In 2006 it was still controversial to challenge a proposed coal plant with better pollution controls than existing plants. The agreement reached between CWLP and the Sierra Club looked like a good win-win model and a similar agreement was reached in Kansas City.
In 2009 we have a President who pledged to approve zero new coal-fired power plants. A cap-and-trade bill that would make coal plants more expensive to operate is being debated in Congress. New coal-fired units are considered a financially risky investment and older ones are being shut down. The energy world changed dramatically in three years.
I have mixed feelings about the completion of Dallman 4. On the one hand, it's strange to celebrate a new source of global warming emissions that locks Springfield into using a dirty fossil fuel for three decades or more.
On the other hand, Springfield is significantly reducing its overall carbon footprint by shutting down a much dirtier plant, using wind power, utilizing modern pollution controls, and investing in energy efficiency.
New programs are ramping up that will help customers reduce their carbon emissions and their utility bill. I see this phase as the most exciting part of the CWLP/Sierra Club agreement with the greatest potential for long-term positive impact. There's no solution to climate change without reducing our energy use, and early investments will promote economic growth locally. Taking full advantage of efficiency programs and building more local sources of renewable energy should be the next steps.
(Dallman 4 along I-55)
It's impossible to not be impressed by the engineering feat of building it. I drive nearby often enough that I got to watch the plant grow. I respect the people who managed to design and build it without any major setbacks or injuries.
Publicly owned utilities usually have lower rates, better customer service, and reliably produce cleaner power than private ones. I complain about CWLP sometimes, like anyone else, but owning our own utility is one of the best things Springfield has going. It means that when people complain, somebody actually has to listen.