MATTOON, Ill. -- A Republican congressman from Illinois worries that Energy Department plans to scale back a next-generation, low-pollution power plant could scuttle the deal.

The power and coal companies developing FutureGen last month announced plans to build it in the central Illinois community of Mattoon.

But the Energy Department is providing most of the money and worries about the cost, which is now approaching $2 billion.

Congressman John Shimkus says he believes the Energy Department is mulling downsizing the project and spreading the technology to several sites around the country.

Shimkus says the Energy Department has made it clear it'll walk if the project doesn't get retooled, and that he's unsure anyone can stop them.

The Energy Department isn't discussing the matter publicly.

Mattoon was chosen over another Illinois site and two in Texas for the FutureGen project. The Texas sites were near Odessa and Jewett.