{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Citizens Utility Board","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org","title":"With energy prices skyrocketing, advocates urge power grid operator to stop delays on new generation | Citizens Utility Board","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"nBUmfwN1Wu\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/blog\/2022\/07\/22\/with-energy-prices-skyrocketing-advocates-urge-power-grid-operator-to-stop-delays-on-new-generation\/\">With energy prices skyrocketing, advocates urge power grid operator to stop delays on new generation<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/blog\/2022\/07\/22\/with-energy-prices-skyrocketing-advocates-urge-power-grid-operator-to-stop-delays-on-new-generation\/embed\/#?secret=nBUmfwN1Wu\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;With energy prices skyrocketing, advocates urge power grid operator to stop delays on new generation&#8221; &#8212; Citizens Utility Board\" data-secret=\"nBUmfwN1Wu\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"Illinois legislative leaders and CUB are urging the power grid operator in Central and Southern Illinois to fast track renewable energy projects that could reliably power 4.5 million homes and help relieve energy problems in the region. At a news conference July 21, legislative leaders criticized the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the multi-state entity that manages the generation and transmission of electricity across Central and Southern Illinois. The region is suffering through a price spike currently, connected to global issues and a huge jump in the price for reserve power (also called capacity costs) that MISO blamed on an increase in electricity use and a dip in power supply. (See the TV coverage of the news conference, and watch it yourself.) But there currently are 34 solar and wind projects capable of generating more than 6,000 megawatts of energy awaiting approval in MISO\u2019s queue. That&#8217;s enough to power 4.5 million Illinois homes. MISO\u2019s foot-dragging could keep these projects languishing for years, the leaders said. MISO has been slow to act, and has instead raised the possibility of controlled power outages if there&#8217;s not enough electricity available. Ameren Illinois, the electric utility, has responded that it&#8217;s optimistic it will be able to keep the lights on this summer.\u00a0Still, fossil fuel interests and their allies have used MISO&#8217;s comments as an opening to wrongly blame these problems on the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and push for re-opening the nation-leading clean energy bill. \u201cThe answer to capacity and price issues is not to reopen CEJA, but rather to move quickly to implement it and get existing renewable projects online faster. That starts with MISO ensuring we get those 34 projects capable of generating 6,000 megawatts of renewable energy on the grid. If Ameren customers ever find themselves in the dark, MISO\u2019s inaction is to blame. They are asleep at the switch,\u201d said\u00a0State Senator Cristina Castro, the chief Senate sponsor of CEJA. \u201cRather than quickly bringing new energy resources on to the grid, MISO is now trying to shift blame, warning of potential power outages this summer in Central and Southern Illinois, an apocalyptic and misleading view that even Ameren disputes. Fossil fuel interests and entrenched energy lobbyists are jumping on MISO\u2019s blame game and calling for a return to the days when coal and gas generated most of Illinois\u2019 electricity, even as fossil fuel prices skyrocket, emissions pollute our communities, and the planet burns,\u201d said\u00a0State Representative Ann Williams, chief House sponsor of CEJA. \u201cGoing back to coal and gas is like pouring gasoline on a fire in terms of hiking energy prices and polluting our communities,\u201d Williams added. Advocates pointed out that MISO has known the transition from dirty, expensive fossil fuels to clean, less expensive renewables has been coming since at least 2007, when Illinois passed its first Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) that has only been accelerated by other initiatives. \u201cFor years, MISO has known this transition was coming, through the advent of the renewable portfolio standard and multiple rounds of legislation, including the Future Energy Jobs Act in 2016 and CEJA in 2021,\u201d said\u00a0Jim Chilsen, director of communications [&hellip;]","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/Capture-800x430.jpg"}