A new study is providing more ammunition for opponents against the so-called coal plant bailout proposed by two electric utilities.
The from the , or IEEFA, says FirstEnergy鈥檚 plan to guarantee a profit for their struggling coal plants would cost consumers $4 billion.
But estimates their ratepayers would only see their electric bills go up a few dollars a month for a year or two because as natural gas prices rise, coal will be able to compete. IEEFA鈥檚 David Schlissel disagrees.
鈥淭hose are all fantasy. There鈥檚 no evidence that gas prices are going to rise dramatically over the long-term as FirstEnergy appears to say.鈥�
The is scheduled to have a ruling on the proposal by March.
