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* Interesting bipartisan co-sponsorship here…
State Representative Mark Batinick (R-Plainfield) filed legislation today to revoke aspects of the comprehensive state energy bill passed in 2016 during the 99th General Assembly.
Representative Batinick was opposed to the initial legislation, SB2814, which required a statewide rate hike to prevent the closure of two nuclear power plants in Illinois. The rate increase provided for in SB2814 was expected to generate more than $200 million a year over the next ten years, but the legislation has come into question amidst the continuing federal probe into ComEd and its lobbying practices.
“The ComEd bailout bill is part of the FBI investigation and this is really a problem,” said Rep. Batinick. “Reviewing these subsidies with new legislation is the best path forward, to right this wrong.”
Representative Batinick led the charge against the legislation, and the need for a rate hike to accommodate this bailout of ComEd, the largest electric utility in Illinois.
“Like I stated in 2016 when the original bill was presented, anyone that uses electricity will be paying more. That leaves less money to run a school, a drug-rehabilitation facility, or a homeless center.”
The intent of the Rep. Batinick’s legislation, HB3987, would be to eliminate the bailout, but still include the green energy subsidies accounted for in the original legislation. Ratepayer-generated funding to support renewable energy in the state will continue to fund new wind and solar energy initiatives.
State Representative Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) is the chief-co sponsor of this initiative. “As an active proponent of clean energy legislation, I was disappointed to see a bailout for a profitable corporation linked to otherwise good policy. With recent revelations about the ongoing investigations, I hope that more of our colleagues agree that this flawed law deserves another look.”
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:14 am
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Reminds me of a favorite quote from an old movie. “It used to be when you bought a politician, the SOB stayed bought”.
A few folks at ConEd may be muttering that soon.
Comment by SSL Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:21 am
It also seems to eliminate the renewable energy subsidies as well.
Lazy.
Comment by Ok Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:22 am
“With recent revelations about the ongoing investigations, I hope that more of our colleagues agree that this flawed law deserves another look.”
Chickens coming home to roost.
– MrJM
Comment by @misterjayem Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:25 am
It may be only semantics but the legislation provided subsidies to Exelon Generation not ComEd.
Haven’t read the legislation but I would assume (with Cassidy co-sponsoring) the changes won’t negatively impact the renewable industry.
Comment by nadia Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:32 am
This partnership is “half improvised, half compromised” because both can get what they’d want for maybe far different reasons.
Ironically, they both can be right. That’s what most interesting.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:38 am
“It also seems to eliminate the renewable energy subsidies as well.”
That was a drafting error. It is being fixed.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:42 am
== That was a drafting error ==
Lol. So, its not a serious bill?
Comment by Ok Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:43 am
The chances of this bill ever being called are slim and none and slim just left the building.
Comment by Say What? Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:44 am
Root out the corruption but keep the plants running. Plants have long life cycle and a long payoff period ( this includes decom fees).The NRC licensing on Braidwood, Byron, Dresden, LaSalle and Quad cities plants all go out to 2031 at the earliest to 2047 the latest.
Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:46 am
“That was a drafting error. It is being fixed.”
LOL. The bill adds like two paragraphs. They didn’t know anything about the underlying statute. I’d water they spent more time writing the press release than the bill.
Comment by LakeviewJ Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:47 am
LakeviewJ: Exactly. Bet the Greenies are burning up the cell phone towers.
Comment by nadia Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:50 am
Rep. Cassidy probably has a better avenue here if she put some effort into what a workable option might be to unwind the nuclear subsidy parts of the Future Energy Jobs Act while keeping the rest of the stuff.
I bet the coal and gas folks would be ready to jump on that train, too.
Comment by Ok Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 11:58 am
Subpoenas have consequences.
Comment by The Captain Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 12:10 pm
If Energy bills aren’t Employment bills, rounding up some of those little burgs with job and tax producers may not go along to get along anymore.
Comment by A Guy Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 2:28 pm
What do they think the carbon-free energy produced by nuclear plants will be replaced by? The technology does not exist to replace it with renewables so…….
This bill would increase the amount of carbon Illinois releases into the atmosphere. Corruption or not, we should want these plants open.
Comment by Davesurance.com Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 4:19 pm
“Corruption or not, we should want these plants open.”
Funny, that was their slogan when they got the bill passed.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 4:59 pm
@- Davesurance.com - Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 4:19 pm:
===What do they think the carbon-free energy produced by nuclear plants will be replaced by? The technology does not exist to replace it with renewables so…….===
Allowing the Rock Island Clean Line to be built would bring large amounts of wind power into Illinois.
Comment by DuPage Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 5:46 pm
== What do they think the carbon-free energy produced by nuclear plants will be replaced by? The technology does not exist to replace it with renewables so…….==
Are you saying ComEd can’t produce nuclear energy without a bailout?
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 5:56 pm
I agree with Donnie Elgin, Root out the corruption but keep the plants running.
Comment by IT Guy Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 6:49 pm
==Allowing the Rock Island Clean Line to be built would bring large amounts of wind power into Illinois.==
True. That would be great, but I’m skeptical it will be enough. Nuclear is over half the energy produced in Illinois.
== Are you saying ComEd can’t produce nuclear energy without a bailout?==
Didn’t the legislators get to look at their books before the last subsidy? Regardless, natural gas and maybe coal are cheaper to use than nuclear. We subsidize the renewable industry as we should. Why not subsidize the industry that creates over half of our energy carbon free?
Comment by Davesurance.com Thursday, Dec 12, 19 @ 7:13 pm
Cassidy never misses a press opportunity.
Comment by Blah blah Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 12:33 am
== Why not subsidize the industry that creates over half of our energy carbon free?==
Why not pay our pension funds instead?
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 6:09 am
== Didn’t the legislators get to look at their books before the last subsidy?==
I reckon the Feds might have the answers in coming months why the governor and the Illinois Congress thought ComEd deserved a bailout.
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 6:14 am
Umm correct me if im wrong but comed does not own nuke plants or any other type ?
Comment by theCardinal Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 7:47 am
Dem: Kelly Cassidy had a great year. She passed bills that carried her name, but were the product of many individuals, not just Cassidy. She took every opportunity to get her name out there and take credit for nearly all of the governors office accomplishments. Plus her wife gor a high ranking job at a marijuana company And she avoided if becoming a scandal. In this environment, for that to happen and people people not scream “corruption” is incredible. Taking credit and avoiding blame is the hallmark of a great politician. So Cassidy deserves the nod.
GOP: Tom Demmer. Because those in the minority who still try to be helpful and relevant should be recognized.
Comment by Weed Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 8:05 am
Weed: wrong thread. Repost to the Golden Horseshoe thread it you want it to count.
== She passed bills that carried her name, but were the product of many individuals, not just Cassidy.==
That’s how it’s done. Sponsors put their names on bills. You’ve ever seen an alternate way to sponsor a bill? Secret sponsors are a thing?
Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 9:33 am
Exelon owns nukes, ComEd is a subsidiary of Exelon.
I’ll try to just quickly summarize my point here:
Insofar as Illinois cares about the climate, it should care about using carbon-free energy. Creating nuclear energy does not emit carbon into the atmosphere. There is currently no technological way to replace the energy we get from nukes from anything besides natural gas, coal, and hydro. The first two emit carbon and I don’t think we’re going to build a bajillion dams. Thus, IF, it is the case that the subsidies are necessary to keep the plants open, it would be good environmental policy (and good policy generally) to keep subsidizing them.
I admittedly don’t know for certain if that “IF” is true. But, I do know it is considerably cheaper to produce energy through natural gas than nuclear. And, I know we subsidize the renewable industry because of how cheap natural gas is. We should do the same thing here.
Comment by Davesurance.com Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 10:29 am
If the issue is that nuclear power can’t “compete” with natural gas, despite these plants having been paid for a couple times, then one answer is to impose a carbon and/or methane tax that will “level the playing field”, while providing a revenue source for renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy assistance and supporting technologies. If the nukes can’t “compete” on that basis, that’s their problem. A reminder that much of that electricity is exported out of state, anyway.
Comment by VerySmallRocks Friday, Dec 13, 19 @ 3:37 pm