(WJBC file photo)
By PJ Baron
NORMAL – The Clinton Power Plant in DeWitt County is facing the threat of closing due to the lack of a budget in Illinois.
The Plant employs about 2,000 citizens in the county and powers about 20% of Illinois. To stop the closure of the plant legislators introduced Senate Bill 1585, which would help keep the plant open while the state figures out a budget plan.
Co-sponsor of the bill Senator Chapin Rose explained the obstacles facing the bill, such as the coal and solar industries, could force the bill to be put down.
“Yesterday at the hearing were parties that will never be for this, like the coal industry, but I think there was a willingness to try and work with them. On the other hand you’ll see parties like solar that are very much trying to negotiate a deal as part of this and there’s some real policy reasons why that needs to happen,” said Rose.
The state has until the end of this month to pass the bill before the budget plan deadline.
PJ Baron can be reached at news@wjbc.com.
