Illinois House committee OKs revised Exelon legislation

SPRINGFIELED, Ill. — An Illinois House committee has endorsed a revised plan to subsidize Illinois nuclear plants.

The Energy Committee voted 10-1 to send the legislation to benefit Exelon and two of its Illinois nuclear plants to the House floor.

The plan now would provide $235 million a year for Exelon for 13 years to reward the company because nuclear energy is produced without emitting damaging greenhouse gases. Exelon would use the money to shore up unprofitable nuclear plants in the Quad Cities and Clinton.

The new version, however, removes incentives for southern Illinois coal-fired plants, which were added to draw more support for the bill. Also cut from the initial version was a contentious billing system that based power bills on average peak use instead of overall usage. The bill is SB2814.