Illinois Legislative News: August 25, 2025
On August 18, the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee held a subject matter hearing on the impact of recent federal policy changes on Illinois’ clean energy sector and the broader electricity market. Lawmakers heard from a variety of stakeholders on how recent federal policy changes, including the recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill’s rollback of residential clean energy tax credits, are affecting Illinois’ energy sector and electricity markets.
Solar companies testified that the loss of federal incentives has already slowed residential sales, led to staff reductions, and created uncertainty for future projects, while commercial projects face increased costs and supply chain disruptions. Utility companies and market experts discussed rising electricity prices, driven by a mix of market dynamics, capacity constraints, and surging demand from data centers in the PJM region. Consumer advocates called for stronger energy efficiency programs and continued renewable support to protect households from surging prices, while labor and industry groups emphasized threats to clean energy jobs, despite state initiatives like the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act providing some relief.
Additional testimony addressed nuclear energy, geothermal energy, and reliability concerns, as well as equity workforce programs struggling to match trained workers with projects. Lawmakers signaled that they will likely consider energy omnibus legislation during the October Veto Session or 2026 regular session of the Illinois General Assembly to address many of the issues discussed in the hearing.
Important Upcoming Dates – Statewide
October 14-16 – Veto Session Week 1
October 28-30 – Veto Session Week 2