Merrimack Station in Bow, built in the 1960s, is the last coal-fired plant in New England. The plant has a long history of serving the energy needs of New Hampshire residents but in recent years the plant has come under fire by anti-coal groups who have called for its closure citing health and environmental concerns and the plant’s capacity has been reduced from 70 to 90 percent capacity in years past to only 10 percent today. While Merrimack Station secured a three-year contract with the regional grid operator ISO-New England last February, utility advocates and anti-coal activists believe it is only a matter of time before coal-fired plants like Merrimack Station will transition to other forms of energy.