SPRINGFIELD, IL – Members of the Illinois Senate Republican Caucus joined together to outline a series of legislative proposals aimed at addressing the state’s growing energy affordability crisis and reversing policies that have driven electric bills higher for families and businesses.
Senate Republicans warned that the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA) weakens consumer protections, removes long-standing rate caps, shifts billions of dollars in new costs onto ratepayers, and reduces local control. Meanwhile, the bill does nothing to deliver lower prices or improved grid reliability.
“Illinois families are already struggling with record-high electric bills, and CRGA makes the problem worse,” said Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro), Republican Minority Spokesperson for the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee. “It removes rate caps, weakens consumer protections, and shifts massive new costs onto ratepayers without offering real relief.”
In response, Senate Republicans are filing several energy proposals focused on affordability, reliability, and accountability. The measures include restoring consumer rate caps, expanding reliable energy generation, streamlining permitting for new power projects, and repealing policies that reduce supply and drive up costs.
“Nuclear energy provides around-the-clock reliability and price stability,” said Senate Deputy Republican Leader Sue Rezin (R-Morris). “Instead of prioritizing proven solutions, CRGA shifts costly and risky policies onto ratepayers. Senate Republicans are advancing legislation to speed up permitting for new generation, including nuclear, so Illinois can compete and keep costs down.”
Senator Rezin has filed legislation to modernize and streamline the permitting process for new power generation projects by requiring agencies and local governments to act within clear timelines, with permits automatically approved if deadlines are missed.
Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) highlighted Senate Bill 1234 and Senate Bill 1235, two additional measures previously filed aimed at improving and increasing reliability and transparency.
“Families are telling us their electric bills have doubled and tripled,” Tracy said. “SB 1234 creates the Illinois Regional Generation Reliability Task Force to evaluate how current energy laws impact prices and reliability using real data.”
Meanwhile, Senate Bill 1235 would repeal the 2030 and 2045 forced shutdown dates for coal and natural gas plants and allow for the construction of new natural gas peaker plants to ensure reliability during extreme weather.
“This bill provides certainty so energy companies will invest in Illinois again,” Tracy said.
Senator Chapin Rose emphasized the need to restore protections for families and communities.
“Pritzker’s new law removed the rate caps that protect families from unlimited utility increases,” said Senator Rose (R-Mahomet). “I’m filing legislation to put those rate caps back where they belong, repeal the costly battery storage program, and restore local control so communities have a real voice.”
Senate Republicans said their legislative agenda is designed to lower costs, strengthen grid reliability, and restore accountability in Illinois’ energy policy.
“Our message is simple,” Bryant added. “Illinois families deserve affordable, reliable baseload energy, and Senate Republicans are offering real solutions to deliver it.”