Editing Colstrip, Montana (section)

===21st century===

In June 2015, PPL spun off its power generation assets, including the Colstrip plants, to become [[Talen Energy]].

In 2016, PSE reached an agreement with the [[Sierra Club]] and the [[Montana Environmental Information Center]] to shut down units 1 and 2 of the coal-fired generating plant by the year 2022.<ref>{{cite news|title=Colstrip coal plant in Montana agrees to close 2 units|url=http://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article89173287.html|access-date=20 July 2016|work=[[Associated Press]]|agency=[[The Olympian]]|date=12 July 2016}}</ref> The agreement said nothing about Units 3 and 4 However, the existing electrical transmission capacity that transmits power from Colstrip to the Pacific Northwest may be used to transmit wind energy.<ref>{{cite news|title=Oldest two units at Colstrip to be retired no later than 2022|url=http://meic.org/2016/07/oldest-two-units-colstrip-retired-no-later-2022/|access-date=20 July 2016|work=Montana Environmental Information Center|date=12 July 2016}}</ref> Another blow to Colstrip's economy came in 2016, when an application to create a junction point from [[BNSF Railway]] to connect to [[Tongue River Railroad]] was denied.<ref name="railroad">{{cite web |title=Tongue River Railroad application denied |url=https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2016/04/26/tongue-river-railroad-application-denied/83551088/ |publisher=Great Falls Tribune |access-date=22 September 2023 |date=26 April 2016}}</ref>

In June 2019, Talen Energy announced the closure of two of the four coal burning units by the end of the year. At the time, the power plant was the sixth-largest source of [[greenhouse gas emissions|greenhouse emissions]] in the U.S.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yaleclimateconnections.org/2019/07/the-war-on-coal-myth/|title=The 'war on coal' myth|last=Kirk|first=Karen|date=2019-07-15|website=Yale Climate Connections|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-16}}</ref> Units 3 and 4 remained in operation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://talenenergy.investorroom.com/2019-06-11-Colstrip-Steam-Electric-Station-Units-1-and-2-to-Retire|title=Colstrip Steam Electric Station Units 1 and 2 to Retire|website=Talen Energy Investors|language=en|access-date=2019-07-16}}</ref>

In January 2020, PSE announced that Unit 1 and Unit 2 had ceased operating in early January". Units 3 and 4 were to remain operational but would be closed within the next five years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smart-energy.com/industry-sectors/energy-grid-management/us-2020-coal-closures-start-with-a-bang-with-two-units-closed-in-montana/|title=US 2020 coal closures start with a bang with two units closed in Montana|last=Gordon|first=Phillip|date=2020-01-06|website=Smart Energy International|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-14|archive-date=January 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114140414/https://www.smart-energy.com/industry-sectors/energy-grid-management/us-2020-coal-closures-start-with-a-bang-with-two-units-closed-in-montana/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In January 2023, [[Avista]] made a deal giving [[NorthWestern Corporation|NorthWestern Energy]] their 15% share of the plant for free.<ref name="avista">{{cite web |last1=Clouse |first1=Thomas |title=Avista makes deal to get out of aging Colstrip power plant in Montana |url=https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2023/jan/22/avista-makes-deal-to-get-out-of-aging-colstrip-pow/ |publisher=The Spokesman-Review |access-date=22 September 2023 |date=22 January 2023}}</ref> The deal was to take effect in 2025. A Washington state law bans use of coal-generated electricity, forcing Avista to relinquish their stake in the company.

In March 2025, the plant owner, backed by Montana politicians, asked for a two-year extension using the [[second Trump administration|second Trump administration's]] offer to grant presidential pollution waivers. The plant owners argued that continued operation would control energy costs and guarantee grid reliability.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Tabuchi |first=Hiroko |date=2025-04-02 |title=Coal Plant Ranked as Nation’s Dirtiest Asks for Pollution Exemption |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/climate/coal-plant-colstrip-epa-email-pollution-exemption.html |access-date=2025-04-04 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>