Metro East Sun

Jason Plummer, a State Senator from Illinois, has expressed concerns over recent state energy policies, stating that they will increase utility costs and jeopardize grid reliability for families and businesses across the state. This statement was made on Facebook.

"Failed far-left energy policies are about to cost Illinois families and businesses another $8 Billion in rate increases," said Robert Jason Plummer, State Senator for Illinois, according to Facebook. "Liberals in Illinois have caused an affordability crisis that is crushing Illinois families. When it comes to Governor JB Pritzker's energy policies, when you hear the words, "The proponents say..." just grab your wallet, lock the door, and pray the grid stays on when we need it most. They have destroyed what was just recently the safest, most reliable, and lowest cost grid in the Midwest."

The state of Illinois recently enacted the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA) during the 2025 fall veto session. This legislation is a significant part of Governor JB Pritzker’s energy agenda, which aims to enhance battery storage procurement by 3 gigawatts by 2030, stabilize grid reliability, and deliver projected consumer savings of at least $13 billion over twenty years. Analysts have highlighted these objectives as key components of the omnibus energy legislation. The act comes in response to rising capacity costs, increasing demands from data centers, and delays in renewable deployments that threaten affordability and reliability in Illinois. It represents a shift in utility regulation policy towards supporting storage and transmission investments while maintaining ambitious clean-energy goals for the state.

Residential electricity supply rates in Illinois have experienced sharp increases. For instance, Ameren Illinois's "price to compare" rose from approximately 8 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) to around 12 cents per kWh starting June 1, 2025—an increase of roughly 50%. This translates to typical residential bill increases of 18-22%, or about $45 per month during the summer period in Ameren’s service territory.

In comparison with other Midwestern states, Illinois’ average residential retail electricity rate was 18.09 cents per kWh in August 2025. This rate is higher than Indiana’s 16.59 cents per kWh and Iowa’s 15.64 cents per kWh, placing Illinois among the higher-priced states in the region despite its previous ranking as one of the most affordable states. Meanwhile, a reliability and affordability assessment by the Citizens Utility Board ranked Illinois fifth nationally for combined metrics of reliability, affordability, and environmental responsibility—ranking ahead of states like Indiana but behind top performers such as Washington and South Dakota.

Plummer is a Republican member of the Illinois Senate representing the 55th District since his first election in 2018. He serves as Assistant Republican Leader within his caucus. According to his official biography, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, served as an intelligence officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve, and currently works as president of R.P. Lumber, a family-owned business. His legislative focus includes regulatory reform, infrastructure and utility oversight; he is assigned to key committees including Executive Appointments and Financial Institutions.