Coal projects to exceed $20 billion for 2011

The industry has responded to unswerving environmental legislation and regulation, resulting in billions of dollars of power plant environmental retrofits in recent years mandated to fight NOx, SOx, particulates, and now mercury and CO2. All the while, coal-fired power plants continue to supply 50 of the nation's electricity at relatively inexpensive prices.

While about 9,200 megawatts of replacement coal-fired capacity is under construction in the U.S., new coal-fired unit development has come to a standstill in 2010. However, there are opportunities for equipment and aftermarket service providers, on more than 350 maintenance and capital projects scheduled to begin construction in 2011. These projects total more than $20 billion.