Macon Reporter

State Rep. Brad Halbrook (R-Shelbyville) worries about the accelerated movement to close fossil fuel plants across the state.

“The Ashmore solar project is expected to produce 200 megawatts when it’s live. Of course, we all know it won’t generate near that many megawatts at night and when the sun is behind clouds, and that’s the issue. The discussion today is replacing our base load generation of coal and nuclear with solar and wind fields that have lower reliability and higher costs. These are heavily ratepayer subsidized.”

Passed by the Senate with the backing of Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Senate Bill 18 calls for Prairie State and all other fossil fuel plants to shutter by 2045, with clean energy and environmental groups adding between now and then the state’s largest carbon emitter should be forced to meet declining emissions caps.

Halbrook said much of that development should raise the concern of pretty much every resident in the state.

“Reliability is going to go down and costs are going to go up,” he said. “This is important to anyone who plugs anything into the wall.”

Adding to the intrigue, Energy giant Exelon has vowed to initiate closing two of its local plants if a bill with subsidies doesn’t pass soon.

“The Illinois House has an opportunity to pass the strongest clean energy, pro-climate legislation in the country,” the Path to 100 coalition said in a statement released shortly after the Senate passed the omnibus bill. “We urge the House to act quickly to resolve any outstanding issues while preserving the critical renewable energy policies in SB 18 that all parties agreed to after years of negotiations.”

As it is, Prairie State reigns as the state’s single biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions, while ranking ninth nationally in carbon dioxide releases.