Powerton Power Plant, Illinois

The Powerton Power Plant is a large coal-fired power plant on the Illinois River, with two units, and combined output of 1,538 megawatts. Rather than use the river for its cooling water, the 1,426-acre Powerton Lake was constructed in 1971 by Commonwealth Edison Company, in order to supply the future plant with cooling water. The plant is owned and operated by Midwest Generation, LLC, a subsidiary of NRG Energy.