PacifiCorp to hasten move away from coal-fired power

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A major Western U.S. utility is speeding up plans to use less coal-fired power over the next decade.

Portland, Oregon-based PacifiCorp said Thursday it plans to reduce coal-fired generation by two-thirds by 2030.

The utility intends to implement a big buildout of wind and solar energy and to use batteries to store and deploy solar power.

Utility officials say federal tax incentives make wind and solar less expensive for their 1.9 million customers in California, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

The proposal would hasten closure of a Montana power plant and partial shutdown of three coal-fired plants in Colorado and Wyoming.

PacifiCorp already planned to partly or entirely close three other coal-fired power plants in Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming by 2030.