EAST ALTON – Some sadness occupied the area today as the Dynegy Inc. coal-fired power plant shut its doors to operation.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
An estimated 90 jobs and more than $1 million in tax revenue go with the closure. The cleanup will take several years and run into the millions of dollars. The plant is located on Illinois 143 near Wood River Creek in East Alton.
Dynegy communications manager/media relation specialist David Onufer confirmed today was the final day. He said the last thing the company wanted to do was shut down a facility but it came down to being reasonable about operating costs and they were extremely difficult because of flawed MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.) capacity auction problems. He said the system allows utilities in outside states to bid their capacity at the auction for much less cost.
Onufer said he couldn’t say enough positive things about the workers and the people of the area. He said several of the workers have been transferred to other plants, and those who have not been transferred are receiving help in looking for new positions.
He said until the very end, the employees worked to capacity and were true professionals.
“We are trying to do whatever we can to help those who need help transitioning back into the workforce,” he said.
The facility will now undergo a process of inside work and groundwork, which will continue for at least 20 years, he said.
In response to the closing, Laura Asher, Volunteer Chair of the Piasa Palisades Group of the Sierra Club released the following statement:
“The Sierra Club and allies in the Metro East have been calling for a supportive transition plan for the workers at the Wood River Plant and our community for over a year. The city of East Alton is losing a large piece of its tax base, and the River Bend community has a lot of work to do to ensure a successful transition.
“We look to Dynegy to live up to their promises to offer workers a soft place to land within the company as well as promises to clean up the coal ash on site. Sierra Club stands ready to work with the mayors of the River Bend and interested parties to form an inclusive transition task-force that would help move our community forward by identifying opportunities for new development and clean up of the site.”
More like this:
