Time Has Come For Taylorville’s Coal Plant OK
EDITORIAL STAFF, DECATUR HERALD-REVIEW

March 11, 2008 – The state of Illinois is holding up another coal project that could help the local and state economies.

The Taylorville Energy Center is a $2.5 billion power plant, proposed by Nebraska-based developer Tenaska Inc., that would use coal in a cleaner way to generate electricity. Last week, we told you about a Decatur plant, proposed by Secure Energy Inc., that was waiting for funds from the state.

The Taylorville project is waiting for authorization from the state so it can proceed.

The plant would create up to 2,000 construction jobs, 250 mining jobs and 200 permanent jobs, according to state Sen. Frank Watson, R-Greenville, who spoke about the project to the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce last week.

Those jobs would create economic ripple effects throughout the area and the state. In addition, the Taylorville project would use treatment capacity at the Sanitary District of Decatur facilities.

To secure financing for the Taylorville plant, Tenaska has asked the state for permission to enter into long-term contracts with electric utilities. A bill making those long-term contracts legal was approved by the Senate, but it got stalled in the House when Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office raised concerns.

In recent months, what both sides call productive talks have taken place. Although there’s still no final agreement, talks continue.

A new concept recently has been introduced, requiring utility companies such as Ameren to buy a certain amount of electricity generated by clean coal. That would create a market for the Taylorville Energy Center’s electricity. To date, legislation to that effect hasn’t been proposed in Springfield, but a spokesman for Madigan’s office said ongoing talks mean a resolution is still possible.

The Taylorville plant has met every other state and federal requirement, and developers are eager to get started. Job growth in Illinois, and particularly in Central and Southern Illinois, is a crucial issue, and the state should be doing all it can to make sure jobs are being created.

In addition, a plant such as the one proposed in Taylorville eventually will reduce electric rates, since it will take some of the burden off of expensive "peak" electrical producers.

The project is a win for Central Illinois and the state as a whole. We urge Madigan to make sure her office is moving on this issue quickly and with a mind-set that creating jobs is important to the citizens of Illinois.

Issues can sometimes take awhile to move through the process in Springfield. This is a case, however, where enough time has passed. It’s time for action.

Copyright 2008, Herald & Review, Decatur, IL

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