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 "We must stand behind the consumers of Illinois and protect them
from any overreaching by big utility companies," Quinn said, at a
news conference with Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and
other consumer advocates. He called the legislation a "nightmare."
Quinn and other opponents complained that the bill didn't have
enough consumer protections and would have unfairly raised rates for
Commonwealth Edison and Ameren customers. The governor chastised
ComEd for its handling of recent power outages, saying the company
should provide better service.
Supporters contend the legislation is needed to finance a "Smart
Grid" that can monitor energy use and reduce waste. The $3 billion,
10-year plan also would have given ComEd and Ameren money for basic
infrastructure.
Lawmakers who sponsored the measure have previously said they would
find the votes to override Quinn's veto, something Quinn had
promised to issue since lawmakers passed the bill in May before they
left the Illinois Capitol for summer vacation. Lawmakers held on to
the bill to try to convince Quinn of its merits before eventually
sending the bill to his desk late last month.
Quinn urged lawmakers Monday to let his veto stand and said everyone
should go back to the bargaining table. He said the starting point
should be a plan put forth by the Illinois Commerce Commission,
which regulates utility rate increases.
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ComEd said opponents were off base about the legislation,
Senate Bill 1652.
"Despite the rhetoric of the legislation opponents, SB1652 does not
guarantee profits, will not result in automatic rates increases and
does not strip the authority of the ICC," ComEd said in a statement.
"Illinois customers want more than the status quo. We look forward
to working with members of the General Assembly to help make grid
modernization and economic growth a reality in Illinois."
[Associated Press]
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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