Supporters of two coal-fired power plants said today they may have enough votes to get around a veto by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Both the House and Senate today approved bills allowing the two 700-megawatt plants near Holcomb in southwest Kansas.

Now the question is whether supporters of the $3.6 billion project can get two-thirds majorities to overcome a veto.

That would take 84 votes in the 125-member House.

Today, the House gave first-round approval to a bill allowing the plants in a 79-39 vote.

Even though that was short of a two-thirds majority, House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, said he believed there would be 84 votes for the measure on final passage tomorrow.

“Unless somebody has lied to me,” Neufeld said.

The Senate will consider an override either today or Friday of an earlier bill that Sebelius vetoed.

In addition, the Senate passed a similar bill today, 33-7, to have in case the override of the earlier bill fails.

The maneuvering is in response to a decision last year by the Sebelius administration to deny permits for the project, citing concerns over the plants’ projected annual emissions of 11 million tons of carbon dioxide and their effect on climate change.

Sebelius has also said that because of the increasing cost of coal, and possible federal regulation of CO2, the power source will lead to increased electric rates. The measures would also strip the state of authority that was cited to reject the project.