Rocky Mountain Power Converts Naughton Plant from Coal to Natural Gas Amid Economic Concerns in Wyoming

Rocky Mountain Power is converting the last two coal-burning units at the Naughton power plant near Kemmerer, Wyoming, to natural gas as part of a $12.1 million project. Coal operations are set to cease by December 31, 2025, with natural gas operations expected to begin in spring 2026.

The conversion follows the earlier switch of a third unit to natural gas in 2020 and is part of a broader trend by Rocky Mountain Power, which plans similar conversions at other plants. The Kemmerer coal mine, which supplied coal to Naughton, has faced workforce reductions from 272 employees in 2019 to about 176 this year, with annual production dropping from 3 million tons to 2.4 million tons.

Despite losing Naughton as a primary customer, Kemmerer Operations LLC plans to continue operations unchanged. Local officials express concerns about revenue losses from the conversion, estimating a $3 million drop in annual tax revenue since the first unit's conversion, while hoping for future economic opportunities from natural gas and nuclear projects.