No matter where he goes in the Shoals, Terry Gamble is frequently asked if the Tennessee Valley Authority power plant he manages is going to close.

Gamble, manager of Colbert Fossil Plant, replies quickly. He says the plant is not currently targeted for closure as part of TVA’s stated effort to reduce its reliance on burning coal to produce electricity. Gamble also points out that he and the more than 220 permanent employees at the plant are doing all they can to make sure it does not end of on the closure list.

“There is a possibility Colbert Fossil could be phased out,” Gamble said. “The employees here are aware of that possibility and they are all doing everything they can to improve the efficiency and operation of this plant to make sure it is not phased out.”

Another possibility is TVA will install new pollution control equipment that would allow coal to continue being burned at the plant. TVA also could make changes that would allow the plant’s boilers to be heated by natural gas instead of coal. Those alternatives carry a huge price tag that TVA officials are still exploring.

“Nothing has been decided on the future of Colbert Fossil Plant,” said TVA spokesman Scott Brooks. “TVA is still evaluating whether to retire or add controls on other units at Colbert Fossil Plant and at Shawnee Fossil Plant in Kentucky. A final decision has not been made on either of these plants. The final decision will be made after considering a variety of factors, including age of the units, efficiency and potential costs to upgrade.”

TVA announced in April that it will shut down 18 coal-fired boilers at three of its oldest power plants by December 2017. The announcement was made in conjunction with an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for reducing air pollution. The boilers being idled include six at Widows Creek Fossil Plant near Scottsboro, 10 at Johnsonville Fossil Plant and two at John Sevier Fossil Plant, both in Tennessee.

As part of a 20-year strategic plan, TVA plans to reduce it dependence on burning coal to produce electricity. Instead, the federal utility will increase its use of nuclear power and renewable energy to meet the electrical power demands of its customers.

Gamble said new technology for reducing air pollution from coal-burning power plants could bode well for Colbert Fossil Plant, which is near Barton in western Colbert County.

“During the past year, the cost of installing scrubbers at coal plants has been cut in half,” Gamble said. “There is a very good chance Colbert Fossil will be a candidate for one of the new scrubbers.”

Scrubbers reduce the amount of sulphur dioxide, which is a component of acid rain, from coal-burning power plant emissions.

Gamble said having equipment already in place at Colbert Fossil to reduce nitrogen oxides emissions should help make the operation a candidate for a scrubber. Nitrogen oxides are a component of smog.

“It may turn out that Colbert would have the lowest cost of any TVA plant for installing a scrubber because of the equipment we already have in place,” Gamble said.

Colbert County Commissioner Rex Burleson said he expects commissioners to pass a resolution urging TVA to keep Colbert Fossil Plant open. He said he hopes other local governments will do likewise.

“TVA has already taken enough jobs away from this area; they don’t need to take any more,” Burleson said.

Colbert Fossil has 222 full-time employees and up to 200 contract employees. There are as many as 900 employees at the plant during the spring and fall when large-scale maintenance projects are under way, Gamble said.

Dennis Sherer can be reached at 256-740-5746 or dennis.sherer@TimesDaily.com.