Elkhart, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A coal plant in the area is officially closed.

The industry publication “Coal Age” reports the owner of the Viper Mine near Elkhart published legal notices in the Lincoln Courier saying that permits for the plant would not be renewed and the plant is now closed.

The executive responsible for the use of coal plants with owner Knight Hawk Coal was unavailable for comment when contacted by WTAX News and CapitolCityNow.  The mine is not on the company’s website.  E-mails send to two addresses online were returned as “undeliverable.”  A voicemail message, however, was able to be left.

Coal Age reports the mine provided coal to Springfield’s City Water, Light, and Power for 40 years until 2024, when it stopped and a contract was awarded by the City Council to Foresight Energy, using their mine in Hillsboro.

It’s not clear how many people were employed by Knight Hawk Coal at Viper Mine.  That company is based in Percy, in southern Illinois.