By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois lawmakers have passed wide-ranging energy legislation, but opponents say it will lead to higher electricity bills.

Senate Bill 25, also known as The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), passed the state Senate by a vote of 37-22 Thursday night after the House advanced it Wednesday.

Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, said a new line item would be added to Illinois consumers’ electric bills in 2030.

“That line item will be immediately offset, because that’s the same date that the battery storage providers will start providing extra capacity, providing power to the grid,” Stadelman said.

The bill provides for battery storage and virtual power plants, expands energy efficiency programs and ends Illinois’s moratorium on new nuclear facilities.

Stadelman said the measure would also provide the Illinois Commerce Commission with more authority and boost equity contractors.

Much of the debate over SB 25 centered around financing for battery storage, but the measure passed without having battery storage developers fund the projects and without removing the provision to have energy consumers pay.

State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, said the measure is an $8 billion rate increase for Illinois families.

“And the result will be higher electric bills, fewer reliable power sources and more special treatment for the politically connected,” Bryant said.

Bryant also expressed concern that the bill “stripped away” local control regarding where to place such energy projects.

Stadelman said lawmakers had to act now.

“Prices are going up no matter what, so if we do nothing, the price is still going up,” Stadelman said.

The Rockford Democrat blamed grid operators for energy price spikes last summer and said previous Illinois energy legislation was not to blame.

Republicans protested that SB 25 did not include price caps to protect consumers.

“Katy bar the door! You took the caps off!” State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, shouted.

State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, questioned why battery storage developer BlackRock could not finance the project with low-interest loans as it did in other states, instead of adding another line item to Illinois ratepayers’ bills.

Rezin said the bill would help billionaire special interests while hurting Illinois families.

State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, said the bill is “Example 1A” of everything that is wrong with how the state of Illinois functions.

House debate over SB 25 Wednesday recalled familiar names from previous discussions over energy legislation in the General Assembly.

State Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, reminded his House colleagues that former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and former ComEd chief executive officer Anne Pramaggiore went to prison for “helping” utility payers.

“Please, please Democrats, stop helping utility payers across the state of Illinois. They cannot afford any more of your expensive help,” McLaughlin said.

Madigan began serving a 7.5-year prison term for public corruption Oct. 13. Pramaggiore was convicted of conspiracy, bribery and falsifying records in 2023 for her role in a scheme to bribe Madigan. Pramaggiore’s two-year prison sentence is scheduled to begin Dec. 1.

“The Democrats have a long history of ‘helping’ utility payers,” McLaughlin said.

State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Murrayville, recalled previous energy bills passed by the General Assembly.

“We’ve passed [the Future Energy Jobs Act], which increased rates. We’ve passed [The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act], which increased rates. Now we’re going back to ratepayers saying, ‘Oh, give us one more try, third time’s a charm,’” Davidsmeyer said.

With regard to the Illinois Commerce Commission’s additional oversight, Davidsmeyer said the General Assembly would be turning over its authority to an unelected bureaucracy.

Numerous groups lobbied on both sides of the energy omnibus debate in the days leading up the vote on the final night of the fall veto session.

Clean energy advocates and solar energy developers pushed for the bill’s passage. Manufacturing and small business advocates, natural gas and oil industry groups opposed the measure.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a statement after SB 25 passed and said the bill was an important step to lower utility bills and make the electrical grid stronger.

“For far too long, private grid operators have been hiking up rates that are making it harder for Illinois families to pay their utility bills. At the same time, the Trump Administration has been blocking the ability to bring lower-cost energy options online. Illinois is taking action to address these concerns,” Pritzker stated.

Having passed both chambers of the Illinois legislature, CRGA can now go to the governor.