Sangamon Sun

House Republicans in Illinois have raised concerns about a potential energy cost crisis this summer, urging for expanded energy production capacity. Members of the Illinois House Energy & Environment and Public Utilities Committees held a press conference to discuss the issue, following a letter sent to the House’s Energy & Environment Committee leadership. The letter highlighted the need for hearings on the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) capacity auction results, which showed a significant increase in prices to $666.50 per Megawatt-day compared to $30 last year.

State Representative Mike Coffey expressed his views on the situation: “We predicted this would be the result from burdensome mandates of the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) and the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), along with various supplemental measures,” said Coffey. He emphasized the importance of immediate action to maintain grid reliability and affordability.

Coffey also mentioned HB 4050, which aims to restore provisions regarding greenhouse gases to their previous form before Public Act 102-662 and repeal a provision defining “clean energy.” He stated, “Without grid stability, there is no question that our state will suffer greatly from progressive policies that do not take into consideration the affects they have on everyday Illinoisans.”

The Republican members stressed that legislative action is necessary to meet energy demands using all available resources. They warned that without changes, Illinois businesses and residents could face rising prices.