Prairie State Energy Campus

The Prairie State Energy Campus includes a 1,600 MW (net) coal-fired, steam-electric generating station that is being constructed in Washington, St. Clair, and Randolph Counties, Illinois. The station is to be built utilizing state-of-the-art pulverized coal supercritical boiler technology.

Prairie State also includes transmission facilities to interconnect with the grid at the delivery point; a water pipeline to the Kaskaskia River; facilities for the disposal of coal combustion waste from the facilities; associated power plant facilities and equipment; and certain coal reserves, mine facilities, mining equipment, and coal storage, handling, and conveying equipment.

MJMEUC’s ownership in Prairie State entitles MJMEUC to approximately 195 MW (net) of the capacity and output of the plant when constructed and placed in service, and a coal supply that is expected to fuel the plant for at least 30 years. Unit one is expected to be placed in service in August 2011, and Unit two is expected to be placed in service in May 2012.

Approximately 113 MW of the capacity of Prairie State will be sold to the Missouri cities of Columbia, Kirkwood, Hannibal, Fulton, Marceline, Centralia, and Kahoka, and the balance of the capacity, approximately 82 MW, is assigned to MoPEP.

Prairie State is located adjacent to underground coal reserves that are expected to supply all the fuel needs for the site for approximately 30 years. There are additional coal reserves adjacent to the site that may be acquired in the future. Prairie State Generating Company (PSGC) will operate the mine with a technical services agreement with Peabody to support the mine operation and maintenance. The Prairie State design includes rail access to accommodate coal purchased from third parties in the event of an extended mine disruption, to facilitate delivery of limestone and major equipment, and to dispose of coal combustion waste.

Prairie State is designed to meet best available air pollution control technology, which consists of a selective catalytic reduction system, a dry electrostatic precipitator, a wet flue gas desulfurization system, a wet electrostatic precipitator, an activated carbon injection system, a lime injection system, and low NOx burners.

The project’s two turbine generators will be connected through two 27 kV to 345 kV generator step-up transformers contained within the new Prairie State substation that will be connected to a new Ameren Services Company switchyard via two 345 kV overhead lead lines owned by the project. Prairie State is within the MISO geographical footprint.

More Information: Prairie State