The Illinois Senate returns to session on Tuesday, and one issue they should address is a bill regulating the state’s energy industry.

Governor JB Pritzker last week said an energy deal was in the hands of the General Assembly. He wants to shut down coal plants by 2035.

After working overtime, Senate Speaker Don Harmon D-Oak Park said a deal was underway.

“My caucus members generally assure me that they are comfortable with the 2035 date,” Harmon said last week. “A few members might not be able to vote for this due to the impacts in their district, but I am confident that we will have the votes to support decarbonization.”

This week, Harmon announced that the Senate would return on June 15 to adopt an energy plan.

“This is a historic clean energy plan that both protects thousands of jobs and responsibly moves Illinois forward into the future,†Harmon said in a statement Tuesday.

State Senator Doris Turner, D-Springfield, said Friday that she had raised concerns about the negative impacts on her community of the closure of coal-fired power plants.

“And it wasn’t just me talking about it, my colleagues across Illinois have talked about it and I hope President Harmon brought these ideas and concerns to bear,” Turner said.

The House is expected to return the next day, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch said in a statement on Tuesday.

“As I indicated before the adjournment of the last day of the session, the House is expected to return next week on Wednesday June 16 to deal with some final legislative measures,” he said. “Things like the energy proposal, unemployment insurance and an elected school board for Chicago will be high on our list. We have been able to accomplish great things this legislative session, and I look forward to keeping that spirit alive in a special quick session next week. “

Any legislation with an immediate effective date after May 31 requires a qualified majority to pass each chamber.

State Representative Tim Butler, R-Springfield, said shutting down coal-fired power plants like the Springfield Municipal Facility is not working for the energy reliability of lower Illinois.

“We’re going to have to pull it from somewhere else on the MISO network, probably coal-fired power plants in Kentucky or Indiana, which is pretty humorous when you think about it,” Butler told WMAY.

Butler criticized possible “buddy†deals for the nuclear power industry, noting that the CEO of Exelon made $ 15 million last year.

“I am for maintaining the nuclear fleet, but we must protect the assets that belong to the citizens of Illinois in the prairie state and [City Water Light and Power]”said Butler.

While some say the focus needs to be on more clean energy jobs, Evan Wooding, business manager for Steamfitters in Peoria, said it won’t replace careers at coal-fired power plants.

“So you go through all of these facilities, there are people there 24/7, 365 days away,†Wooding said.

Full details of an energy bill proposal have not been released.

Original location: Deal concluding coal and subsidizing nuclear power expected next week