The startup of Indianapolis Power & Light Company’s Eagle Valley combined-cycle natural gas plant marks a shift toward gas as the utility’s largest power generation source, replacing coal, the company said Monday. “Our future is focused on accelerating cleaner, smarter and affordable options for our customers and we are proud of the efforts we’ve made over the last few years to significantly reduce our dependence on coal and focus toward a more balanced energy mix,” Craig Jackson, IPL president and CEO, said in a statement. IPL is a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based AES. The 671 MW CCGT gas plant, about 30 miles southwest of downtown Indianapolis, began commercial operation April 28, IPL said. The new power station reduces the rate of “most emissions” by 98% compared to the six coal- and oil-fired units it replaced at the site. The old generating equipment and water intake structures were “rendered inoperable” […]