Clean energy journalism for a cooler tomorrow

How to build a coal plant in 26 simple steps

Most people realize that building a new power plant isn’t as simple as, say, putting up a pole barn. But do you know what’s actually involved?
By Ken Paulman

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Most people realize that building a new power plant isn’t as simple as, say, putting up a pole barn. But do you know what’s actually involved?

Linda Taylor, a colleague at Fresh Energy, walks us through the process in her latest blog post. Step #1, for instance, is ​“Put off retirement plans for next 10-15 years,” which should give you a sense of what’s coming next…

Ken Paulman is the director of impact at Canary Media. He was previously the founder and director of the Energy News Network, which merged with Canary Media in 2025.

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