State Representative Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) is making the public aware that higher electricity bills are coming, starting this year, as a result of Illinois not producing enough power to meet energy demands.
Higher electricity prices in Illinois will be the new norm as a result of the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) that was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker on September 15, 2021. Representative Caulkins voted against the legislation as the new law signed by Governor Pritzker scheduled all of Illinois’ clean coal-fired and gas-fired power plants to close, including CWLP in Springfield and Prairie State Energy Campus, located in the Metro East.
“Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly must reconsider the plan to close all of Illinois’ clean coal-fired and natural gas-fired power plants,” said Rep. Caulkins. “This year, Illinoisans are already paying 8% more for their electricity. They are paying the highest gas prices ever seen at the same time we are paying more for goods and services. Now, because of self-inflicted overburdensome regulation of Illinois’ energy supply by Governor Pritzker and the state power agency, residential ratepayers could see as much as $41 more a month on their electricity bill. This is outrageous. Something can and must be done and we can start by allowing 2 of our clean coal-fired power plants scheduled to close this year to stay open.”
Illinois electricity providers recently announced they have no choice but to purchase energy at higher prices as a result of Illinois cutting its generating capacity. Providers cite the closure of over 10 power plants and the underperformance of wind and solar as the reason electricity rates have dramatically increased. Consumers are stuck with higher electricity costs because of state and federal regulations to close natural gas and clean coal-fired power plants in Illinois.
Rep. Caulkins added, “Illinois used to have some of the lowest energy costs in the nation; now prices are going way up. Solar and wind farms are not producing enough power to meet our energy demand and the required electric storage technology doesn’t exist. I urge Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Power Agency to immediately stop the closure process of all Illinois power plants and allow them to remain open until alternative sources have actually been invented that will meet our needs 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Our first responsibility is to protect the citizens of our state both physically and financially, and keep our employers operating. We have the resources to do that. The solution is really quite simple, we can solve our energy crisis by producing more electricity but it will take Governor J.B. Pritzker and the General Assembly to divert from this agenda of shutting down all of Illinois’ power plants.”