North Cook News

Gubernatorial candidate Sen. Darren Bailey (R-Louisville) expressed his thoughts on a study  that says the Illinois Climate Bill could result in transmission upgrades that would cost $2 billion.

While he agrees to a cleaner environment, Bailey cautions on the impact of the state's climate act.

"I am all for adopting cleaner forms of energy but we can't get ahead of ourselves," Bailey said. "There is simply no logic to closing down power plants in Illinois under the pretense of ending dependence on oil, gas, and coal in Illinois when all we are doing is turning around and importing power from oil, gas, and coal plants in other states. How is this environmentally sound? Not only that, we are making energy more expensive. Not only will we be paying to import energy but we have to make upgrades to our transmission lines to even be in a position to import the power. Where is the $2 billion needed to upgrade our grid coming from? Of course, we know that money is coming from - consumers. JB Pritzker is trying to enhance his environmental credentials to help his presidential aspirations at the expense of hard-working families in Illinois, and it is wrong."

Crain’s Chicago Business said a report by PJM Interconnection on the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act alleges the state will need to purchase electricity from out-of-state. “The elimination of carbon-emitting power plants in Illinois over the next 20 years will leave the Chicago area without enough generating capacity to meet its needs, forcing the region to import electricity from other states for the first time in modern memory.” 

PJM Interconnection's report on the Climate & Equitable Jobs Act noted the act will cause the state to need more power lines to carry energy from out of state due to Illinois off-lining older fossil fuel technology without adequately replacing power generation in the state. “The Illinois fossil resource deactivations create the need to import a substantial amount of remote replacement power to serve load,” PJM wrote. Costs for new transmission lines to carry in electricity from out of state are expected to eclipse $2 billion, costs which will be passed onto residents.

The creation of new power lines has been a source of controversy for farmers who say their land is being improperly taken from them for the creation of new power lines. One power line – the Grain Belt Express – is planned to cross over Pike, Scott, Greene, Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian, Shelby, Cumberland, and Clark counties. Bailey noted “there’s no reason why that line needs to cross our state,” in regards to the Grain Belt Express, according to East Central Reporter.

The state’s energy economy has been reeling since ComEd has cooperated with federal prosecutors in their investigation of a $150 million bribery scheme allegedly orchestrated by former Speaker of the House Madigan. Madigan is facing 22 counts of public corruption for his alleged part in the scheme.