Lake County Gazette

Veteran state Sen. Craig Wilcox (R-McHenry) worries the “giant leap forward” that Gov. J.B. Pritzker calls the new energy legislation he recently into law is destined to take the state in the wrong direction.

“This will affect Illinois in many negative ways,” Wilcox told the Lake County Gazette. “First off, we’re going to continue to overpay for renewable energy, and we’ll be paying it out early instead of over an extended period. The truth is he sold energy reliability for a feel good law. He sold out the people of Illinois for a feel good law. This means we will have higher rates for people that can least afford it. The governor decided early on that the green energy side was his primary stakeholder.”

Pritzker and Democrats are touting the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act as putting the state on a course to 100% clean energy in less than three decades through a formula of providing subsidies to nuclear plants and steps like cementing closure timelines for coal and natural gas firing facilities, the Chicago Sun Times reported.

In addition, the plan sets aside in the neighborhood of almost $700 million over five years for Exelon nuclear plants and requires municipal coal firing plants — such as Prairie State and Springfield’s City Water, Light and Power — to cut their emissions almost in half by the year 2035.

Wilcox argues there was a better way.

“As governor, he should have had the legislature come up with some compromise bills,” he added. “We should have had an energy bill months ago, but we had to be pushed to the brink. The fact that he planted himself so solidly with one side so early really made a big difference.”

In the end, Wilcox said every resident of the state should be forewarned. 

“Plan for energy cost to go up, and I would say it’s wise and important for you to consider other energy options for your household. You will need to have alternative options.” 

A spokesperson for Exelon Generation said the company’s Byron and Dresden plants will now be refueled “as a result of the action taken by the Illinois Legislature to enact a comprehensive energy bill.”