'It was a rough birth and a rough childhood and a disgraceful older age.'Īt 62 megawatts, Healy Unit 2 is the largest coal plant in the state, but it doesn't operate at that rate, Golden Valley Electric spokesperson Meadow Bailey said. 'Unit 2 was a tough plant to start with,' DeLong said. Department of Energy, 'has been plagued with legal issues and operational issues,' DeLong said. Healy Unit 2, a $300 million experimental plant built by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority in the '90s with the U.S. 'The decision regarding Unit 2 was unanimous and everyone knew we had to do it because the economics just speak for themselves,' DeLong said.

While it may have seemed surprising to close the newer of the two coal plants, Healy Unit 2 wasn't functional, while DeLong described Unit 1 as the 'little plant that could.'

Monday's decision was a big change in direction for the cooperative, he said. 'It's really a vision for where Golden Valley is going in the future,' said Tom DeLong, the board's chair.

Golden valley wind farm