THE FOLLOWING RELEASE IS FROM STATE SENATOR CHAPIN ROSE’S OFFICE
SPRINGFIELD, IL- State Senator Rose (R-Mahomet) filed a series of bills designed to lower energy costs for families, restore local control over energy projects, and protect the Mahomet Aquifer from energy-intensive data centers.
In January, Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 25 into law. SB 25 removed long-standing protections shielding households from unlimited utility rate increases and included an $8 billion battery storage mandate to be paid for by consumers.
“Rather than lowering costs for families, Governor Pritzker’s bill jacks up power rates once again,” Rose said. “Removing rate caps doesn’t save money, it gives utilities a green light to raise rates on hard-working families who are already stuck with higher bills.”
Rose’s legislation, SB 4003, restores consumer rate caps, ensuring families are not left vulnerable to unchecked electric bill increases. The bill also repeals SB 25’s $8 billion battery storage mandate that sticks Illinoisians with the tab.
In addition, Senator Rose filed another bill, SB 4004, that addresses the rapid growth of energy-intensive artificial intelligence data centers and their impact on electricity demand and water resources. Senate Bill 4004 would impose a permanent moratorium on data center construction on the Mahomet Aquifer, require transparency in water usage, and prevent secrecy agreements that hide resource consumption from local communities.
“Electric demand is increasing while reliable power supply is decreasing,” Rose said. “At the same time, massive data centers are coming online that consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, raising costs for everyone and jeopardizing our precious natural resources.”
Another bill, SB 4001, restores local control over the siting of wind, solar, and energy storage facilities, requiring approval from counties, townships, and municipalities within 1.5 miles of a proposed project before construction can proceed.
Finally, Rose’s legislation asks the Illinois Power Agency to include “least cost pricing” in its mandates to ensure the state procures the cheapest power for Illinois families.
“You can’t power a growing economy or keep the lights on during extreme weather with energy that only works when the weather cooperates,” Rose said. “This agenda is about lowering energy costs for Illinois families, ensuring we have a reliable energy supply, and protecting our local resources, including the Mahomet Aquifer.”
