LaHood, Illinois colleagues seek FERC review of coal plant closures

U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) led two of his Republican Illinois colleagues in requesting a review by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) of planned coal plant closures in their home state.

“It is unfortunate that the state of Illinois has chosen to take this politically driven anti-coal approach to energy policy, resulting in job loss and a potential negative economic impact on consumers and communities,” wrote Rep. LaHood and U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis (R-IL) and Mike Bost (R-IL) in a Sept. 16 letter sent to FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee.

Four Illinois coal plants are scheduled to be shut down, including the Havana Power Plant in Havana, Ill., which has operated for 41 years, according to the lawmakers’ letter, and the Duck Creek Power Plant in Canton, Ill., which has been in operation for 43 years. Combined, the closures at these two plants will slash 135 jobs.

“As large and important employers in Illinois, in total, these plant site closures will result in the elimination of 300 good-paying jobs and the loss of a tax base which will negatively impact the surrounding school districts,” wrote Rep. LaHood and his colleagues. “For over 40 years, each plant has provided power generation for the surrounding communities. Of note, three of these plants are fitted with scrubbers, which reduce sulfur dioxide emissions.”

The state of Illinois in 2016 adopted the Future Energy Jobs Act, which reformed energy policy. Subsequently, the Illinois General Assembly Joint Committee on Administrative Rules in August voted to move forward on its agreement with Vistra Energy to retire 2,000 megawatts of generation, resulting in the company announcing the closure of four coal-fueled Illinois power plants.

While the members wrote that they “strongly support” the state’s all-of-the-above energy approach, they also called the state’s plant closures decision a poor move on several levels.

“As the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission reviews these closures, within all relevant rules and regulations, we urge a thorough and thoughtful analysis, keeping in mind our constituencies’ serious concerns regarding the impact on grid reliability, electricity costs, job loss, and the overall negative economic consequences on the surrounding communities,” the lawmakers wrote.