Carbondale Reporter

House Republican members of the Illinois House Energy & Environment and Public Utilities Committees held a news conference in Springfield to address concerns over a potential summer energy cost crisis. They proposed solutions aimed at expanding energy production capacity.

The press conference followed a letter sent by Republicans to the House’s Energy & Environment Committee Chair and Vice Chair, urging hearings on the recent Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) capacity auction results. The auction returned a price of $666.50 per Megawatt-day for all zones this summer, compared to $30 from the previous year.

State Representative Dave Severin (R-Benton), serving as the House Republican ranking member on the House Energy & Environment Committee, attributed rising energy costs to Illinois’ current energy policies. "House Republicans are concerned for the financial future of our constituents and our businesses, and for the future security, reliability, and affordability of our energy grid," Severin stated.

Representative Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) criticized the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) CO2 emissions caps for contributing to capacity shortages and price spikes. He compared Illinois' situation to Spain's energy crisis, warning against ignoring fundamental energy needs in favor of ideology.

Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) discussed how CEJA has affected power generation capacity since its passage in 2021. "Due to misguided public policy like the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act...Illinois’ power generation capacity has taken a significant hit," he said.

Davidsmeyer highlighted that electricity customers in Ameren Illinois' region will face increased prices this summer due to higher MISO grid charges. He questioned Governor Pritzker's plan for maintaining an affordable energy grid: “Governor Pritzker and the majority party in the legislature – where is your plan?”

To address these issues, House Republicans have introduced several bills aiming to roll back CEJA provisions:

- HB 4050 seeks to restore greenhouse gas provisions.

- HB 1544 proposes extending emission reduction deadlines by five years.

- HB 1545 suggests extending deadlines by ten years.

- HB 1546 aims at extending deadlines by five years specifically for coal-fueled units.

- HB 1547 calls for ten-year extensions on emission reductions.