Mary Hansen
The State Journal-Register
Preliminary plans are in the works for a natural-gas power plant in Pawnee that could affect City Water, Light and Power, Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder informed the city council Tuesday night.
Aldermen may have to weigh in on the project as the company seeking to build the plant, EmberClear Corp., is looking for the city and Sangamon County to expand their joint enterprise zone, according to the mayor. The zone offers tax breaks for companies that promise to retain or expand jobs in the area.
Competition with a natural-gas plant in wholesale electricity and the location of the facility near land the city has acquired to potentially construct a second lake are two concerns for CWLP, said chief engineer Doug Brown.
The proposed plant might have high water demands, Langfelder noted, which could be a good thing for the city’s pending study of a secondary water source. The city is in the process of seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a supplementary water source that includes an option for the long-discussed Hunter Lake.
“Some of the pros would be the use of water; that might expedite the (Hunter Lake) project,” Langfelder said. Still, he added, city officials need to be aware of the risks to the utility as well.
City officials and the public will have the opportunity to learn more about the natural-gas plant at a Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission meeting at 9:30 a.m. March 15.
***
Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 