PEORIA, Ill. – Illinois Governor JB Pritzker was asked during his visit to the McCluggage Bridge Tuesday about the deal Illinois lawmakers recently approved that keeps two Illinois nuclear power plants open, while reducing emissions at coal-fired power plants.
Pritzker says negotiations involving his office led to the deal that lawmakers approved.
“The negotiation that we had over what support we would provide to the power plants that were losing money started with a thorough, independent audit,” said Pritzker.
Pritzker says an audit wasn’t done five years ago when other energy legislation was passed. He said he only wanted to give Exelon, for example, what was fair.
Pritzker said the state, and taxpayers, got a deal.
“We ended up paying one-sixth on a megawatt hour basis what was paid the last time this was negotiated,” said Pritzker. “Last time, six times was paid what we paid this time in order to keep these plants alive, and keep those jobs going.”
Pritzker said power companies weren’t going to write the bill he sign, and they didn’t.
The deal also changes ethics rules after Commonwealth Edison paid a fine over its alleged lobbying practices.
