Wikipedia

E.D. Edwards Power Plant

The E.D. Edwards Power Plant is an inoperative coal-fired generating plant owned by Vistra Energy. The plant, with a nameplate capacity of 780 megawatts, was connected with the high-tension power supply lines of Central Illinois. It is located on the Illinois River and the Union Pacific Railroad, adjacent to the municipality of Bartonville.

E.D. Edwards Power Plant
View of smokestacks from US Route 24
Map
Country
  • United States
Coordinates40°35′44″N 89°39′47″W / 40.5956°N 89.663°W / 40.5956; -89.663
StatusDecommissioned
Decommission date
  • December 2022
Power generation
Nameplate capacity
  • 644.3 MW
  • 780.3 MW
[edit on Wikidata]

The Edwards plant, built by the former Central Illinois Light Company (CILCO), began operations in 1960. Ameren owned the plant until it was acquired by Dynegy in 2013.[1] Dynegy was purchased by Vistra Energy in April 2018.[2]

Closure

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Starting in 2013, environmental groups headed by the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council took legal action to shut down the power plant.[3] The groups asserted that the plant generated illegal levels of coal dust particulates and was nearing the end of its useful life.[4] The groups filed a Clean Air Act lawsuit.[5]

Unit 1 of the plant was retired in December 2015.[1] Unit 2 came online in 1968 and Unit 3 came online in 1972.[1]

In line with the terms of a settlement announced in September 2019 [6] and approved by a federal court in November 2019, the plant was scheduled to close no later than December 31, 2022.[7] The closure was expected to affect 70 jobs.[6] The settlement also provided for $8.6 million in grants funding for workforce training and development, public health, and environmental projects to benefit local communities.[8][9][10]

As of January 2023, the coal-powered portions of the site were officially closed.[11] Vistra Energy is currently transitioning the site to electric battery storage.[12] The renewed plant would create 88 jobs.[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Proctor, Darrell (2019-09-16). "Vistra Will Close Another Illinois Coal Plant". POWER Magazine. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  2. ^ "Soot to Solar" (PDF). Union of Concerned Scientists. October 2018.
  3. ^ "Shutting Down the Edwards Coal Plant". Environmental Law & Policy Center. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  4. ^ "Ashtracker | Site → 277". Ashtracker. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  5. ^ Lydersen, Kari (2016-08-29). "Ruling on violations is latest blow for troubled Illinois coal plant". Energy News Network. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  6. ^ a b Shelley, Tim (September 16, 2019). "Edwards Coal Plant Will Close in 2022, Under Proposed Settlement". peoriapublicradio.org. WCBU-FM. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  7. ^ "Federal Judge Approves Settlement Agreement to Retire E.D. Edwards Coal Plant". nrdc.org. National Resources Defense Council. November 13, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  8. ^ Schoenheider, Jon (2022-07-07). "Bartonville energy plant closure fuels coal hazard debate". 25 News Now. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  9. ^ "Grants awarded in Edwards plant settlement". Peoria Journal Star. 2020-02-20. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  10. ^ "Edwards Settlement Lung Health Project | Peoria City/County Health Department". www.pcchd.org. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  11. ^ a b Shelley, Time (2023-01-11). "The Edwards power plant is now closed permanently. Here's what happens next". WCBU Peoria. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  12. ^ Seils, Lizzie (2023-01-18). "Edwards coal-powered plant getting new use as battery storage facility". 25 News Now. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
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