As many of you may have heard—or at least read in The Tribune—during President Donald Trump’s recent speech about lifting coal restrictions, he specifically mentioned Cholla Generating Station in Joseph City, claiming he would “save” it and that it would soon reopen with coal fueling the way. His comments quickly spread through our communities, sparking hope that Cholla might resume coal-fired power production and bring back hundreds of stable, good-paying jobs.
Unfortunately, that scenario is unlikely. Arizona Public Service’s response to the comments suggest they were as surprised as we were at the president’s statements. The truth is, Cholla has been gradually winding down for over a decade—not solely because of Environmental Protection Agency regulations, but because the facility was originally built with a design life of 40 to 50 years. It was never intended to operate indefinitely. APS also has existing contracts and long-term commitments to clean energy and its investors that cannot be easily undone.
Like many of you, I share the disappointment that comes with the loss of these jobs. And like you, I wish there were a clear and easy transition ahead. But there are opportunities on the horizon in sectors such as healthcare, construction, manufacturing and IT. APS is a valuable community partner—whether in coal, renewables, or nuclear energy—and I hope they will continue to support our communities as we navigate this new chapter, whether it’s coal paving the way to the future on not.
