"Reducing costs:" We Energies to shut down coal-fired Pleasant Prairie Power Plant in early 2018

PLEASANT PRAIRIE -- We Energies is closing its coal-fired Pleasant Prairie Power Plant in early 2018.

Company officials said the economics of the energy market is the factor driving the closure, including low natural gas prices and the low demand for electricity overall.

"Retiring the Pleasant Prairie Power Plant is one of the ways we're reducing carbon emissions and reducing those costs for customers," Amy Jahns said.

We Energies officials said they'll try to place all 158 employees at other plants.

The Pleasant Prairie location has been open since 1980.

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