The US imposed measures to reduce emissions from power plants

According to a reporter in Washington, despite the fierce opposition of the coal industry enterprises, the administration of US President Barack Obama has announced a series of stringent measures to reduce harmful emissions from the coal industry. power plants, especially coal-fired power plants.

The regulations recently announced by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) only apply to power plants that will be built in the future.

Under the new rules, if large gas-fired power plants are built, each turbine is only allowed to emit no more than 450 kg of CO 2/1 MWh (megawatt hours).

Meanwhile, small gas-fired power plants, if newly built, are only allowed to discharge 500 kg of CO2 per 1 MWh per turbine.

Burbank natural gas and water power plant in California.(Source: AFP / VNA)

In addition, licensed coal-fired power plants over the next 7 years, instead of the 30 years previously suggested, will also have to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide from each turbine from 850kg / 1 MWh to 500kg. / 1MWh.

EPA director Gina McCarthy said this was a new effort by the Barack Obama administration to reduce harmful emissions to the environment and the health of Americans.

However, coal mining companies and MPs in the coal-mining states immediately criticized the White House's new measures.

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin, representing the state of coal producer West Virginia, said the White House measures just announced were direct evidence that the Obama administration is seeking to force the coal industry into standards cannot be met.

The US Chamber of Commerce, which represents more than 3 million businesses, said EPA's new measures would neutralize the advantage of America's huge cheap coal resources.

Soon after EPA announced the above measures, US coal companies Arch Coal Inc, Alpha Natural Resources Inc and Peabody Energy Corp's shares lost 5%, 6.2% and 3, respectively. first%.

Currently coal contributes to 42% of US electricity production but is also the source of the largest amount of CO ₂ in power plants, accounting for 83%.