Gov. Pritzker’s Call for Clean Energy Legislation Holds Promise for CEJA

(CHICAGO, IL) In his annual State of the State address today, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker listed among his administration’s priorities for 2020, “clean energy legislation that reduces carbon pollution, promotes renewable energy and accelerates electrification of our transportation sector.” Environmentalists, consumer groups, Illinois businesses and others have been advocating for passage of the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) since its introduction in February 2019, which calls for Illinois to move to 100% renewable energy by 2050, cut carbon pollution from the state’s power sector by 2030 and create steps to electrify the transportation sector. 

“EDF is encouraged by Gov. Pritzker’s call for clean energy legislation in today’s State of the State. We believe passage of the Clean Energy Jobs Act is the best path to creating jobs, protecting the health and wellbeing of Illinoisans across the state and ensuring economic benefits for all. Time is of the essence, especially now that federal regulators have tried to impose an obsolete system on Illinois that will force customers to pay hundreds of millions of dollars more for an energy mix that favors polluters.”

• Christie Hicks, Senior Attorney

Today’s speech comes a month after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a decision pertaining to the PJM market that will undercut state clean energy policies in Illinois and 12 other states spanning the PJM region. Not only would the FERC order favor fossil fuels over clean energy resources, but it would also require Illinois customers to pay $864 million more per year in higher energy costs. Under CEJA, the Illinois Power Agency would be put in charge of running Illinois’ own capacity auction – rather than relying on PJM’s market – giving the state more agency over its clean energy future.