Tell your State Legislators it’s time to help thousands of Illinois public power ratepayers have a voice in their energy future.
Over one million Illinois residents are public power ratepayers as they get their power from municipal utilities or rural electric cooperatives. Unlike ComEd and Ameren ratepayers, public power ratepayers do not have the same access to clean energy benefits and programs, such as those in the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act. Public power ratepayers also have no voice in decisions about their power supply. Fortunately, state legislation has been proposed to improve public engagement and energy planning of municipal utilities and cooperatives. We need to call on our legislators to support this legislation.
This affects us all. While the lack of real energy democracy within municipal utilities and cooperatives uniquely impacts muni and coop customers across Illinois, this is an issue that impacts all of Illinois. That’s because municipal utilities and rural electric cooperatives are still overwhelmingly committed to coal power. These entities, like the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency, Southern Illinois Power Cooperative, and Springfield’s City, Water, Light & Power, and many others are disproportionately contributing to dangerous air and climate pollution in our power sector. Giving their ratepayers a voice can help shift them away from fossil fuels.
Take action and tell your state legislators to cosponsor the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act (HB5021/SB3637) and the Solar Bill of Rights (HB5315). Together these bills will help thousands of Illinois public power ratepayers have a voice in their energy future.
