklahoma has plans to close yet another of its coal operations.

Word came this week that AEP plans to shut down its coal-fired power plant at Conesville,  Ohio by the end of May 2020.  The move comes after devaluation of the plant and previously announced plans to take two units offline.

Melissa McHenry, a spokesperson for AEP, confirmed that the 165 employees were recently told of the plans to shutter the 1,590-megawatt facility. Units 5 and 6, originally set to go offline in 2022, will probably be closing in May 2019 with Unit 4 remaining operational through May 2020, she said.

Just last month, AEP announced plans to close the Oklaunion Power Station in Texas near the Oklahoma border. It was widely reported that cheap energy from natural gas plants and renewables were to blame for the announced closing.

AEP said it would close Oklaunion by Octobere 2020. As for the Conesville plant, it was opened in 1957 and at its height, employed 600 workers. Such plants like Conesville have a reported average lifespan of 40 years.