Sign up for our newsletters Subscribe
To the editor:
Your 3/15 City File item about the 59 new power plants is off by several orders of magnitude. The figure of 27,881 megawatts is not a small amount; it is about the output of 30 nuclear plants and is approximately equal to the total peak electricity demand of the entire state of Illinois. (Most of those plants will never be built, by the way.)
But I'm glad the Reader is paying attention to the issue. An in-depth look at power-plant construction in Illinois--particularly in light of Enron, electric deregulation, the drying up of capital, uncertainty in the market, etc--would be a very interesting and important tale to tell.
Marty Cohen
Executive director,
Citizens Utility Board
Harold Henderson replies:
Back to math class! Thanks to you and the others who pointed out my mistake.
Support Independent Chicago Journalism: Join the Reader Revolution
We speak Chicago to Chicagoans, but we couldn’t do it without your help. Every dollar you give helps us continue to explore and report on the diverse happenings of our city. Our reporters scour Chicago in search of what’s new, what’s now, and what’s next. Stay connected to our city’s pulse by joining the Reader Revolution.
Are you in?
Not ready to commit? Send us what you can!
