10.19.11

Durbin: Prairie State Energy Shows Job Creation Doesn't Have to Come at the Expense of Clean Air

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with the President and CEO of Prairie State Energy Campus, Peter DeQuattro, who has been working closely with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the last several years to ensure that their new coal-fueled generation plant in southwestern Illinois meets all required emissions standards. 

 

“Prairie State Energy Campus is a clean coal success story that proves job creation doesn’t have to come at the expense of clean air and higher environmental standards,” said Durbin.  “The campus supported more than 4,000 union jobs during construction and expects to create 500 permanent local jobs and $785 million in Illinois economic activity annually.  And it was able to do so while working hand in hand with the EPA to dramatically reduce emission and ensure that our state is home to the cleanest coal plant in the nation.”

 

Prairie State Energy Campus represents one of the largest energy projects currently under construction in the America.  According to DeQuattro, the 1,200 acre campus – located in Washington County, Illinois – is comprised of a 1,600 megawatt coal-fired power plant adjacent to an underground coal mine.  The facility will generate 1600 MWs of power, with 95% of the output already dedicated to eight Midwestern-based public power utilities. The campus will generate enough electricity to serve approximately 2.5 million families covering eight states.