Pritzker signs CRGA energy bill, costing consumers billions in higher energy rates. Governor JB Pritzker signed a controversial battery storage and energy omnibus bill into law last Thursday. Senate Bill 25, also known as CRGA, is another example of flawed green energy policies that Illinois ratepayers are already all too familiar with.
Pritzker’s signing of SB 25 comes on the heels of a study released last month by three state agencies that detailed the ‘credible risk’ of electricity shortages across Illinois within the next five years.
House Minority Leader Tony McCombie blasted the misleading language of the bill and the huge cost to Illinois ratepayers.
“Governor Pritzker signed an $8 Billion energy bill today and called it ‘affordable.’ Illinois families will call it what it is when their bills arrive: expensive.
“Labeling this legislation the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act doesn’t make it affordable; it makes it misleading. This bill expands mandates, bureaucracy, and regulatory control while offering no guaranteed, near-term relief for families already struggling with some of the highest utility costs in the Midwest.
“For years, Illinois Democrats have promised that the next energy bill would finally lower bills. Instead, today’s new law keeps them waiting.
“This bill:
- Does not reduce current electric bills
- Does not add reliable baseload power fast enough to meet demand
- Does not protect families and employers from rising capacity and transmission costs
“The Governor’s claims of “savings” over decades relies on unknown assumptions, but Illinoisans don’t pay their electric bills in projections.
“Energy policy should be reliable, affordable, and transparent.
“House Republicans will continue pushing for an all-energy strategy that actually delivers reliable power and lower costs.”
State Representative Kevin Schmidt issued the following statement in response to SB 25’s signing.
“Under the guise of ‘green energy,’ Illinoisans will see higher rates, less production, and a less reliable energy supply,” said Rep. Schmidt. “While there is some good in this bill, such as the repeal of the nuclear construction ban, it’s crammed between handouts for special interests and rate hikes for consumers. Instead of focusing on expensive and unattainable green energy pipe-dreams, we should focus on preserving our energy from sources like natural gas, coal, and fossil fuels that work and utilize a strong workforce.”
SB25 will only add additional burdens on Illinois families who are already contending with massive energy bills.
Here are the answers to lowering energy costs in Illinois:
HB1544– This bill amends the Environmental Protection Act and extends deadlines by 5 years for reduced or zero carbon dioxide emissions.
HB1545– This bill amends the Environmental Protection Act and extends deadlines by 10 years for reduced or zero carbon dioxide emissions.
HB1546– This bill amends the Environmental Protection Act and extends deadlines by 5 years for reduced or zero carbon dioxide emissions by certain electric generating units and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that use coal as a fuel.
HB1547– Extends deadlines for reduced or zero carbon dioxide emissions by 10 years for certain EGUs and large greenhouse gas-emitting units.
SB76– Expands new nuclear power plants