SPRINGFIELD, IL- State Senator Rose (R-Mahomet) is filing legislation to restore consumer rate caps, repeal the battery storage provisions of Governor Pritzker’s SB 25, and address the growing strain that large-scale data centers are placing on Illinois’ energy and water resources.
Senator Rose said Pritzker’s energy bill, SB 25, was sold as a way to save families money, but instead removed long-standing protections that shield households from unlimited utility rate increases.
“Governor Pritzker promised SB 25 would lower costs, but the reality is it removes the rate caps that protect families,” said Senator Rose. “Removing rate caps doesn’t save families money, it gives utilities a green light to raise rates.”
Rose’s legislation restores those consumer rate caps, ensuring families are not left vulnerable to unchecked electric bill increases.
“For a family in Lawrence County making $40,000 a year, unlimited rate hikes aren’t an inconvenience, they’re a crisis,” Rose said. “Families deserve protection, not promises.”
In addition, Senator Rose is filing legislation to repeal SB 25’s battery storage program and restore local control over the siting of wind, solar, and energy storage facilities.
Under SB 25, local governments lost their authority to approve or deny projects, allowing massive battery facilities to be placed as close as 150 feet from homes and farms without a local vote.
“Springfield is telling communities to sit down and be quiet,” Rose said. “My legislation says not so fast. If it’s going in your backyard, you should have a voice.”
Rose’s proposal requires approval from counties, townships, and municipalities within 1.5 miles of a proposed project before construction can proceed.
Senator Rose is also filing legislation to address the rapid growth of energy-intensive artificial intelligence data centers and their impact on electricity demand and water resources. The bill would prohibit data centers from drawing water from the Mahomet Aquifer, require transparency in water usage, and prevent secrecy agreements that hide resource consumption from local communities.
“Electric demand is increasing while reliable power supply is shrinking,” Rose said. “At the same time, massive data centers are coming online that consume enormous amounts of electricity and water, and families are left paying the price.”
Rose emphasized that intermittent wind and solar generation cannot replace reliable baseload power sources like coal, natural gas, and nuclear energy.
“You can’t power a growing economy or keep the lights on during extreme weather with energy that only works when the weather cooperates,” Rose said. “This agenda is about restoring accountability, protecting families, and making sure Illinois energy policy is grounded in reality.”
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