The future of the coal industry was explored in an April 6 workshop in Phoenix by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC).

With the coal industry facing a variety of challenges, including environmental regulations, the workshop explored the technologies that could keep coal production environmentally friendly and cost effective, an ACC release said. The industry also faces competition from other energy sources.

Bryan Galli of Peabody Energy, the world's largest private-sector coal company, provided an overview of coal generation and marketing in the U.S. His presentation was followed by an overview of the desert Southwest power market, the release said.

Among the issues the Arizona coal industry faces is the closure of the Navajo Generating Station in 2019. If the 2,250 megawatt coal-fired plant, owned by Arizona Public Service Company (APS), NV Energy, Salt River Project (SRP) and Tucson Electric Power (TEP), closes, it will also affect the Kayenta mine, the release said. This could put more than 3,000 jobs at risk. The generating station supplies electric power to Arizona, Nevada and California.