A dozen coal power plants are slated for retirement by the end of 2019, according to energy consulting firm BTU Analytics. Natural gas, on the other hand, is clearly on the rise thanks to the shale boom, which made gas cheap and abundant. Now, the EPA plans to introduce less stringent rules on carbon emissions that could ease the burden on coal power plants. Natural gas power generation is up 17% this year, while solar has soared 31% and wind has increased 9%. 'Coal is not able to compete'In 2016, natural gas overtook coal for the first time as America's leading source of power generation.

Source: CNN August 21, 2018 11:21 UTC