We Energies Pleasant Prairie coal plant shutting down in 2018

 

PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- You can see them along I-94 in Kenosha County, tall smoke stacks. WE Energies is shutting down that coal plant in Pleasant Prairie for good.

They say it's the best choice in the long run and that they have to think about their customers and costs. While it's not what the more than 150 workers at the plant wanted to hear, people who live nearby aren't sad to see it go.

Jodie Hoover lives near the coal plant and walks her dog past it every week, "I think it's an eyesore. We were going to buy a house that was facing there and we decided not to purchase the house because it was looking right at it."

We Energies says it notified 158 employees that they'll lose their jobs but the plan is to find them positions at other plants in the area. 

"It's been in the community for many years and its a staple in the Pleasant Prairie area so we are well aware of the effects it will have on the community. In the coming weeks, we will be having talks with the local unions to talk about different placements for those employees," said Amy Jahns with We Energies.

After testing, We Energies says it found closing the plant made sense because customers weren't using enough of the energy it was putting out. 

"We are really looking to have a clean energy future for our customers. We have enough energy for our customers even with this plant retired, it's going to bring a dramatic reduction in costs and reducing carbon dioxide emissions," Jahns said. 

People will still be working at the plant until it closes in the spring. We Energies isn't sure what will happen to the site but they will most likely remove the equipment and tear it down.