Midwest Generation Closing Chicago Plants

Midwest Generation announced plans Wednesday to close down two of its coal-fired power plants in Chicago, according to a Washington Post report.

The company operates its Will County plant out of Romeoville and owns facilities in Joliet, Waukegan and Pekin, Illinois.

On Wednesday, a local environmental group applauded the company’s decision to close the aging plants.

“We’re just happy to see something done,” said Ellen Rendulich, director of the Lockport-based Will County CARE (Citizens Against Ruining the Environment).

But the organization is calling for the power company to do more, pushing for changes at coal-fired plants in Romeoville and Joliet.

“Midwest Generation will now have to decide whether to make risky investments in retrofitting their remaining antiquated coal plants or choose to close them and invest in clean energy,” CARE said in a press release.

Rendulich said the plants, purchased by the company from ComEd in 1999, were grandfathered in and do not comply with the Clean Air Act.

“CARE has been working in de-grandfathering them,” she said. This year, the company closed two of the four stacks at its Romeoville plant.

“The other two stacks are still running and the Joliet facility are still running,” Rendulich said.

CARE is calling for the company to replace coal with clean energy sources.

“We request that Midwest Generation do the right thing and transition their employees into the clean energy sector,” CARE said it a statement.

On Wednesday, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced that Midwest Generation’s Fisk power plant at 1111 W. Cermak Rd., will close by the end of 2012 and the Crawford Station, 3601 S. Pulaski Rd., will do the same by the end of 2014.

"Midwest Generation has made an important and appropriate decision today, which will be good for the company, the city and the residents of Chicago,” Emanuel said in a statement. “ … Today’s announcement puts us on a more sustainable path for these neighborhoods.”