Three large power plants are in various stages of approval for
construction in north-east Aurora (Butterfield and Eola Rd)
and in West Chicago (south edge of DuPage County Airport and
Hawthorn Ln).
The combined capacity of the plants is
1970 MW - close to the largest plants in Illinois.
Their energy output could satisfy hot-weather air conditioning
needs of over 2.2 million people.
Even though these plants burn natural gas,
they would still be the most polluting industry complexes
in DuPage and Kane counties
with bulk emissions during ozone-alert days in the summer.
The sites selected by the electric companies have easy access
to high voltage grid and gas pipes, but were chosen
in disregard of impact of these industrial (100 feet tall,
30-40 acres large) facilities
on residential neighborhoods.
The companies want to invest in energy generation in Illinois because of
recent deregulations and because of high energy prices driven by growing
demand for electricity during hot summers.
There are currently 43 permit application for new power plants
before the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency totalling
16,000 MW of capacity additions (the whole state's
nameplate generation capacity is 33,000 MW).
Not all of these additions are necessary and
will come at the expense of our environment
and quality of life . Illinois needs not to become the energy generation
center for the Midwest. Our residential communities need not
to be faced with excess power plants emerging in their midst.
What can be done?
Unless the consumption of the energy is reduced, substantial
number of peaker power plants will be built. However,
energy efficiency programs could eliminate the need for any
more plants.
Energy efficient air conditioners and refrigerators
and good house insulation
can save up to 30% of the energy used. Investment pays off
after 3-5 years.
Commonwealth Edison offers a program
that cycles air conditioners in our houses
on and off (for 15 min) during the peak demand time, exactly
when the peaker plants want to operate.
To sign call 800-986-0070 or use www.ucm.com/naturefirst.
Compact fluorescent bulbs reduce energy spent for
lighting by 75% and last 5-10 times longer than
regular incandescent bulbs.
More ideas at www.rmi.org
Now is the time for the letter campaign to IEPA, with
copies (very important!) sent to the Governor, Senators and Reps in
Springfield
Personal, formal letters matter greatly - have you sent yours yet? Examples and
addresses at www.angelfire.com/il2/PowerPlants/Action.html
Ask for moratorium on more power plants.
Local municipalities need time to develop and institute zoning laws
to prevent siting of the power plants
near residential and wildlife refuge areas, and to address local
need for more generation capacity.
Help to distribute this leaflet
(www.angelfire.com/il2/PowerPlants/leaf.html)
among DuPage and Kane county residents
to reach with energy conservation plea
beyond our community.
Protest, or this is the air you will be breathing:
DuPage/Kane county air is already among 20% worst
in the US. The proposed
peaker power plants will cumulatively add thousands of
tons of regulated pollutants to the air every summer, when the air quality
is the poorest.
Choose energy conservation and save the environment:
Three
most important steps formulated by Union of
Concerned Scientists (www.ucsusa.org) that we, as environmentally
conscious consumers, can take:
drive fuel-efficient, low polluting cars (SUV or light
truck emits 47% more smog-forming and heat-trapping exhaust gases than
the average car)
reduce energy use at home (see above), buy renewable energy
use less beef (it takes 20 times more of Earth resources to
produce 1 lb of beef versus 1 lb of pasta) and less seafood (seas and
oceans are dramatically depleted)
