However, industry analysts say lower power demand and uncertainty over natural gas prices will likely keep more than half of the gas-burning power plants on the drawing board and out of operation, at least for the foreseeable future, says a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report.

State Department of Environmental Protection data shows the gas-burning plants are undergoing permit review and will have an electricity-generation capacity of a little less than 8000 megawatts.

The data also shows the 12 coal plants scheduled for shutdown by April 2015 have a capacity of just under 4000MW.

The Post-Gazette quotes Electric Power Generation Association executive director Doug Biden as warning against factoring in all those gas-fired projects in the gas-fired proposals.

“Just because they’ve applies for a permit doesn’t mean those plants will be built,” Biden said.

“The companies get into the permitting line because it’s a time-consuming process, but, historically, only about 30 per cent of what’s in those construction queues get built.

“And unless there is a serious uptick in [coal-fired] retirements, I doubt we’ll see all of those on the current permit list.”

Natural gas price are another factor in any decision to proceed with gas-fired generation plants.

The gas price has gone up slightly but still remains low.