MARION — Southern Illinois Power Cooperative plans to retire its largest coal-fired generator as early as this fall, a move that is expected to save $125 million over a decade.
President and CEO Don Gulley said the tentative decision is the result of analysis and negotiations that have been ongoing since late 2019. Gulley said SIPC utilized outside consultants to help it perform a comprehensive review of operations and determine the best path forward. The decision to close Unit 4, as it is known, was based on two primary factors, he said: sustained low energy prices in the wholesale power market, and increasingly costly environmental regulations for coal-fired generators.
Steam rises from the Southern Illinois Electrical Cooperative power plant in 2010 on Lake of Egypt.
The Southern File PhotoPhotos: Meet the 'Mask Committee,' making masks for Southern Illinois police, health care workers
On March 20, I made a mask for my husband, who is a health care worker, because there was a shortage of personal protective equipment, or PPE, at his workplace. Then, I made more masks for my elderly neighbors, elderly local people and local friends, as well as friends from New York and Florida. I was using leftover fabric I had in my workshop — holidays patterns like Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Fourth of July.
I was running out of material and then Calico Country Sew store in Carbondale started donating fabric. I picked up some yards, and I was able to make masks for the police officers from Carterville. But, that was it: I ran out of material, and Amazon wasn’t shipping until May. As soon as I announced on my Facebook page that I had run out of material, people started donating fabric, metal wire, machine needles and threads. With that donation, I was able to keep making more masks to donate, and I completed a group of masks for Herrin police officers.
Karina Neill of Carterville
- Karina Neill Photography
Dr. Amanda Brazis Cook of Marion
- Karina Neill Photography
Dr. Daniele Tomevi of Carbondale
- Karina Neill Photography
Ryan Hudson and Gabe Ridings of Herrin Police Department
- Karina Neill
Dr. Sarah Altamimi of Carterville
- Karina Neill Photography
Tienne Kollar of Herrin
- Karina Neill Photography
Mary Russell of Marion
- Karina Neill Photography
Louise Humble
- Karina Neill Photography
Patty Cox of Herrin
- Karina Neill Photography
Carla Shasteen of Herrin
- Karina Neill Photography
Mary Slider of Carterville
- Karina Neill Photography
Nancy Smitch
- Karina Neill Photography
Angelo Hightower of Carterville Police Department
- Karina Neill Photography