Overview
- Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act at Joliet Junior College on Jan. 8, with the law taking effect June 1.
- The measure directs the Illinois Power Agency to procure roughly 3 gigawatts of energy storage by 2030 and establishes a statewide virtual power plant program.
- State modeling cited by backers projects $12–$13 billion in consumer savings over 20 years, with average residential bills declining by 2031 after small initial surcharges.
- A new charge on electric bills begins in 2030 to finance storage procurement, while the Illinois Commerce Commission gains authority for long-term contracts and pilot programs.
- Republican lawmakers and business groups opposed the legislation over cost and consumer-protection concerns as the state targets reliability challenges tied to rising data center demand.