Geologic Survey to Help Plan Taylorville Energy Center
July 17, 2009

Local Taylorville residents will begin to see some new activity near the site of the proposed Taylorville Energy Center (TEC). A geologic survey will be conducted in Christian County beginning on or around July 20 and extending into early August.

Geologic surveys cause no harm to people, animals, structures, aquifers or the environment. Similar to the ultrasound exam conducted in a doctor’s office or hospital, geologic surveys enable technicians to image an underground cross section of the geological features beneath the Earth’s surface.

The purpose of this survey is to gather information to complete a Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) study requested by the State of Illinois before approval of TEC. The geologic survey is to indicate whether it is practical to permanently store carbon dioxide (CO₂) in deep underground geologic formations more than a mile below the Earth’s surface. Transporting CO₂ offsite via pipeline for use in enhanced oil recovery is also an option under consideration. TEC is committed to capture at least 50 percent of the CO₂ that would otherwise be emitted into the atmosphere as a byproduct of the planned coal-to-natural gas conversion process. With more than 50 percent of the CO₂ removed, TEC will produce no more carbon dioxide than a natural gas-fueled plant.

Schlumberger Carbon Services, through its WesternGeco division, will conduct the survey. WesternGeco is the world's leading geophysical services company providing comprehensive worldwide reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services.

The survey is preliminary. Before selection of a geologic CO₂ storage site would be made, test borings would confirm the findings of the geologic survey.

Local residents may request more information by contacting TEC Community Representative Jack Brown.  He may be reached by e-mail at projack1@aol.com, or by phone at (217) 824-5055.

Taylorville Energy Center Selected for Federal Loan Guarantee
July 13, 2009

The Taylorville Energy Center (TEC) made headlines this week when it was one of four projects named by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to be selected for a loan guarantee for clean energy projects. The loan guarantee will boost the ability to finance TEC and will help ensure the price of electricity produced by the cutting-edge facility remains reasonable for Illinois ratepayers.

DOE offers loan guarantees for coal-fueled power projects that capture carbon dioxide. In the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the U.S. government essentially was given the ability to back loans for advanced clean energy projects that capture carbon dioxide. The guarantee was designed to help keep interest rates low and lessen the overall cost of projects. Eleven Illinois U.S. congressional members wrote a letter of support for TEC’s loan guarantee application.

In media interviews following the announcement, Tenaska Vice President of Business Development Bart Ford noted that up to this point, making TEC a reality in Illinois has been largely a state-supported effort. The DOE loan guarantee demonstrates that federal support also exists for the project. He said the federal guarantee will give Illinois legislators another good reason to grant final approval for TEC in their spring session in 2010.

In the Illinois Clean Coal Portfolio Standard Law, Illinois lawmakers required that Tenaska, managing partner of TEC, conduct a front end engineering and design (FEED) study to prepare a facility cost report that will be reviewed by the Illinois Commerce Commission and the Illinois General Assembly. The FEED study involves more than 100,000 hours of detailed engineering work and is progressing on schedule so that the facility cost report can be delivered to the legislators in the spring for final approval.