Backgrounder: Phasing Out Alberta's Coal Plants

This fact sheet by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and partners advocates for the phase-out of coal-fired power plants in Alberta by 2030. It details the environmental and health impacts of Alberta's coal reliance, compares the province's energy targets with other jurisdictions, and proposes a replacement strategy based on energy efficiency and renewable energy.

• Alberta has a high reliance on coal-fired electricity compared to other Canadian provinces, generating 68 per cent of its electricity from coal in 2014. Between 2002 and 2012, the province increased its coal-fired generating capacity by 14 per cent. As of 2015, Alberta operated six coal plants with 18 generators, providing a combined capacity of over 6,200 MW.
• In 2011, Alberta's six coal plants were significant sources of pollution, emitting 114,511 tonnes of sulphur dioxide (33 per cent of the province's total) and 71,507 tonnes of nitrogen oxides (10 per cent of the province's total). They emitted 1,782 tonnes of fine particulate matter (6 per cent of the province's total), 44 per cent of man-made mercury, and approximately 43 megatonnes of greenhouse gases, which represented about 18% of the province's total emissions.
• The coal plant fleet in Alberta varies in age and efficiency. The oldest unit, Battle River 3 (built 1969), was scheduled to close in 2019, while the newest, Keephills 3 (built 2011), is scheduled to close in 2061. Even the most efficient plant, Keephills 3, releases about 858 tonnes of GHG per gigawatt-hour, which is double the federal limit for plants built after 2015.
• A February 2014 survey of 750 Albertans showed strong public support for transitioning away from coal. Between 61% and 76% of respondents linked coal plants to air pollution and adverse health impacts for children and seniors. Additionally, 76% believed the government should encourage renewable energy, and 67% expressed willingness to pay slightly more on utility bills for electricity from renewable sources.
• The authors propose a strategy to phase out coal plants by 2030. This plan includes reducing electricity demand through energy efficiency (10% by 2020, 15% by 2025, and 20% by 2030) and increasing renewable energy to provide 20% of electricity by 2020, 30% by 2025, and 40% by 2030. The proposal also suggests prohibiting new stand-alone natural gas generators and phasing out existing stand-alone natural gas plants starting in 2029.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Backgrounder: Phasing Out Alberta's Coal Plants. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CAPE-Partners-Backgrounder-Alberta-Coal-Plants-Phase-out-Strategy-2015.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Backgrounder: Phasing Out Alberta's Coal Plants. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CAPE-Partners-Backgrounder-Alberta-Coal-Plants-Phase-out-Strategy-2015.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Backgrounder: Phasing Out Alberta's Coal Plants |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CAPE-Partners-Backgrounder-Alberta-Coal-Plants-Phase-out-Strategy-2015.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndbackgrounder, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Backgrounder: Phasing Out Alberta's Coal Plants}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/CAPE-Partners-Backgrounder-Alberta-Coal-Plants-Phase-out-Strategy-2015.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }