Prairie State Generating Co. is at the front end of a massive new coal mine and power plant construction project in Lively Grove, Illinois.
KMOV TV News (St. Louis): November 11, 2008-- In a world where layoffs dominate the headlines, at least one local company is putting out the help wanted sign.
Prairie State Generating Co. is at the front end of a massive new coal mine and power plant construction project in Lively Grove, Ill.
Right now 1,200 people are working on the site and the company expects to hire at least 1,100 more before the 2011 or 2012 completion date.
But that's just construction.
In early 2009, the company will start looking for people to staff the plant full-time.
When all is said and done some 500 miners and staff will work at the site, which will generate electricity for customers in nine states.
"We want to go to cheapest cost possible and that's coal-driven power. That's one of the signs you're seeing here with the economy growing with respect to the mining sector,” said Chester Smith, the company’s public and government relations manager.
According to an employment index on the Web site Monster.com, mining and utility industry opportunities are growing along with government and health care jobs.