Galesburg Reporter

In a July 26 Facebook post, Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) announced a trio of energy bills that could give Illinois residents a break on their energy costs.

“As Illinois is a top energy producer AND a top energy consuming state, we need protections in place for our energy production, grid capacity, and consumption systems," Tracy posted. "We are proposing proactive measures that focus on preventing future utility price spikes and/or rolling blackouts throughout our state by securing Illinois’ energy-producing capabilities.”

According to a news release on her website, Senate Bill 4215 would repeal the 2045 closure date for coal and natural gas power plants under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) of 2021. The legislation allows companies to build new gas "peaker" plants – which run only when there is a high demand for electricity – without the possibility of a forced closure. 

Senate Bill 4216 would create a power grid task force to study the effect of state laws on energy prices and grid reliability.

Senate Bill 4217 would expedite the state permitting process for new power plants to come online.

“There needs to be a middle-ground when it comes to our transition to cleaner energy. Instead of shutting down power plants, how about we work to retrofit them in a way to eliminate carbon emissions,” Tracy said. “We must also do more to make sure Illinois’ permitting process does not bog new projects down, to the detriment of our energy systems and their customers.”

On July 26, Tracy shared answers to frequently asked questions about the higher bills for Ameren customers.