Dear Member:

For more than 80 years, electric cooperatives have provided safe, affordable, and reliable electricity to their consumers throughout rural Illinois. The 25 not-for-profit electric cooperatives, each owned and democratically controlled by their members, provide service to approximately 600,000 primarily rural Illinoisans located in 90 of the state’s 102 counties, including you! 

Prairie State Energy Campus is wholly owned by not-for-profit electric cooperatives and municipalities in Illinois and other midwestern states, providing affordable and reliable electricity. Under the comprehensive Illinois legislative energy proposal, Prairie State would be required to close by 2035. Prairie State is state-of-the-art and highly efficient, and today is only 10 years into its expected long life. We oppose legislation that reduces grid reliability, makes us dependent on neighboring states for energy generation, results in good paying energy and tax base being transferred to neighboring states, and raises rates for our member-consumers. In 2035, cooperatives will still have $188 million of debt owed on Prairie State Energy Campus. That debt, coupled with the cost of replacement energy and capacity, could result in 20-25% increased costs to our members.

Eastern Illini is committed to keeping energy affordable and reliable while we invest in a cleaner energy future, but we cannot let policy get ahead of technology. Current technology needs to be improved and expanded upon before we can reliably power the grid with no carbon emissions. Forcing a premature closure of Prairie State will negatively impact the affordability and reliability of electricity in Illinois’ rural areas.

Help send the message to Governor Pritzker and State Legislators that any legislation proposed must provide a delayed effective date for not-for-profit power plants to operate as currently permitted and allow owners to pay off their debt on these new facilities. 

Visit https://voicesforcooperativepower.com/illinois/ and let your voice be heard. Thank you for your support.