SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers passed measures Friday, May 28, to redraw state legislative and judicial district lines, less than 24 hours after the bills implementing the maps were introduced.
Illinois lawmakers are staying open for business as they await a possible deal on a sweeping energy proposal that would keep the state’s fleet of nuclear power plants online while
Credit Capitol News Illinois photo by Peter Hancock
Illinois lawmakers are staying open for business as they await a possible deal on a sweeping energy proposal that would keep the state’s fleet of nuclear power plants online while providing incentives for development of more wind and solar generation.
Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, issued a statement Tuesday saying he had been informed that a deal had been reached between Gov. JB Pritzker and Exelon, the parent company of Commonwealth Edison and the owner of six nuclear power plants in Illinois.
“I’m informed that an agreement has been reached between the governor and Exelon on a proposal that would save jobs, which has been our goal all along. That’s why we support the governor in these talks, Harmon said. “We also stand with the governor on de-carbonization targets that need to be in a final deal.”
She said upwards of 2,500 people would be out of work if those plants close.
“So there’s a lot on the line if this doesn’t pass by tomorrow (Monday) night at midnight,” Rezin said. “We’ve been working on a bill with all of the stakeholders for two years, talking about the need to recognize that nuclear is a carbon-free energy, and it’s the lowest cost.”
Illinois became the first state in the nation to pass a nuclear subsidy law to prevent threatened plant shutdowns in 2016, with passage of the Future Energy Jobs Act.
Clean energy advocates supported FEJA, given that no-emissions nuclear energy can serve as a bridge to carbon-zero and renewable energy goals.
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