The ICC’s approval was one of two important deadlines the FutureGen Alliance alluded to in November.

Both the approval and the advancement of the project by the US Department of Energy are needed to keep the billion-dollar project in Meredosia on track.

According to local news outlet WLDS, the commission’s sign-off means that utilities Ameren and Commonwealth Edison will buy electricity from the project’s power plant in a deal that runs through to 2018.

Project supporter US Senator Dick Durbin told the station the ICC's decision solidified FutureGen's “financial viability”

“The Illinois Commerce Commission decision was critical,” he said.

“We needed this to go forward.

“This power purchase agreement means that there will be a market for the power generated at Meredosia. That is essential for financing the remainder of the project [and] it’s the last step that the Department of Energy in Washington asked of us.

“Now, it’s in their hands.”

Durbin approached the nation’s Energy Secretary Steven Chu earlier this week, requesting that he approve the next phase of the FutureGen 2.0 project following an informational meeting earlier this month.

“We need the approval from the secretary of the Department of Energy and once that’s given, we can begin some of the most basic elements of engineering and design to move forward on this important project,” Durbin said.

The DOE must make a decision on FutureGen, which already has $1 billion in federal funding, by the end of the year.

FutureGen was initially intended to build a power plant in Mattoon in eastern Illinois and store CO2 there. Those plans, however, were not to be.

The revamped project was shelved by the US government and a redesign set for construction in Illinois was unveiled last year.

Morgan County was selected as the preferred site for FutureGen 2.0 in February 2011 following an open and competitive solicitation process.

When in operation – developers are anticipating a 2017 start – FutureGen is expected to create 125 permanent direct jobs and about 1000 jobs for the plant site conversion.

FutureGen 2.0 is set to be a first of its kind near-zero emissions power plant.

The design plan includes upgrading the Meredosia Energy Center’s unit 4 with oxy-combustion technology to capture about 90% of the plant’s carbon emissions.

Using safe and proven pipeline technology, the CO2 will then be transported and stored underground permanently at a nearby storage site.