GOV. BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES $5 MILLION INVESTMENT FOR NEW COAL GASIFICATION PROJECT AT TAYLORVILLE ENERGY CENTER
illinois.gov
Cutting-Edge Development Would Create Several Hundred Permanent Jobs
CHICAGO - Furthering his pledge to revitalize the Illinois coal industry and create hundreds of more jobs for working families, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced $5 million in public-private support for the $1.1 billion Taylorville Energy Center, where Illinois coal from a new nearby mine will be converted through clean coal technology to a synthetic gas that can be sold or burned to generate electric power.
The ERORA Group, the coal gasification project’s developer, will receive $2.5 million for front-end engineering and design work from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and another $2.5 million from the public-private Illinois Clean Coal Review Board.
"By investing in innovative projects like the Taylorville Energy Center, we are proving that we can capitalize on one of our greatest natural assets in a way that will create hundreds of jobs. The only way we can make coal king in Illinois is to make it clean. We are leading the nation in the development of this cutting-edge technology, and the Taylorville Energy Center is great example of how we are growing our economy, while protecting our environment," Gov. Blagojevich said.
The Taylorville Energy Center, which would use 1.8 million tons of Illinois coal annually, is a proposed 777-megawatt facility. Electricity would be generated using what’s known as integrated gasification-combined cycle, or IGCC technology.
"Gov. Blagojevich’s support of clean coal technologies and the programs that he has initiated were critical components in ERORA’s decision to develop the Taylorville Energy Center with IGCC technology, allowing the plant to use Illinois coal in an environmentally responsible manner", said David Schwartz, an ERORA Partner.
"The Taylorville Energy Center is another important step in ensuring that more of our energy is homegrown and not imported. Gov. Blagojevich and I understand that by investing in coal gasification projects we can still grow our economy and protect our environment. This is a huge win for all of Central Illinois," State Senator Deanna Demuzio (D-Carlinville) said.
"This is another strong signal that Gov. Blagojevich’s continued support for growing the coal industry is paying impressive economic dividends today and will continue to do so for many years to come. The future of the coal industry is coal gasification, and the Taylorville Energy Center is bringing it into the 21st Century and beyond," State Rep. Gary Hannig (D-Gillespie) said.
Construction of the power plant, set to begin in 2007, will create up to 1,000 jobs. The plant will create 200 permanent jobs. Central Illinois will also benefit from the separately developed Central Appalachian Mining - Illinois mine, which would create approximately 200 permanent jobs and roughly 300 construction jobs. |
