APS Wants to Resuscitate Four Corners Coal Plant Already Slated for Closure

Arizona Public Service (APS) has signed a deal to keep its Four Corners coal plant running until 2038, seven years past the 2031 closure date the utility had previously committed to. The plant, located in New Mexico near the Navajo Nation, would continue burning coal under a new supply contract with the Navajo Transitional Energy Co.

For homeowners in Arizona, this matters mainly through utility bills and air quality. Critics argue that keeping the aging coal plant open costs more than retiring it would, meaning APS customers could end up paying more on their electric bills rather than less. The plant also continues to use water and emit air pollution in a region already dealing with extreme heat and flooding tied to climate change. APS has a public meeting scheduled for October 14 on its 15-year energy plan, where this decision fits into the utility's broader mix of coal, gas, and renewable power.

There's no rebate program or upgrade news here — this is a utility planning decision, not something homeowners can act on directly. But if you get your power from APS, it's worth knowing that your utility's generation mix is trending toward more fossil fuel use, not less, at least for now. That can affect both the price and the source of the electricity that powers things like a heat pump (an electric heating and cooling system) or an EV charger in your home.