MASSIVE ENERGY BILL HEADED TO RAUNER’S DESK
SPRINGFIELD — Despite some last minute hiccups, the Illinois House and Senate on Thursday approved an at- times controversial energy bill, which environmental advocates say is the biggest climate bill in Illinois history and opponents say will raise rates and kill thousands of jobs.
The measure now heads to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s desk, and he has vowed to sign it. Rauner’s administration became heavily involved in the negotiations last week.
“For months our administration has been very clear that any energy legislation should follow the guiding principles of protecting jobs, ratepayers and taxpayers,” Rauner said in a statement issued after both chambers approved the bill. “After dozens of hours of good faith negotiations, we have reached an agreement that aligns with those principles.”
The House voted 63- 38 to approve the energy bill. It only required 60 votes. In the Senate, it passed 32- 18.
Legislators on the House floor complained of the bill’s complicated nature and the rush to pass it. Debate lasted more than two hours.
But Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin warned lawmakers that without passing the bill, the state and its consumers would suffer.
“The consequence of not passing this bill is worse than what people are saying would happen if this bill does go into effect, and I hope you understand. But I also believe it’s important we maintain a diverse and reliable energy portfolio because we do believe in the long run, Illinois and its consumers will lose if this bill fails,” Durkin said.
State Rep. Robyn Gabel, DEvanston, called it “the most important green energy bill that has ever come before the General Assembly.”
At the heart of some of the controversy is that the bill is viewed by opponents as a corporate bailout to save two Exelon nuclear power plants in Clinton and the Quad- Cities while also saving 1,500 jobs for those who operate the plants. It would implement a zero emission credit program for those nuclear power plants while keeping those open.
The agreement limits rate increases to 25 cents a month for ComEd residential customers. It also limits increases on commercial customers to a 1.3 percent increase over last year’s rates.
Utilities would get $ 235 million annually from customers for the nuclear power plant subsidy, which rewards the companies for not emitting greenhouse gases. It also would allow ComEd to spend $ 400 million a year on energy efficiency, which is about $ 160 million more than it currently spends.
The much revised bill also allows large industrial energy users to not have to pay for energy efficiency programs anymore, a rate cut of almost $ 500 million, which was asked for by Rauner.
And the Environmental Defense Fund has said the bill will bring $ 12 billion to $ 15 billion in renewable energy capital investment to the state.