About Us
SCH-CES is a high-energy group of companies, narrowly focused on providing cost efficient, high value coal handling for terminals, and coal producers. In pursuit of that goal, we offer a wide range of services, including concept, design, engineering, construction, operations, management, marketing, and consulting. Our affiliated engineering company, Cornette Engineering Services (CES), and Southern Coal Handling’s (SCH) management team have combined experience of over 100 years in materials handling from the coalmine to the power plant bunker.
SCH and CES have designed and built coal handling systems for utilities and terminal companies across the country. We recently completed the design and construction of a new rail to truck coal transfer facility in Danville, Illinois. This facility will allow a land-bound Midwestern power plant to economically burn low-cost coal from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. We are also presently working with TVA, Constellation, Edison Mission Energy, and Dynegy on coal handling projects. Our current project list includes innovative designs that will allow several companies to reduce their costs of procuring and handling their coal.
Under a long-term contract we manage, market, and operate the Havana Terminal in Havana, Illinois for Dynegy, Inc. In 1999 we purchased this mothballed facility from ComEd and have since put it back into operation, serving utility customers. This is a rail to barge, rail to truck, and truck to barge facility with full stockpile and blending capabilities. SCH completed design and turnkey construction of a new coal terminal in western Kentucky in 2003. This terminal was the first of several terminal ventures done in partnership with the principals of Ashley Capital of New York (www.ashleycapital.com). This is a rail served facility with a throughput capacity in excess of 10 million tons per year, 3,500 ton per hour loading and unloading rate, and a one million ton stockpile capacity. This facility incorporates both a rotary rail car dumping system, a traveling stacker and has the capacity to accurately blend three coals, with certified weighing and automatic sampling. The terminal is also capable of receiving coal by barge or truck.
SCH has worked with several utilities; our services include engineering, construction, and operations consulting for the expansion and operation of the terminals. We also have a long term consulting and marketing agreements with several utilities.
TVA is also a major client for SCH. We have designed and constructed coal-handling components for TVA at Kingston, Widows Creek, Paradise, Shawnee, John Sevier, and Colbert. SCH has assisted in coal handling operations with TVA and we have several projects with them currently. We have a standing purchase order with TVA to provide coal handling services at any of its eleven fossil plants as needed.
The philosophy at SCH is centered on cost effectiveness and value. We strive to offer practical, real world solutions to coal handling problems. Our staff of engineers, technicians, and specialists combines the latest technology with common sense and experience to arrive at the optimal result for our clients. More detailed descriptions of some relevant projects are included below:
Project Highlights
12 year history of successfully reducing costs by examining logistics chains and improving systems to improve efficiency for both carriers and receivers
Will County Rail Dumper and Trans-shipment Facility
- Examined economics of delivering coal to Will County, Crawford and Fisk Stations using long haul barge delivery.
- Apparent rail freight savings on shorter move to alternate unloading point.
- Apparent barge freight savings on shorter barge delivery to stations.
- This change reduced costs by over $4.00 per ton or 16%.
- Direct delivery by constructing direct rail receiving facilities at Will County Station and trans-loading coal to barge for Crawford and Fisk further reduced costs by more than $2.00 per ton or 10%.
- Southern Coal Handling/Cornette Engineering designed, constructed and trained ComEd personnel to operate the facility at a capital cost savings of $8.0 million compared to the next most competitive bidder.
- New Will County coal handling facility had comprehensive blending capability improving unit performance at Crawford and Fisk.
- Seven years later track was added to accommodate 20 extra railcars increasing efficiency and flexibility by SCH.
Joliet Station Build-out to Union Pacific Railroad
- With designs of Cornette Engineering and construction by Southern Coal Handling we increased capacity to deliver coal to Joliet Station as demand for generation exceeded ability to supply coal to the station based on railroad service and operating indifference.
- Applied to Surface Transportation Board for approval to build out (around Illinois Central direct service) to Union Pacific Railroad eliminating cost of IC switching.
- Savings paid for project in first 8 months of new service.
- Delivery capacity increased by over 2.5 million tons per year to Joliet Station.
CoalTek Project