The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Illinois PIRG : Help Promote Clean Energy

Last week, as energy prices soared across the country, our state's biggest utility, ComEd, took a big step in the wrong direction, walking away from its agreement to help develop our clean wind power resources in Illinois.

Building clean wind energy in Illinois would reduce pollution, create jobs, help farmers, and stabilize electricity costs. We can't afford to let ComEd destroy progress toward making these goals a reality in Illinois. Please ask your state legislators to keep our clean energy plan on track.

To take action, click on the following link, or paste it into your browser:

http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=493&id4=ES


Background:

Today, more than 99% of the power sold to Illinois customers is generated by fossil fuel-fired or nuclear power plants, both of which produce large amounts of dangerous pollutants. There is no safe disposal option for radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants, which will remain deadly to humans for thousands of years and is currently stored on site at reactors throughout the state. Coal-burning power plants are the largest industrial source of the smog that has caused more than a dozen unhealthy air pollution action days in Chicago this summer. In addition, mercury, which has contaminated the fish in lakes and rivers across the state is a byproduct of burning coal in plants that lack modern pollution control equipment.

On February 14, 2005, Governor Blagojevich released his sustainable energy plan, which included a mandatory renewable energy standard of 2% by 2006, and increasing to 8% by 2012. At that time, ComEd's President, Frank Clark, publicly embraced the program and pledged the support of his company, saying: "We are very supportive of Governor Blagojevich's initiatives, including the use of renewable energy resources and energy efficiency technologies." The plan was transmitted to the ICC for implementation.

On July 19, the Illinois Commerce Commission unanimously passed a resolution adopting a renewable energy standard, but making participation by the utilities voluntary, instead of mandatory as it is in most states. The resolution gave ComEd and the state's other retail electric suppliers 30 days, ending August 18, to develop and file detailed implementation plans, showing how they will purchase and sell increasing amounts of power generated from clean wind, solar, and biomass resources. At that time, ComEd President Frank Clark pledged to implement the plan, stating: "We're committed to following the Governor's timetable and, with Commission approval, supporting the level of investment specified in the Governor's plan." ComEd's Vice President of energy acquisition echoed his remarks, saying: "We're very excited and interested in doing what we can to make it work."

In late August, Governor Blagojevich made public his opposition to ComEd's proposal to change the way captive customers are charged for power. This proposal would allow ComEd to charge market rates to captive customers, in violation of longstanding consumer protections contained in the Public Utilities Act. This would increase electric rates by an estimated 15-20%, to the large benefit of ComEd's parent company, Exelon.

In September, seemingly in retaliation, ComEd wrote to the ICC stating that it would not implement the sustainable energy goals until the legal issues surrounding the company's proposed rate deregulation were resolved.

ComEd's rate proposal should be considered on its own merits, and the company should drop its attempt to extort a rate increase by holding the renewable energy program hostage.

We can't afford to let ComEd destroy progress toward making clean energy a reality in Illinois. Please ask your state legislators to keep our clean energy plan on track.

To take action, click on the following link, or paste it into your browser:

http://pirg.org/alerts/route.asp?id=493&id4=ES

Sincerely,

Rebecca D. Stanfield
Illinois PIRG Environmental Attorney
RebeccaS@illinoispirg.org
http://www.IllinoisPIRG.org

P.S.  Thanks again for your support.  Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends.