SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — As the clock ticks closer to the start of the veto session, Central and Southern Illinois lawmakers are becoming skeptical of a massive energy plan. Some are concerned Democrats will pass the bill without considering how it will impact consumers.
State lawmakers need to add more energy options to the grid. Democrats and clean energy advocates want to see more solar and wind projects brought online, along with battery storage and geothermal energy. However, Republicans argue Illinois needs to bring coal and gas plants back online and lift the moratorium on large nuclear plant construction.
"What's a guarantee that if we do this, the power bills are going to be less tomorrow than they are today?" asked Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville). "That's the goal, right? We want to make power more affordable. So, what's the guarantee here that they're going to be less expensive than they are today?"
The Illinois Commerce Commission said rates are guaranteed to increase if the state does not plan ahead and know how to best approach energy needs. They note that Illinois is one of the few states without an integrated resource planning structure.
"It's really hamstrung our ability to respond as a state where PJM and MISO have not done enough to support our needs," said ICC Executive Director John Feipel.
NRG Energy told the House Executive Committee Friday that they are concerned there are not enough guardrails as to what the integrated resource planning structure is meant to be. They also worried that there is no cost cap or a feedback loop to ratepayer impacts.
"Obviously, in a planning exercise, there are tradeoffs between costs, environmental outcomes and resource adequacy," said NRG Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Travis Kavulla. "But the draft doesn't provide meaningful guidance on the extent to which that tradeoff is made, leaving the question entirely up to state agencies."
Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) said lawmakers need to ensure there are protections for consumers who are already paying extremely high energy bills.
"We have had a tough go of it here, and our constituents are feeling it," Spain said. "Our ability to engage in any meaningful economic development is significantly hindered downstate because of our energy crisis."
Democrats said requiring data centers to provide their own energy will help lower energy costs for everyone, but data center companies have opposed this idea.
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