Springfield utility shutting down 1 of its power stations

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A utility company in Springfield has begun the process of shutting down one of its longtime power stations as it moves toward using more renewable energy.

City Utilities' board voted last week to shut down three units of the James River Power Station, with plans to retire the remaining two units in the next few years, the Springfield News-Leader reported.

Closing the station, which was built in 1953, is part of City Utilities' 2017 plan to invest more in renewable-energy sources and emerging technologies.

The utility company recently announced it's partnering with NorthStar Battery to build a $1 million battery-powered electrical storage system, which will store energy generated by the sun or wind.

City Utilities executive Steve Stodden said the 60-year-old technology at the power station isn't efficient, and maintenance has become more costly.

"There's been a tremendous shift in our industry," Stodden said. "There's a growing population that values renewables."

Utility spokesman Joel Alexander said the power station stopped burning coal in late 2015, switching over to natural gas for economic and environmental reasons.

Local Sierra Club branch vice president Louise Wienckowski said the club is supportive of the utility's decision.

"Sierra is always happy to hear that coal and even natural gas is being retired. We are campaigning for 100 percent clean energy," she said. "This is where our future is at, that's where the health of our families and communities is at -- clean energy."

Stodden said closing the three units at the power station still needs approval from the Southwest Power Pool, an integrated electricity marketplace City Utilities joined in 2014. He said the approval will ensure the shutdown will not affect the reliability of the regional grid.