Pritzker decision looms for energy bill ‘on ratepayers’ backs’

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Gov. J.B. Pritzker has indicated support for energy legislation awaiting his signature, but small business owners are urging him to veto it.

The General Assembly passed Senate Bill 25, the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), near the end of fall veto session Oct. 30.

SB 25 provides for battery storage and virtual power plants, expands energy efficiency programs and ends the state’s moratorium on new nuclear facilities.

In a letter to the governor, the National Federation of Independent Business cited expanded mandates of project labor agreements, discrimination against non-union contractors and workers, and subsidies to be paid by utility ratepayers.

“SB 25 extends ratepayer subsidies to battery storage projects and energy efficiency programs with no long-term guarantee of price savings for small-business ratepayers,” the NFIB letter stated.

The NFIB said it represents over 10,000 small-business owners in Illinois.

State Rep. Dagmara “Dee” Avelar, D-Bolingbrook, supported the legislation and said a lot of people worked on it.

“At the end of the day, our north star is that we want to make sure that when it comes to affordability and the consumer, that they see their bill go down, not up,” Avelar told The Center Square.

Not all Democrats favored the bill. State Sen. Willie Preston, D-Chicago, voted against the measure after he told The Center Square in October that a new line item on utility bills could crush working-class people.

“So what I would say is I differ from the senator’s perspective. I really think that this is a good bill for affordability for our everyday neighbors,” Avelar said this week.

State Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, said the bill is reminiscent of previous Illinois energy packages that came with promises of lower rates.

“It’s going to be problematic in that it’s definitely going to raise ratepayers’ bills immediately, as soon as it goes into effect once it’s signed, and that’s a huge problem,” Ugaste said.

The General Assembly passed the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) in 2016 and Pritzker signed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) into law in 2021.

“The last two big energy packages we had before this big energy package, FEJA and CEJA, we were told were going to reduce energy costs, and they’ve done anything but that,” Ugaste said.

Many Illinoisans saw record-high electric bills last summer, when energy consulting firm Energy Professionals reported that ComEd’s rates increased 53% and Ameren Illinois’ rates increased 47%.

SB 25 was initially filed in January 2025 to amend the Swimming Facility Act, defining “cold spa” and providing that it is lawful for a licensee to operate a cold spa in a manner that complies with the provisions of the Act.

After the bill language was gutted and replaced with the energy text, much of the debate over the legislation focused on a new charge Illinoisans would start seeing on their electric bills to fund battery storage development.

Before the measure passed, state Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, said on the Senate floor that the new line item would be added in 2030.

“That line item will be immediately offset, because that’s the same date that the battery storage providers will start providing extra capacity, providing power to the grid,” Stadelman said.

Ugaste said taxpayers and ratepayers should not be subsidizing solar companies.

“Other companies are doing it on their own. They’re doing it on their own in other states with private capital. I’ve also heard there are even some smaller battery storage facilities being built in Illinois with private capital,” Ugaste said. “There’s no reason we should have put this on ratepayers’ backs, none whatsoever.”

After the bill passed, Pritzker indicated his support for the omnibus, calling it “an important step” to lower utility bills and strengthen the electrical grid.

SB 25 was sent to the governor Nov. 25 and awaits his signature.

Ugaste said there is almost no hope that CRGA will lower any costs.

“They’re saying we may start seeing savings by about 2037. That’s no way to run a state,” Ugaste concluded.

Greg Bishop contributed to this story.