Construction Delayed For Douglas County Fertilizer Plant
Cronus Chemicals CEO Erzin Atac addresses a crowd at the future site of the company's new fertilizer plant west of Tuscola, joined by former Gov. Pat Quinn in October 2014. Jeff Bossert/Illinois Public Media
The company planning to build a massive fertilizer plant in eastern Illinois says the start of construction has been delayed until next year. Cronus Chemicals had planned to begin building near Tuscola in 2015 but now says it anticipates building sometime next year.
The plant is expected to employ about 175 people on land once considered for the FutureGen clean-coal project.
Cronus spokesman Dave Lundy said Friday the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has granted the company a one-year extension on its air permit. Construction now must start by October 2017.
Lundy said Cronus is trying to finalize deals with contractors. Cronus also now lists the cost as $1.9 billion on its website. The company originally listed the construction cost as $1.4 billion.
On Thursday, CU-Citizen Access cited higher costs of getting the plant completed.
Lundy says the larger figure reflects finance costs.
Links
- Cronus Makes Tuscola Plant Official
- Cronus Chemicals Coming To Tuscola
- Illinois Issues Draft Of Cronus Plant Permit
- Cronus Chemical Delays Decision On Plant Location
- Ameren Ending Partnership in FutureGen Project
- Department of Energy Faces Push Back After Cancelling FutureGen
- Department Of Energy Suspends FutureGen
- EPA OKs FutureGen Permits
- Morgan County Chosen Over Douglas and 2 Others For FutureGen Storage Site
- Western Illinois Site Gets FutureGen Storage Facility