General Electric Lighting says its plant in Mattoon will close in August 2017, finalizing plans it announced in August.

At that time, the company said the Mattoon plant would close unless employees could come up with an acceptable alternative use.

General Electric Lighting says it plans to close its Lamp Plant in Mattoon by the end of next August, eliminating 144 jobs. A company spokesperson says there's been "a major technology pivot away from traditional lighting products."  But Angela Griffin with the economic development group Coles Together says the company has provided 60 days to seek out alternative ideas for saving the facility. 

A Department of Energy spokesman says it has concluded the project couldn't meet a September deadline to use its $1 billion in federal stimulus funding.