APS offering $144M to APS's plan for closing coal plants could be a gamechanger, analysts say, but who will pay?

Arizona Public Service (APS) has captured the attention of the Western U.S. power sector with its plan to finance the economic transition of communities affected by the closure of its remaining coal plants.

Economic reality defeated the Trump administration's efforts to protect coal, and the energy transition is expected to accelerate under President-elect Biden. But few of the Western utilities already closing uneconomic coal facilities have taken commensurate financial responsibility for helping to transition the often profoundly affected communities. The $144.45 million long-term APS plan could be a game-changer, the utility and economic justice advocates agree.