South Central Reporter

Jason Plummer, senator for Illinois' 55th District, has attributed the current utility cost crisis to prioritizing environmentalist policies over practical solutions that could benefit residents of Illinois.

"This is catastrophic for Illinois families," said Plummer, State Senator 55th District (R), according to Facebook. "This is what happens when you put pie-in-the-sky dreams and outlandish demands from environmental activists ahead of Illinois families and common sense public policy. It's an interesting strategy - destroying a state's power grid, running up the highest unemployment rate in the Midwest, raising taxes over 50 times, and then thinking you can run for president on this platform, Governor JB Pritzker. Maybe it's time to put the ego in check and focus on Illinois and the families that are here, trying to make ends meet."

Energy bills in Illinois saw an increase on June 1 for customers of both Ameren Illinois and Commonwealth Edison (ComEd). According to The Center Square, Ameren Illinois customers can expect a $45 monthly increase—a 20% rise—throughout the summer. Some legislators have linked these high prices to the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act passed in 2021. Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer said that the issue arises from a lack of planning for energy costs, noting that no planning for reduced energy supply has occurred since 1997. He also mentioned warning the legislature about potential price hikes when the law was enacted.

Screenshot of State Senator Jason Plummer's June 5 Facebook post | State Senator Jason Plummer's Facebook page

The Citizens Utility Board provides information on its website regarding ComEd's pricing increase, which began with PJM Interconnection's announcement of capacity auction results for summer 2024. Prices surged by 830%, rising from $28.92 to $269.92 per megawatt-day, with gas generation accounting for 48% of capacity and coal for 18%. From June 2025 through May 2026, ComEd’s supply price is set to rise to 10.028 cents per kilowatt-hour, adding approximately $10.60 to the average monthly bill—a 10% to 15% increase depending on usage.

In April, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requesting that the most recent PJM Interconnection capacity auction be invalidated and conducted again under revised rules approved by FERC. "PJM and FERC have acknowledged that the rules are flawed," Raoul said in an April news release, adding that conducting another auction under these new rules is crucial to protect consumers from unreasonable utility bill increases.

Senator Plummer has represented Illinois’ 54th Senate District since his election in 2018 and focuses on serving Southern Illinois as a conservative voice for constituents he believes have been overlooked by lawmakers in Springfield.