Sounding a warning for tomorrow's SCC public on a new coal-fired plant in Wise County, VA, The Bristol Herald Courier’s Andrea Hopkins calls Dominion Power’s plans for a new coal plant a”devil’s pact” sacrificing public health and the environment for the promise of jobs southwest. The paper’s opinion editor says times have changed and “it appears that coal’s ship has sailed.”

She writes:

“In the past two years, 21 coal-fired power plant projects in 15 states have either been withdrawn by the companies pushing them or nixed by state regulators. That tally doesn’t include eight plants that were scuttled in Texas alone.

“As hard as corporate public relations gurus try to remake coal with a cleaner, greener image, the rest of the world simply isn’t buying it. The growing concern about global climate change is adding fuel to the anti-coal fire.

“However, one doesn’t have to be an Al Gore disciple to have grave doubts about coal. The role of power-plant pollution in childhood asthma and deaths from heart and lung disease is enough reason to doubt.

“Realistically, the nation cannot move entirely away from coal, yet, as the replacement technologies aren’t quite ready. But building new coal plants – with their rising costs and growing concern about their roles in premature death and disease – is a losing bargain.

“The Virginia State Corporation Commission holds a public hearing on the Wise County power plant permit on Tuesday in Richmond. This could be the last chance to rethink a decision that will haunt our children and grandchildren.

“It’s time for those who truly care about the health and future of Southwest Virginia to take a stand. Don’t let them destroy our land and our lives to supply a modest amount of power to another part of the state.”

Meanwhile, nearby in the region, Pepco takes a different tack. Its focus is on conservation. On Friday it announced a pilot program that will install “smart meters” in customers’ homes that will measure a household’s electricity use every 15 minutes. Pepco will e-mail or text message energy prices for the coming day so that participant’s can plan the usage and lower their bills.

During the two-year trial period, Pepco will test three pricing options to see how customers respond:

• Hourly pricing, where electricity prices will vary hourly.

• Critical peak pricing, in which higher rates will be in effect for four hours on critical peak days.

• Critical peak rebate, where customers will earn rebates for reducing usage during critical peak times.

Pepco says it wants every customer to have a smart meter within four years.