[The following is a paid advertisement.]

Out-of-state energy company Tenaska is still trying to win support from the legislature to build the Taylorville Energy Center (TEC). This legislation, which has already failed three times, would leave consumers paying up to seven times the market price for electricity and cost $286 million per year.

Tenaska and TEC supporters claim that we need more coal power, touting an exaggerated and inaccurate estimate that “40 percent” of Illinois coal plants could be forced to close as a result of new regulations from the EPA. But independent studies – including the EPA’s own analysis – do not support this “sky-is-falling” estimate.

What’s more, Illinois’ projected energy demands will be met even if some older coal plants now operating in the state are retired. That’s in part because Illinois draws power from two regional power pools that, combined, serve 21 states and have a power generation capacity in excess of 300,000 megawatts. The TEC, if built, would add just 544 megawatts to this total, an addition of only two-tenths of one percent.

So what would it cost Illinois consumers to pay for this drop in the bucket? Total costs for the TEC would be at least $8.6 billion. That’s why the market isn’t supportive of the TEC and why Tenaska is instead asking the legislature to push this unneeded power plant through.

Please take a moment to let your legislator know that you oppose the Taylorville Energy Center. Visit www.STOPCoalition.com to learn more.