Coal-powered plant told to get clean or shut down

A coal-burning power plant on the Potomac River that has been polluting Virginia’s air for years could shut down tonight if state-ordered remedies cannot be implemented.

Mirant Corp.’s Potomac River plant in Alexandria, which has been a target of state enforcement and environmentalists for years, was told Monday by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to take “immediate steps” to protect air quality and the environment.