DOE spokesman Bill Gibbons told The Associated Press the department concluded the project couldn't meet a September deadline to use its $1 billion in federal stimulus funding. Without the federal funding there isn't enough money to finish the $1.65 billion project.
Peabody Energy, a founding member of the FutureGen Alliance, called on the Obama Administration to reverse its decision to suspend development funding for FutureGen 2.0.
"It makes no sense to pull the plug on $1 billion committed to America's signature near-zero emissions power project at such a critical time for these investments in technology," said Peabody Energy Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gregory H. Boyce. "The Administration has pledged $1 billion for advanced coal projects in China, and I urge them to support investments in the United States. We have the knowledge to advance low-carbon technologies to commercial scale and must demonstrate our leadership and our will."