CenterPoint Energy South has completed the public portion of their triennial Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) — a roadmap for projects ahead.
Formerly announced plans for new wind and solar plants and converting the FB Culley Generation coalfired plant to natural gas are still off, per announcements were made earlier this year.
These will be included in the final draft of the IRP.
The conversion of the Culley Generating station to natural gas will be studied again in three years, said newly appointed President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana South, Mike Roeder.
“We're saying that we're going to continue to run it as is for at least the next three years,” Roeder said. “We'll study it again in the next IRP plan. We think that's a good economic, reliable decision for customers today.”
Kerwin Olson, Executive Director of Indiana Utility Watchdog group Citizen’s Action Coalition (CAC) said CenterPoint is just caving to political pressure.
“There's nothing holding them back from shutting that coal plant now and aggressively pursuing clean energy solutions, but the politics are getting in the way,” he said. “We know we were extremely disappointed to see renewable projects canceled.”
This year, the Donald Trump administration has promoted keeping coal plants open.
The CAC will comment on the overall plan when it’s released.
But by cancelling the three new renewable projects, Roeder said $1billion dollars in generation will be saved — and an average of $18 per bill. He blames a variety of factors for the cancellation.
“It's a federal policy, goods and material costs that continue to go up for everything, and the fact that they're just not as economic as they were when we kind of originally put them on the drawing board several years ago.”
Roeder said CenterPoint has been listening to frustrated customers.
As part of the Affordability Initiative $3 dollars are coming off utility bills starting in December, and they’re trying to keep reliability investments at or near inflation.
Olson welcomes the cost savings. “I'll give CenterPoint credit for at least acknowledging that there are issues, that there are concerns,” Olson said. “But we believe they'd be doing a whole lot more for customers.”
Namely, elderly, disabled and low-income customers.
As President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana South, Roeder said he hopes he can rebuilt trust with ratepayers.
"Also kind of empower our local leaders, who are here every day and have been for years, to help get them out in the community," he said. "Help get them more accessible to customers and to continue talking to customers.
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