Factsheet: Why Phase-Out Alberta’s Coal-Fired Power Plants?

The document outlines the environmental and health risks associated with Alberta's reliance on coal-fired power plants, noting that in 2014, 68 per cent of the province's electricity was generated from coal. It highlights that these plants are major sources of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and mercury, leading to increased respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. Using the Illness Cost of Air Pollution (ICAP) model for 2008, the document estimates that coal plant pollution caused over 100 deaths and cost approximately $300 million per year in health impacts. Additionally, it links coal plants to climate change, noting they were responsible for 18% of Alberta's total greenhouse gas emissions in 2011, and warns of future climate-related health risks for Albertans, such as increased heat waves and flooding.

• Alberta has a high dependency on coal for electricity, generating 68 per cent of its power from coal in 2014 and possessing a combined capacity of over 6,200 MW across six plants with 18 generators.
• Coal plants are significant contributors to provincial air pollution; in 2011, they emitted 33 per cent of Alberta's sulphur dioxide (114,511 tonnes), 10 per cent of nitrogen oxides (71,507 tonnes), and 6 per cent of directly emitted PM2.5 (1,782 tonnes).

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). Factsheet: Why Phase-Out Alberta’s Coal-Fired Power Plants? https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Factsheet-Why-Phase-Out-Alberta’s-Coal-Fired-Power-Plants-2015.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. Factsheet: Why Phase-Out Alberta’s Coal-Fired Power Plants? n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Factsheet-Why-Phase-Out-Alberta’s-Coal-Fired-Power-Plants-2015.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=Factsheet: Why Phase-Out Alberta’s Coal-Fired Power Plants? |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Factsheet-Why-Phase-Out-Alberta’s-Coal-Fired-Power-Plants-2015.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndfactsheet, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{Factsheet: Why Phase-Out Alberta’s Coal-Fired Power Plants?}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Factsheet-Why-Phase-Out-Alberta’s-Coal-Fired-Power-Plants-2015.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }