Location of Prairie State coal plant.

Peabody Energy Company transferred 95% of the financial risk of building the Prairie State Coal Plant in Southern Illinois to municipal ratepayers in hundreds of Midwest communities, who were promised a low-risk, steady source of electric power at below market rates. But the plant came in one billion dollars over budget and has had serious operational problems. The price of power from the plant has been approximately twice as expensive as the cost of wholesale power sold on the market, and some communities are already having to raise their electric rates.

Communities must ask: were they sold a plant that can’t meet its promises? Why does the plant have so many operational problems?  Who should bear the responsibility for this?

This website is tracking developments at the Prairie State Coal Plant, and is designed to provide resources to local officials, ratepayers, neighbors of the plant, and the media.