JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The JEA Special Investigatory Committee appears poised to add yet another topic to the list of issues it’s looking into: JEA’s plans for a new combined cycle power plant.

The committee is already investigating allegations of racism and toxic work culture at JEA and the utility’s failure to charge as much as $100 million worth of additional capacity fees to large commercial customers.

The interest in the power plant plans came up on Monday as committee members questioned JEA’s immediate past Board Chair Joe DiSalvo.

“Basically, it’s a significant capital project that’ll reduce our carbon footprint by 40 percent. It burns cleaner natural gas, more efficient,” said DiSalvo.

READ: ‘We’ve got problems’: New text messages reveal behind-the-scenes pressure over JEA lobbying contract

DiSalvo explained the utility has already spent between $350 to $500 million on the power plant, but JEA has not gotten official approval to build it from the state Public Service Commission.

JEA Special Investigatory Committee Chair Ron Salem (R-Group 2 At-Large) said he wants to make sure the plans aren’t at risk of falling apart, with ratepayers left on the hook to pick up the tab for the hundreds of millions of dollars that have already been spent.

“I don’t want another Plant Vogtle where we’ve got hundreds of millions of dollars of obligations for a long time,” said Salem.

DiSalvo argued that if there was any risk, the PSC wouldn’t approve the plans, the commission would have let JEA know.

But he said no red flags have been raised.

DiSalvo said he was confused by the line of questioning around the power plant, noting the plans have been in the works for years.

“This is the first opposition besides the Sierra Club, you know, which you would expect sort of. First opposition or any inkling of why are we going this route,” said DiSalvo. ”Again, that came out of the blue to me.”

Council President Kevin Carrico (R-District 4) indicated he would look at amending the Special Investigatory Committee’s charge to include plans for the new power plant moving forward.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]

[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Action News Jax Top Stories