Something about “power,” in whatever form, or source, from which it may come or exist, can cause great things to happen. When God stood out on the banisters of nothingness and declared, “Let there be …,” no greater power in heaven nor on Earth could have ever been affirmed. Even since that time the essence […]
power
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Keep the Lights On
The State of Illinois owes Springfield’s municipal utility $12 million. File photo by Patrick Yeagle As the state passes into month nine of the budget impasse, Illinois’ financial backlog is growing. But higher education and human service providers are not the only people waiting for money from the state. The State of Illinois owes City […]
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A life-or-death decision for Dallman power plants
PHOTO BY RACHEL WELLS CWLP power plant Springfield City Water, Light and Power must decide whether to upgrade or decomission its three oldest boilers in light of changing pollution regulations, and the utility’s decision could affect the cost of power in Springfield for decades. An environmental compliance study commissioned by CWLP in December 2013 explored […]
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Does FutureGen have a future?
With U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois looking on, Ken Humphreys, CEO of the FutureGen Alliance, signs a labor agreement on Monday to provide union labor for the FutureGen project planned in a rural area outside Jacksonville. The agreement may signal that the long-delayed project is moving forward. PHOTO BY PATRICK YEAGLE Illinois is one […]
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Coal ash ruling could mean new restrictions
A federal judge has ordered the United States Environmental Protection Agency to pass regulations on disposal of coal ash, which could have far-reaching implications for Illinois’ rebounding coal industry and coal plant operators like Springfield City Water, Light and Power. The Illinois-based environmental group Prairie Rivers Network participated in the lawsuit that prompted the decision […]
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Shell game
A Texas-based energy company wants to take over several coal plants in Illinois, but environmental groups claim the company is planning to skip pollution controls and use a shell company to avoid taking on any risk. Dynegy Inc. of Houston, Texas, is planning to acquire five coal plants in central and southern Illinois from Ameren […]
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ComEd shows off smart grid
What if there were no longer a need to call the power company when the power goes out? What if appliances shut themselves off to save money? And what if it were possible to predict your next electricity bill? On Feb. 5, power giant Commonwealth Edison hosted several exhibitors at the Prairie Capital Convention Center […]
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Tenaska drops clean coal plan for Taylorville
A proposed state-of-the-art “clean coal” power plant in Taylorville has been sidelined, but the project could still continue as a natural gas power plant. Nebraska-based Tenaska, Inc. says its proposed Taylorville Energy Center is necessary to prevent power shortages as old coal plants go offline, but opponents question whether it’s really needed and why taxpayers […]
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Coal curriculum
Illinois is a coal state – the eighth-largest producer of coal in the nation at 33.2 million tons in 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The Illinois Geological Survey estimates Illinois coal holds more energy potential than all of Saudi Arabia’s and Kuwait’s oil reserves combined. It makes sense that the state would […]
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State’s power buyer under fire
The state agency responsible for buying Illinois’ electricity is under fire after an annual audit showed numerous problems with accounting and transparency. A March 24 report by Illinois Auditor General William Holland says the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) needs to correct 35 “weaknesses” in financial transparency, rulemaking and more. The report admonishes IPA for storing […]
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10 things you can do in Springfield to save the planet
The Earth Day issue: Save. Simplify. Grow. Make a difference. You don’t have to be Captain Planet, Al Gore or Rachel Carson to help the environment. Saving energy, preserving natural resources and reducing waste are easier than you think! Small changes in your lifestyle can have positive results for the planet, your pocketbook and your […]
