Clad in white Tyvek suits, a group of climate activists danced the macarena outside the gates of Merrimack Station to celebrate what they hope will be the end of the last coal-fired power plant in New England. 

The activists showed wishful thinking on Sunday, including cutting a retirement cake for the power plant, as there is no concrete plan in place to shut down Merrimack Station for good.

In March, the plant failed to win funding through the Forward Capacity Market Auction, an annual program designed to guarantee the future supply of electricity. Activists hope that the lack of funding pushed the plant’s owner, Granite Shore Power, to request that it be shut down. If the company filed a request to retire, it could move toward closing Merrimack Station. 

Marla Marcum, director at the Climate Disobedience Center and the police liaison for Sunday’s event, said she understands that the plant may not close as soon as the activists wish. 

“We were doing what we consider to be prefigurative politics,” she said. “Like living in the kind of world that we want to be in.” 

The mood was meant to be light in comparison to past protests where demonstrators were arrested.

“It’s really easy to get sucked into the doom and gloom of what we’re seeing happen with the climate crisis, to get dragged into how terrifying and sad all of it is,” said Rebecca Beaulieu, communications director of 350 New Hampshire. “We wanted to lighten the mood a bit and show that a better world is possible when we shut down things like this coal plant.” 

Activists and residents, from teenagers to octogenarians, held signs that read “Happy retirement, Merrimack Station” and “Shut it down.” They played games of toss with balled-up black socks that resembled lumps of coal and drummed on overturned buckets. There was even a cake.

“Any retirement party needs a cake!” Marcum said. 

The activists wrote letters to James Andrews, president of Granite Shore Power, about what they would like to see the plant become if it is shut down – a solar farm, an outdoor rock climbing facility and an open space for recreation were among the suggestions. 

“The vibe of the action was really celebrating what that coal plant could become because right now it’s a nuisance and it’s polluting the community, making the people and the environment there sick,” Beaulieu said. “There’s so much potential for all of the space that the coal plant is currently polluting to be something that the community can use to thrive.” 

The demonstration drew an outsized police presence, although no arrests were made. Marcum said she saw the Bow police, State Police troopers, state marine patrol on the Merrimack River, the county sheriff, and an overhead drone. The state’s Emergency Operation Center was also activated in advance of the event. 

Past events at Merrimack Station held by No Coal No Gas have generated similar responses from police. At a 2021 action, numerous climate activists were arrested for trespassing by officers in riot gear. 

Marcum said there was little interaction between police and protestors at Sunday’s “retirement party.” 

Instead, Marcum said the event was “beautifully hilarious.” 

“We were both having a celebration intended to show how excited we’ll be when the day finally gets here that the plant closes, and really hoping that it was going to be in motion starting today.” 

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