SE Illinois News

Representative Patrick Windhorst (R-Metropolis) recently announced his sponsorship for energy-related legislation in a Facebook post.

He anticipates these measures will serve to restructure the coal power plant industry in Southern Illinois, cut energy costs for customers and reduce administrative restrictions associated with the operation of new power plants.

House Bill 5780, for example, would establish a task committee to "study the effect of state laws, including (the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act) CEJA , on energy prices as well as grid reliability," he said.

“The legislation I’m sponsoring along with several of my colleagues on the Republican side of the aisle is aimed at restoring coal and natural gas as integral parts of Illinois’ energy portfolio," Windhorst said in a press release, "We have a massive amount of these resources right under our feet; it makes no sense at all to abandon clean coal technology and to ship Illinois coal to other states where they burn it and we are forced to buy electricity from them in order to have sufficient supply."

House Bill 5781 would repeal the 2045 enforced shutdown of nuclear power stations due to the CEJA, while House Bill 5782 would reduce the red tape required to bring nuclear power plants online.

"The result of the legislative package I have signed on to would be lower costs, a more stable electric grid and the return of jobs in the energy sector using resources we have available right here at home," Windhorst said.

In his view as posted on Facebook Aug. 10, CEJA helped nuclear power stations in the northern part of the state at the expense of utility companies and consumers to the south. 

“I favor an all-of-the-above approach to providing energy to our citizens, but CEJA simply went too far too fast," he said. "The result has been a dramatic and devastating spike in the cost of energy for regular people, working families, seniors on fixed incomes and businesses of all sizes."

Windhorst was first elected to the Illinois House in 2018 and has served on the Restorative Justice Committee and Judiciary - Criminal.