Legislators urge return to capitol to deal with increasing Illinois
energy costs
[August 09, 2025]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Illinois Republicans are demanding that state
legislators return to the capitol to deal with soaring energy prices.
During a news conference at Embaras bar and grill in Villa Grove, owner
Ryan Garett said his energy costs have skyrocketed in just one month.
“You get a $3,000 bill when you're not really expecting it. It raises
your costs $1,000 in a month, you can't budget for that,” Garett said.
“You can't plan for that. And then, it has a trickle down effect. We're
at the point where we've had to cut back on hours for some of our
employees and take up those hours ourselves because we can't, you know,
keep up with payroll to pay that stuff.”
State Rep. Brad Halbrook, R-Shelbyville, said while Gov. J.B. Pritzker
blames the increased costs on grid operators and President Donald Trump,
Democrats need reverse course.
“The very communities the governor and his allies claim to help have
been abandoned under [the Clean and Equitable Jobs Act] and its
predecessor to the Future Energy Jobs Act of 2016, Illinois has been
shutting down affordable, reliable coal and natural gas plants, so
sources that actually work and are critical to grid stability,” Halbrook
said. “But why? To appease the climate alarmists who think we can power
Illinois with windmills and wishful thinking.”
State Rep. Chris Miller, R-Oakland, said it’s time to ditch the “green
energy scam.”
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A utility bill from Embaras bar and grill in Villa Park, Illinois
showing a $1,000 increase in one month - BlueRoomStream
“We have over 200 billion tons of big, beautiful coal available. All
we have to do is go get it,” Miller said. “It would be a tremendous
driver for jobs and opportunity. This whole CEJA thing, this whole
green energy scam needs to be thrown in the garbage where it
belongs.”
The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition put the blame on increased energy
prices on the Trump administration's roll backs of tax incentives
for “clean energy” and “Big Tech’s energy-hungry data centers.”
“As new federal policies make our power dirtier and more expensive,
it is crucial that Illinois lawmakers can step up to the plate this
fall and pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act
to protect families from utility bill spikes, preserve and grow our
clean energy workforce, and maintain our national leadership on
climate action,” the coalition said in a news release.
Energy consulting firm Energy Professionals reported ComEd’s rates
increased 53% and Ameren Illinois’ rates increased 47%.
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