Illinois Valley Times

Republicans are ready to complete a deal on a comprehensive energy bill, state Rep. David Welter (R-Morris) said during a June 1 press conference in Springfield. He sought a commitment from leaders to reconvene and get this done.

They aim for a bill that would include keeping the state’s entire nuclear fleet online and one that would protect local jobs at Dresden Station in Grundy County and Byron Station in Ogle County.

“We want to come back to Springfield and finish this work and provide certainty to those back home,” Welter said. “We are ready and engaged and want this to be addressed shortly… Here we are and have been adjourned to the call of the chair and no specific date was given. I’m cautiously optimistic that we will get this done but what we need now is a commitment from the speaker and the governor that they’re going to bring us back within the next week so we can finish the work we have left to do on energy.”

A number of Illinoisans will be affected if Dresden Station in Grundy County and Byron Station in Ogle County close down.

“Thousands of jobs are at risk,” Welter emphasized. “This is not a game we want to play on this topic. It’s not just nuclear, it’s also renewables. It’s a necessity that we need a bill done. We need to do something that will maintain those good jobs and is a fair process. We’re sensitive that we’ll put forth an energy policy that is consumer-friendly and provides the reliability and baseload we need. We can’t get to our clean goals without nuclear.”

Hopeful to balance everything including a fair rate for the consumers, Welter repeatedly sought commitment.

“We are close and found some agreement among the stakeholders on the nuclear provision,” he said. “It sounds like language is going back and forth here. There are still some parts of this bill that are controversial. Which way we go will determine how many votes we can put on the bill on our side. We need to see the bill. We need to review the bill. It seems positive but we’re looking for that commitment that we can get back down here and work together.”

Welter is the Republican spokesperson on the House Energy and Environment Committee and also a member of the Utilities Subcommittee.