THREAD: Environmentalists are hyperventilating over Bitcoin "swooping in" to keeping a coal plant in Indiana online. A more accurate take would be that #Bitcoin is helping to maintain economic stability in a rural community as an aging plant transitions to renewable energy 🧵👇
https://twitter.com/Ben_Inskeep/status/1524761998524825604
The Merom plant in Sullivan Co, IN was to be retired in May 2023, and replaced with solar/storage. Instead, Hallador, which is part of Hoosier Energy, will purchase the plant and keep it running. AboutBit will open a mining facility adjacent to the plant. tribstar.com/news/local_new…
Per company statement: "The parties will be keeping their existing solar/battery storage power purchase agreement in place providing a path for Merom’s transition to renewable energy when the coal plant is eventually retired...preserving more than 100 jobs..." 
Over 5 years, AboutBit will purchase 115 MW of electricity from the grid (WIN Energy REMC) to power the facility. The facility is fully interruptible, allowing miners to turn-off during peak demand, allowing the residents to enjoy continuous reliable baseload capacity.
Environmentalists are lamenting the fact that the plant wasn't closed down, a year from now. Instead, Hallador can keep the plant open longer while the transition to solar/storage can be delayed until the plant is decommissioned in a way that is responsible to the community.
It is easy for outsiders to have opinions about a rural community's energy mix, but take one minute to listen to a local news report on what closing the plant, and the loss of more than 100 jobs, would have done to the community.
According to the local new report, residents are relieved that the plant will stay open. The plant will continue to provide reliable baseload capacity and the residents will keep their jobs as the plant's retirement and county's transition to renewables can be done more slowly.
Preserving over 100 jobs in the rural community was the main reason why local officials worked hard to make this deal happen. The Sullivan County Commissioner says the loss of the plant, "would have been devastating to our budget."
Furthermore, quickly decommissioning a plant is not cheap and has repercussions. Keeping the Merom plant open will eliminate millions of dollars in costs for plant decommissioning and long-term grounds maintenance before economic redevelopment plans can be implemented.
#Bitcoin will purchase excess energy from the grid while Sullivan County responsibly transitions to renewable energy over a longer timeframe. Quickly shutting down coal plants and putting over 100 people out of jobs is not a responsible way to transition to renewable power.
This is a good reminder that as society transitions to renewables, humans need to be able to feed their families and be able to make plans for their own futures. Ensuring jobs are preserved is paramount for wellbeing and an energy abundant future. #Bitcoin fixes this.
Environmentalists will be upset by a coal plant staying online for a few more years. However, by preserving over 100 local jobs, supporting the county's tax base and acting as a buyer for reliable baseload energy during a transition to renewables, #Bitcoin saved this community.
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