TransAlta completes conversion from coal to natural gas power in its Canadian plants

TransAlta Corp. says it has finished its planned transition from coal to natural gas in its Canadian power generation.

The Calgary-based company says the conversion of the Keephills Unit 3 power plant west of Edmonton to natural gas is the last of three plant conversions from coal the company has undertaken.

It says the switch in energy sources cuts almost in half the emissions intensity of the power at the Keephills unit.

The company says it has spent $295 million since 2019 converting units at its Keephills, Sheerness and Sundance power operations from coal to natural gas.

TransAlta says that overall it has retired 3,794 megawatts of coal-fired generation since 2018, and is also set to close its Highvale coal mine in Alberta as of Dec. 31.

The company still operates the Centralia coal-fired power plant in Washington State, which is set to shut down at the end of 2025.