The Illinois State Senate approved the construction of Tenaska Energy’s $3.5 billion, 730 MW Taylorville Energy Center. The issue now moves on to the House, which is not expected to take up the vote until February 2012, according to The Chicago Tribune.

The state Senate voted against the plant, 31-25, on Oct. 27, but the Senate president used a parliamentary procedure that allowed the matter to be reconsidered later in the veto session.

The plant will use gasified coal, which some say burns cleaner than regular coal. Tenaska has moved on with construction plans and received its final air permit from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in January 2009. The plant has been in the works since 2007.

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