Why Coal Refuses to Go Quietly

The coal fleet operated by Berkshire Hathaway emits more noxious oxides than competitors, Reuters reported this week, taking aim at one of the many lucrative businesses of Warren Buffett. What the report omits is the reason that Berkshire Hathaway is still so invested in coal power: its reliability and affordability. The report points the finger at Berkshire’s coal power plant fleet in the Midwest, claiming it was dirtier than any other company’s coal power plant fleet—even though “No single Berkshire plant itself can be…