Entergy seeks rail spur for Arkansas coal plant

摘要

Entergy has filed with federal regulators to build a direct rail connection from its Independence plant to BNSF to give the plant a competitive option to incumbent carrier Union Pacific. UP delivers approximately 6.5 million tons/yr of Powder River Basin coal to the 842MW Independence plant near Newark, Ark., but Entergy has been fighting with the railroad over service on several fronts, with complaints going back to the 1990s. Access to another railroad would also net the utility lower rail rates. Entergy has attempted to route BNSF-delivered coal over a shortline, the Missouri & Northern Arkansas Railroad (M&NA), but paper barrier in the shortline's lease with UP has blocked the service.