Overview
- The Senate approved the 1,020-page measure 37-22 after a 70-37 House vote, sending the package to the governor.
- The plan mandates 3 gigawatts of grid-scale battery storage by 2030 to boost reliability and integrate more wind and solar.
- Upfront costs would be financed by developers and recovered through ratepayer surcharges, with the Illinois Power Agency projecting net bill reductions by 2031.
- The legislation empowers the Illinois Commerce Commission to sign long-term generation contracts, a significant shift from the state's deregulated framework.
- Other provisions fund geothermal network pilots, repeal the moratorium on new large-scale nuclear construction, and expand home efficiency subsidies, drawing labor support and pushback from major power users.