Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D) and the President and CEO of Cleco Corporate Holdings announced on April 11, 2022, that Cleco will invest $900 million to reduce carbon emissions at the largest of its nine electric generation units in Louisiana, Madison-3 at Brame Energy Center in Lena, LA.[1] Currently, the plant is fueled 70% by petroleum coke and 30% by Illinois Basin coal. Cleco Power, which serves 291,000 customers in Louisiana, will retrofit the Madison-3 plant with carbon capture technology to remove 95% or more of the plant’s carbon emissions. Named the “Diamond Vault,” the project plans to store the captured carbon in deep geological formations beneath the power plant. The company estimates that the project will create 30 to 40 direct new jobs and an average of 1,100 construction jobs over a three-year period.

Cleco will receive a $9 million congressional appropriation to help cover the cost of a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study. Cleco plans to raise capital for the project through tax credits, Department of Energy grants, and private equity investment. Construction is projected to begin by the end of 2025, and commercial operation is expected to begin no later than 2028.

[1] https://www.opportunitylouisiana.com/led-news/news-releases/news/2022/04/11/gov.-edwards-cleco-announce-$900-million-emissions-reduction-project-at-central-louisiana-power-facility