Approximately twenty four protesters decried APS’ Cholla Power Plant in northern Arizona at a protest held at APS’ headquarters in Phoenix, Arizona yesterday. According to The Arizona Republic, the protesters called on the utility to shut the plant down in favor of using renewable energy sources, like solar. This despite the fact that the entire plant is slated to shut down by 2025 and the utility will shut its Cholla plant by 2016. The plant closing is due to new rules passed down by the EPA requiring utilities to limit nitrogen oxide and implement new technologies to limit mercury.

The Sierra Club will have none of APS’s timeframe and demands the plant be shut down now. However, the green group’s advocacy of trying to push APS to replace its coal plants with renewables is tantamount to their wanting to shut down the utility. All one need do is take into account the conclusion of Google scientists who studied renewables and attempted to scientifically make renewable energy sources better. The researchers later concluded that renewables won’t work. I am sure many APS employees really appreciate the Sierra Club hosting a protest knowing this is the case.