I think what you are seeing with coal is the prohibitive cost to outfit a NEW generating facility with NOx and SO2 controls to meet current emission standards. Older plants are grandfathered into old rules. There are still a lot of coal-fired generating plants in operation. New coal plants probably won't be built. Nuke plants will be, however.
This is true. Though I don't necessarily think older plants are grandfathered, or utilities are not acting this way. There have been many SCR (NOx reduction) and FGD (SO2 reduction) projects on existing coal plants recently. For coal generating stations where these environmental controls don't make sense, either because of the aging plant, or because the power requirements for the systems are too large in proportion to the output of the old plant, plants are being retired. The currently-low cost of natural gas is also driving a shift from coal to NG and contributing to the retirements.
27 gigawatts of coal-fired capacity to retire over next five years - Today in Energy - U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
Most of the new plants I see planned or being constructed are combined cycle natural gas plants. Nuclear plant permitting is a long process. Natural gas will probably supply the majority of new base load generation in the foreseeable future. At least until prices go up and utilities shift their focus again.
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