Reliable, affordable coal

Associated Electric's coal units continue to provide the bulk of member systems' electricity due to their stable, low-cost, reliable operations balanced with award-winning environmental stewardship. Five coal units, equipped with environmental controls that ensure the cooperative meets its environmental responsibilities, provide round-the-clock baseload power -- important for meeting members' needs when natural gas prices are higher or when wind energy is not available.

On this website, you can read more about Associated Electric's investment in environmental controls and its innovative, proactive steps to research technology to comply with environmental regulations cost effectively. For example, Associated was one of the first utilities to convert to 100 percent low-sulfur coal to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions.

Associated Electric was one of the first to install equipment on large coal units to reduce nitrogen oxides emissions.

The co-op voluntarily began reducing mercury emissions years ahead of the 2016 compliance date by using a treated coal and is below the emissions limits today.