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Clean Jobs Coalition says it has stopped negotiating with Exelon

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Illinois

* Steve Daniels at Crain’s…

As the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition prepares to bus hundreds of activists to Springfield for a lobbying day [today], it confirmed that coalition members voted a week ago no longer to negotiate with any utilities on their bill to promote more energy sources in Illinois that don’t emit heat-trapping carbon.

The decision was made following news of federal subpoenas of Exelon and its Chicago utility Commonwealth Edison, tied to a grand-jury probe of corruption in the state capital and elsewhere.

“The utilities oppose the Clean Energy Jobs Act. Period. They have made that clear to us, and have made that clear to lawmakers,” a spokeswoman for the coalition said in an email. “We were asked by legislators to work with all stakeholders to find areas of agreement, and we have been diligently doing that, including with the utilities, among others. However, the steady revelation of news is troubling. While we continue to meet and talk with other stakeholders, last Monday, our coalition voted to suspend talks with the utilities indefinitely.” […]

To say that Exelon opposes the Clean Energy Jobs Act may be true technically. But Exelon executives have spoken out repeatedly in favor of the centerpiece of the legislation, which is a state takeover from a federally chartered regional organization of the responsibility of determining the mix of power plants paid each month by ratepayers to promise to deliver when demand is highest and resources are most needed.

Go read the rest of Steve’s report for why Exelon favors a big aspect of that bill.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 10:45 am

Comments

Messing around with our power generation is not something our state should be supporting and this bill is a prelude to disaster. Does anyone who is thinking clearly really believe that the state that couldn’t manage it’s own budget for years can effectively manage how the lifeblood, electricity, of our industry and personal lives is produced? Also, when you look at the CEJA it is sending us on a path to third world electricity generation status when it talks about 100% renewables for energy production. That just doesn’t exist in real life. Electricity has to be balanced properly and when the sun isn’t shining ad the wind isn’t blowing adequately you have to have reserve generation either up and spinning or able to be spun up immediately. If you don’t your system comes crashing down. This is where we need utility experts and not environmental experts directing planning. But certainly not legislators.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 10:58 am
How clean is the job of building a new airport?

Comment by City Zen Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 11:04 am
I agree with Never Politically Correct (though his/her name is annoying). pursuing this policy without utilities at the table is a huge ,mistake.

Comment by max Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 11:05 am
You folks are aware of the fact that the Illinois Power Agency has been in charge of ComEd/Ameren electricity procurement for over 10 years, right? And they’ve actually been doing a pretty good job. According to the EIA, Illinois has the 7th lowest electricity rates in the country. What’s on the table here is allowing the IPA to procure capacity… the reserves needed to cover electricity demand when it spikes (just a few hours ever summer). The PJM grid operator’s rules for procuring capacity unfairly benefit natural gas plants. We, as IL electric customers, are already overpaying for capacity we do not need.

“sending us on a path to third world electricity generation status” — maybe a little hyperbolic, man.

Comment by zorkon Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 11:17 am
===How clean is the job of building a new airport?===
Shouldn’t be any dirtier than any of the other infrastructure projects in the Capital bill. I’ll bet they dig up a lot more “special waste” when they widen I-80.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 11:34 am
The utilities oppose their bill? How dumb do they think Springfield is? The language on capacity reform in their bill is nearly identical to the language on the same topic in Exelon’s bill. So no, nobody buys that nonsense.

Comment by DD Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 11:37 am
Can’t wait to check out the solar power busses they pull up to the capitol in.

Comment by Poster Boy Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 11:53 am
It’s cloudy today. They’ll probably have to bring the windmill powered bus instead.

Comment by Poster Boy Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 12:14 pm
..the windmills arent running today. Too windy.

Comment by Blue Dog Dem Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 12:58 pm
Zorkan: You say we’re overpaying for too much gas.
How in the world is the grid to be powered with more renewable energy, which is intermittent, without quick-start gas? We clearly need existing and new gas if we’re going to have new renewables. The CEJA talking point that you’re repeating is false.

Comment by Missouri Tuesday, Oct 29, 19 @ 1:33 pm