East Central Reporter

GOP gubernatorial candidate Darren Bailey slammed Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his allies for laughing off the idea that residents of Illinois might experience brownouts.

On Saturday afternoon, this is exactly what residents of rural Wayne and White Counties had to deal with as they endured a three-hour brownout on July 30.

Brownouts are described as “a period of reduced voltage of electricity caused especially by high demand and resulting in reduced illumination." 

“We were warned brownouts could be a possibility this summer and those warnings have come true,” Bailey, a state senator from Xenia, said.

Bailey said what is happening is a failure of leadership.

“These brownouts are the direct result of poor leadership and bad policies. JB Pritzker has prioritized his far-Left agenda over the energy needs of Illinois residents. Because of the policies at the federal level and radical initiatives in states like Illinois, there is no incentive for investments in existing power plants and this has resulted in the early closure of power plants, which in turn has resulted in a strain on the power grid. There simply is more demand for power than the amount of power available,” he said. 

Bailey said Illinois must prioritize availability and affordability of electricity to ensure the health and safety of the state’s residents. 

“Our seniors especially need access to reliable and affordable energy,” Bailey said. “I am all for a transition to renewable sources of energy, but we are not there yet. Brownouts are potentially life-threatening to seniors and those with severe medical conditions. Our priority should be on ensuring what has happened in Wayne and White Counties does not happen anywhere else in Illinois.”

Ameren has said the offing of fossil fueled power plants in favor of renewable energy has not occurred quickly enough to keep up with demand for energy.

“The high clearing price from the [Midcontinent Independent System Operator] capacity auction could add as much as $13 per month to the supply portion of a typical customer's electric bill,” a statement from Ameren said.

Midcontinent Independent System Operator has also warned of rolling blowouts and increased energy prices expected to be an average of $600 more per family each year.

The revelations led some to ask the state government to pull back from the regulations.

“We need to be back in Springfield. We need to repeal the Green New Deal, we need to bring Ameren to the table and actually have a productive energy policy moving forward,” State Rep. Adam Niemerg (R-Teutopolis) told The Center Square.

In a report titled “Illinois leads on climate action,” Axios noted other opposition to the regulatory environment causing the brownouts and higher prices.

"The new law in Illinois fails to recognize the need for a measured transition to the new clean energy economy, resulting in significantly higher electric bills for consumers and rolling brownouts," Illinois Manufacturers' Association president Mark Denzler told Axios.