FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 27, 2023
Contact: Hannah Lee Flath, hannahlee.flath@sierraclub.org, 860-634-0225
Prairie State Makes List of Deadliest Coal Plants
76 premature deaths and no operating permit
Springfield, IL – Prairie State Generating Station in Washington County is one of the deadliest coal plants in the United States. Soot pollution from the plant is responsible for 76 premature deaths annually, according to a new Sierra Club report. According to the report, titled “Out of Control: The Deadly Impact of Coal Pollution,” 199 total Illinoisans die prematurely each year due to coal plant soot pollution—created by plants located in our own borders and in neighboring states.
The Prairie State Generating Company (PSGC) operates the 1,600 MW Prairie State Generating Station coal plant without an operating permit as required by the Clean Air Act. Despite lacking this basic adherence to the law, PSGC is actively considering whether to retrofit the Prairie State coal plant with Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) technology.
In response, Sierra Club Illinois issued the following statement:
“This report once again highlights the troubling reality that the Prairie State coal plant is one of the dirtiest and deadliest plants in the country,” said Christine Nannicelli, Senior Campaign Representative for the Beyond Coal Campaign. “Contrary to the Prairie State Generating Company’s rhetoric, the coal plant actually lacks state of the art pollution controls for dangerous soot pollution. This is particularly concerning as the owners consider a major financial decision to attempt carbon capture at the plant, an energy intensive technology that not only does nothing to address deadly soot pollution, but also runs a significant risk of actually increasing this type of air pollution.”
“As a Geneva resident, communities like mine that buy their power from Prairie State take on ownership responsibility for the environmental and public health impacts of this plant and yet have been afforded little to no insight or transparency into Prairie State’s plans, projections, or finances,” said Bill Koehl, Geneva resident and volunteer with the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County. “Prairie State ratepayers and member communities like the Northern Illinois Municipal Power Agency (NIMPA) and the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) need a stronger voice in deciding our energy future, including critical decisions like whether to risk increasing pollution with carbon capture investments or committing to reasonably priced, clean energy resources.”