Show your support to the Illinois General Assembly and help Illinois triple its utility-scale solar generation capacity and double its battery energy storage capacity by 2025.
AN ACTIONABLE AND AFFORDABLE PLAN TO REUSE AND REPURPOSE PLANT SITES INTO RENEWABLE ENERGY CENTERS
Vistra supports the Illinois Coal to Solar & Energy Storage Act (HB 3446 / SB 529) to help the state responsibly transition its sources of electricity toward zero-emission generation.
Program costs are greatly reduced by responsibly reusing land, transmission and interconnections already at plant sites.
PROVIDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PLANT COMMUNITIES
This investment provides opportunity for plant communities, which have been part of Illinois’ energy economy for decades, to participate and economically benefit from the shift to emission-free electricity generation.
Coal to Solar is good for the environment, energy workers and the economy. The plan includes:
$550M
Reinvestment
An immediate ~$550 million investment in renewable energy infrastructure by Vistra at sites in central and southern Illinois
300 MW
New Utility-Scale Solar
~300 MW of new utility-scale solar developed – up to 750,000 solar panels installed at existing plant sites
175 MW
New Battery Energy Storage
~175 MW of new battery energy storage developed – Making central & southern Illinois the Midwest leader in battery energy storage
3,000
Full Time Jobs
If passed, the construction-ready program will put thousands of people to work starting in 2022, generating $461 million in new earnings for workers.
PROVIDE A JUST TRANSITION FOR WORKERS & COMMUNITIES
PROVIDE A JUST TRANSITION FOR WORKERS & COMMUNITIES
Energy workers and communities relied on power plants for jobs and local tax revenue for decades. Transforming retired or to-be-retired plants into renewable energy centers provides union construction jobs, and communities will be able to count on new property tax revenue from the new solar and storage facilities.
RESPONSIBLY RETAIN AT-RISK GENERATION THROUGH 2025 BENEFITTING WORKERS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES
The State of Illinois and Vistra have embarked on paths to decarbonize. Retiring coal-fueled electric generation plants is part of this transition. Communities and employees who helped provide affordable and reliable electricity for years are adversely impacted and deserve attention.
A market-based transition assistance program will help some at-risk power plants stay open and retain in-state generation capacity until May 2025. If a plant receives transition assistance, workers and the community will have the certainty that it will remain open through May 2025.
Build Renewable Energy Centers The Right Way
Vistra believes that its $550 million investment in utility-scale solar and battery energy storage can help build up Illinois’ renewable energy economy and support business growth. For the renewable energy developments, Vistra has made the following commitments:
Utilize A Diverse, Inclusive Supply Chain and Workforce
Vistra has established a 25% minimum diverse contracting target for the construction phase and identified approximately $225 million worth of eligible expected contracting opportunities. Company officials have already begun prequalifying diverse-owned vendors and suppliers to bid on opportunities. This commitment is part of Vistra’s effort to increase its direct and indirect spend with diverse-owned businesses across the country.
Built With Union Labor
Vistra has committed to construct and operate the renewable energy centers with union labor and will enter into Project Labor Agreements or other relevant contracts. As part of this commitment, Vistra expects that labor entities will facilitate opportunities for a diverse workforce and make apprenticeships available at job sites. Vistra will encourage the use of workers impacted by plant closures with its labor partners, vendors and suppliers.