10.29.25 - New England's Last Coal Power Plant Shuts Down

[Sustainable Sudbury]

“New England Says Goodbye to Coal as Merrimack Station Powers Down” (Ryan Krugman, Oct. 21, 2025)

After a long effort by environmentalists, Merrimack Station in Bow, New Hampshire—the last coal-fired power plant in New England—shut down in September 2025, ending more than six decades of coal-based electricity generation in the region. The closure came three years earlier than required under a 2024 settlement with the Conservation Law Foundation, Sierra Club, and EPA over alleged Clean Water Act violations.

Owned by Granite Shore Power, Merrimack’s early retirement reflects coal’s growing economic and environmental unviability. Industry experts note that coal has been struggling in New England markets for decades, unable to compete with cheaper, cleaner energy sources.

The plant site is expected to be redeveloped with solar and battery storage facilities, symbolizing New England’s transition toward renewable energy and a definitive break from coal power.