Legislative effort to save Dynegy’s Illinois coal plants stalls

摘要

Legislative efforts to preserve Illinois’ aging coal fleet have stalled as the state rushes to pass a new budget, leaving competitive generator Dynegy seeking other market solutions to keep its plants running. Exelon Corp.’s uneconomic Clinton Power Station and Quad Cities plants were saved by the Future Energy Jobs Bill, signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2016, which allows emissions-free generation to receive zero-emission credits, or ZECs, over 10 years. Opponents say the 10-year contracts will amount to $2.35 billion worth of state payments over the next decade. Dynegy, which owns about a quarter of the 27,000 MW of coal capacity in Illinois, calls the ZEC program a “scheme” that interferes with competitive electricity markets.