(MCT) — Midwest Generation, which operates six coal-fired electric generating plants in Illinois, may be forced to seek bankruptcy protection along with its parent company, Edison Mission Energy, executives said Tuesday.

Three months ago, Midwest Generation executives announced they would shutter the outmoded Fisk and Crawford coal plants in Chicago in September. Midwest Generation also owns and operates the Powerton (Pekin), Joliet, Waukegan and Will County (Romeoville) power generation plants, which together with the Chicago plants provide electricity to nearly 5 million homes.