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*** UPDATED x2 - Senate approves - House approves *** Exelon bill back on track?

Thursday, Dec 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Exelon bill has been retooled yet again to accommodate the governor’s objections. “All prevailing wage requirements have been removed from the bill,” said one source close to the negotiations. That’s been confirmed by others.

That would be a huge thing because Speaker Madigan has so far refused to back away from union-related issues like prevailing wage and his spokesman told Crain’s today that the language had been in the bill “for months”

“Once again, they’re grasping at straws and they’re not quite getting the grip”

* The immediate effective date has also been removed by Amendment 10, so the bill now only requires 60 in the House and 30 in the Senate. That’s important because legislators are high-tailing it out of town as the afternoon wears on…


* Rep. Mark Batinick had filed several impact notes but just withdrew them, paving the way for a floor vote.

* But the fight may not be over even if the bill passes

The CEO of Illinois’ second largest power generator is fuming over Rauner’s 11th-hour agreement to support Exelon’s nuclear-plant bailout—calling it a “regressive tax on rural America.”

“Illinois legislators and the governor have decided that nuclear jobs are more important than coal-mining and coal-generation jobs as well as all other industrial jobs in the state by throwing hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies at the feet of Exelon, a multibillion company located in Chicago,” Dynegy CEO Robert Flexon wrote in an email.

Houston-based Dynegy’s coal-fired plants are the primary source of electricity in central and southern Illinois and, like Exelon’s nukes in Clinton and Quad Cities, are at risk of closing due to persistently low wholesale power prices tied to the cheap cost of natural gas. Flexon said in a follow-up interview that Dynegy will spend to defeat any downstate lawmakers who vote for the legislation hiking rates statewide to bail out the two money-losing nukes Exelon has slated for closure.

If the bill becomes law, the company also will sue to overturn it on grounds it interferes with federal control of wholesale power markets. New York State’s program to subsidize Exelon-owned nuclear plants in that state already is the subject of such a lawsuit, and Dynegy is one of the plaintiffs. “I think you can look to New York to see what we’ll do next,” he said, referring to the lawsuit.

“By the state giving corporate welfare to Exelon, it is absolutely going to accelerate retirements of plants in central and Southern Illinois,” Flexon said.

Exelon has refused requests from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan to include language in the bill that would provide refunds to ratepayers if a court halts the program.

* As always, follow our live coverage post for instant updates.

*** UPDATE 1 ***  The bill passed the House with 63 votes. 38 voted against it. Now, on to the Senate.

*** UPDATE 2 *** The Senate passed the bill 32-18.

       

51 Comments
  1. - RNUG - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 3:58 pm:

    I have no sympathy for Dynergy as a company. They’ve been poorly managed for years and years and the stockholders got royally ….. through the company’s bankruptcy proceedings. Plus they used to own a chunk of Clinton, so it seems a bit disingenuous to be complaining about helping the company that bailed them out.


  2. - sleepy - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 3:59 pm:

    Going to be here all day…


  3. - 47th Ward - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:02 pm:

    Judging from the debate, Rauner is going to need to twist some arms to get the Exelon bill passed.

    The Rauner Rate Hike? Lol. I wouldn’t vote for this thing, and it doesn’t sound like Kay, Morrison or Batinick want to either.


  4. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:04 pm:

    ===Judging from the debate===

    Most people who speak on bills like this are usually the opponents.


  5. - TexanSpectator - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:09 pm:

    What time does the vote have to occur by?


  6. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:17 pm:

    You have shot clocks in the Texas GA or something?


  7. - Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:18 pm:

    I am sympathetic to the argument that this GA has many bigger fish to fry and use its energy (pun unintended) on than this. This is kind of the “Oh look, a kitty!” of legislation while the bigger issues continue to fester.


  8. - hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:20 pm:

    Weird how the Dynegy e-mail points out Exelon is based in Chicago. If Illinois is going to favor one electricity monopoly over another I’d hope they’d favor the one based in Chicago over the one in Houston.


  9. - Anon - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:23 pm:

    Any word on support within the Democratic caucus? A lot of the jobs programs, efficiency programs, things like micro-grids that some Dems supported in Committee have been pared back . . .


  10. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:26 pm:

    ===Any word on support within the Democratic caucus?===

    In cases like these, you run the bill when you have the votes.


  11. - Going nuclear - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:28 pm:

    = Plus they used to own a chunk of Clinton… =

    Not the way I remember it. The Clinton nuke was built by Illinois Power and peddled to Exelon. The Illinois Power coal plants were gobbled up by Ameren (formerly Union Electric) and later purchased by Dynegy.


  12. - Team Sleep - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:37 pm:

    Yingling is in full prevent defense mode.


  13. - Anon - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:40 pm:

    =In cases like these, you run the bill when you have the votes.=

    Guess that’s why they cut the effective date language.


  14. - wordslinger - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:40 pm:

    A tax hike by any other name, for corporate welfare extortionists who bank billions in profits every year.

    Such priorities they have in Springfield.

    Why not call their bluff? Exelon is at least $800 million short on what they’ll need to decomission. You think their investors want to eat that?

    http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160618/ISSUE01/306189996/exelons-nuke-cleanup-funds-fall-short


  15. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:45 pm:

    ===Yingling is in full prevent defense mode==

    Ya think? lol

    But, listen to the debate. People who oppose can be whacked for voting for a huge rate increase.


  16. - Power - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:49 pm:

    Someone know if this has been voted on in the senate?


  17. - Team Sleep - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:50 pm:

    I know, Rich. I was just trying to tie what happened this morning to what is happening right now.

    Power - not yet. It has only been heard in committee.


  18. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:52 pm:

    Power, this isn’t Google. Do a quick check before asking your questions here.


  19. - Power - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:53 pm:

    Thanks team sleep, so even if it passes the house, it would need to pass the senate tonight?


  20. - Going nuclear - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:54 pm:

    The Exelon nuke issue has been festering for what, two years now. Right or wrong, a bipartisan group of legislators told Exelon to work a deal with the Clean Energy Jobs Coalition to include provisions that would expand renewable energy and energy efficiency programs. It wasn’t easy, but that’s what the company has done. I think it’s time to see where legislators stand and vote this thing up or down.


  21. - WhoKnew - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:58 pm:

    “legislators stand and vote this thing up or down.”

    Novel idea! /s


  22. - Anon - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 4:58 pm:

    It will be interesting to see if this thing gets gutted by a federal court in due time. Hughes v. Talen looms


  23. - Ggeo - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:00 pm:

    No Hughes issues


  24. - TexanSpectator - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:00 pm:

    The number of factual errors in comments from the various speakers is astounding. Going both directions. For the uninitiated in politics, it’s bizarre to watch this live stream.


  25. - Ggeo - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:03 pm:

    A vote against is a vote to hike rates to send massive profits to coal and gas companies.

    Wait for that mailer…


  26. - Team Sleep - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:05 pm:

    Power - yes. Although from reports on the ScribbleLive feed I wonder how many Senators are still here…


  27. - RNUG - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:10 pm:

    == The Clinton nuke was built by Illinois Power and peddled to Exelon. The Illinois Power coal plants were gobbled up by Ameren (formerly Union Electric) and later purchased by Dynegy.==

    You’re right about IP building Clinton. Now I remember starting with IP stock that became Dynergy stock that ended up worthless.


  28. - Anon221 - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:32 pm:

    RNUG- IP was not the sole financier. Many electric cooperatives got (banned word) over the Clinton Plant. http://www.lib.niu.edu/1987/ii870122.html


  29. - GA Watcher - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:33 pm:

    Can someone tell these legislators the word is new-cle-er, not nu-cue-ler.


  30. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:33 pm:

    ===the word is new-cle-er, not nu-cue-ler===

    Welcome to the Midwest!


  31. - Power - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:39 pm:

    Andrade’s got jokes


  32. - Anon221 - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 5:56 pm:

    To Morrison- actually, Trinity builds wind towers in Clinton, IL. Good jobs there for a re-tooled railcar plant!


  33. - Team Sleep - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 6:01 pm:

    Amanda Vinicky’s tweet about the bill’s passage in the House is hilarious.


  34. - RNUG - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 6:18 pm:

    == Many electric cooperatives got (banned word) over the Clinton Plant. ==

    And most those coops either took smaller positions when they couldn’t match the increased costs … or pulled out.


  35. - Job Saver - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 6:19 pm:

    If this bill passes, I’ll be glad that Exelon wont ship those jobs to Mexico and keep them in the US like Carrier.


  36. - RNUG - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 6:20 pm:

    Looks like the revised bill is a go. Even if you don’t agree with it, at least the GA did something during the veto session.


  37. - Anon221 - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 6:23 pm:

    RNUG- Corn Belt and the others were not given the same opportunity by the Feds to restructure their debt, like IP did. We had to wait at least a couple more years. I attended that meeting as a Corn Belt member at the Visitor’s Center for the Clinton Plant. The irony wasn’t lost on any of us. Coops were also not able to do net metering for years because of blocking by Exelon/ComEd.


  38. - sleepy - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 6:23 pm:

    I just want a shorter Senate debate than the one in the House.


  39. - Anon221 - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 6:53 pm:

    Let the lawsuits begin!


  40. - wordslinger - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 7:15 pm:

    Just depressing.

    The state’s fiscal position is a disaster and getting worse every day, vendors are getting stiffed, higher ed is getting the wrecking ball, and the only thing these hacks can get together on is making a fat corporation fatter at the expense of consumers.

    Forget Rauner or Madigan — Exelon runs the state. They can make them all dance whenever they feel like it.


  41. - JS Mill - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 7:32 pm:

    Our Most Vulnerable Citizens- 0

    Higher Ed- 0

    Excelon- $750,000,000

    That is a beat down.


  42. - Chucktownian - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:58 pm:

    This is possibly the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen a legislature do in my life. And I’ve seen legislatures do a million dumb things.


  43. - Hynes Guy - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 8:59 pm:

    A step forward for Clean Energy.


  44. - Nadia - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 10:12 pm:

    Illinois Power built the Clinton plant, with a Rural Electric Coop Owning a small share of the plant. The plant was sold to Amergen, a British Company. PECO bought the plant and then Exelon bought PECO.

    As far as Dynegy’s threats and position, it sure seemed that the legislation was ok while their language was in the bill. Makes one wonder if their language would have remained who then would have brought the lawsuit concerning the “interference with federally control of wholesale power markets”.


  45. - Quiet Sage - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 11:12 pm:

    wordslinger @7:15 pm and Chucktownian @8:58 pm

    x2


  46. - Wilson - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 11:44 pm:

    So Gov Rauner speaks of business climate yet shepherds a bill to end deregulation which is Illinois’ most important asset to that business climate - wow!


  47. - yeah - Friday, Dec 2, 16 @ 8:17 am:

    For my Friends, anything. I mean Anything! For everyone else, nothing but the letter of the law.
    Fake Gov Rauner


  48. - Deft Wing - Friday, Dec 2, 16 @ 8:27 am:

    Madigan rolled Rauner and the Hose Reps on this vote.

    First Madigan PR win over Rauner … in a LONG time.


  49. - Deft Wing - Friday, Dec 2, 16 @ 8:28 am:

    Oh my that was to be “House Reps” but maybe hose(d) is a better word?


  50. - Robo - Friday, Dec 2, 16 @ 9:23 am:

    Clinton Provenance:

    Illinois Power built it

    Illinova, IP’s holding company was bought by Dynegy in 1999, selling Clinton was a condition of the transaction

    Dynegy sold Clinton to AmerGen, a 50/50 partnership with a UK firm and PECO

    PECO is acquired by Unicom in 2000 creating Exelon

    Exelon acquires all of AmerGen in 2003…


  51. - wordslinger - Friday, Dec 2, 16 @ 9:58 am:

    –Madigan rolled Rauner and the Hose Reps on this vote.

    First Madigan PR win over Rauner … in a LONG time.–

    What nonsensical partisan hackery. They’re all in the tank for Exelon.

    These shallow p.r. “wins” you like to chronicle like governing is some kind of game show are rather costly to the citizenry, don’t you think?


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