A new law signed on Thursday will provide Illinoisans immediate and long-term utility bill relief by bringing down energy costs, thanks to legislation supported by state Rep. Jaime Andrade, D-Chicago.  “Families in my community are facing two, or three-fold increases in their monthly energy bills, all while trying to afford rising housing, grocery and gas bills,” Andrade said. Over the last year, many Illinois residents have grappled with untenable utility bill costs. Senate Bill 25, The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, puts Illinois on better footing to counteract rising energy prices by tapping into:

• Capturing clean energy: By capturing and redistributing energy already being produced, including from home solar panels, Ameren and ComEd customers can see immediate relief on monthly costs.

• Increasing battery storage: By building out our grid to increase the state’s battery storage, power systems will become more reliable and affordable to power millions of Illinois homes.

• Investing in energy efficiency programs: Senate Bill 25 directly expands energy efficiency programs for residents, lowering electricity prices by reducing overall demand, and improves equity in programs by allocating a minimum amount of funds to support low-income customers.

Additionally, the measure will create up to 115,000 jobs, counteracting job insecurity and layoffs caused by federal cuts.  Senate Bill 25 was signed on Thursday, Jan. 8th.