Sangamon Sun

State Representative Charlie Meier (R-Okawville) has introduced two bills aimed at repealing Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and studying ways to restore power plants in an effort to address rising electricity costs for families and businesses in southern Illinois.

Meier, a senior member of the House’s Energy & Environment Committee, pointed to the latest Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) auction, which set a price of $666.50 per Megawatt-day for all zones this summer. He noted that this figure was only $30 per Megawatt-day one year ago, attributing the increase to state energy policies.

“In May, my House Republican colleagues and I demanded hearings into the coming summer energy cost crisis, and our calls were flat-out ignored by the Democrats,” Meier said. “Now people and businesses are getting their electricity bills and are finding out just how costly and unworkable the Governor’s Green New Deal policies are. It’s a crisis that was a self-inflicted wound, and people and businesses are suffering great financial hardship because of it.”

Meier expressed frustration with what he described as insufficient action from Illinois Democrats on grid reliability and affordability.

“It’s like they just don’t care, but their citizens are feeling the sting just like my constituents are. So, it’s hard to imagine, but they care more about their pie-in-the-sky ‘green’ energy political talking points than they do about the financial damage they are causing to working families and businesses,” Meier said. “It’s no wonder people and businesses are fleeing Illinois.”

The first bill, HB 4087, would establish a Power Grid Task Force tasked with reviewing how state laws such as CEJA impact energy prices and grid reliability. The task force would also look at improving Illinois’ power supply mix using current resources along with new technologies.

The second bill, HB 4088, seeks to repeal CEJA entirely along with its goal of ending fossil fuel use by 2045.

“We have the resources we need right under our feet to provide our citizens with clean, cheap, reliable, and efficient energy,” Meier said. “Our insane policies have us choking off our own supply of energy and buying electricity from neighboring states, who, by the way, are burning coal at their power plants. It’s time to repeal this ridiculous law and restore sanity to our energy policies in Illinois. The people can’t afford what these Democrats have done to them.”

Meier has represented Illinois' 109th House District since his election in 2023 after succeeding David Reis.