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Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Soaring ComEd bills have us all on edge. Springfield must confront our electricity woes head-on.
The politics of energy in Illinois are hot this summer. And they're only going to get hotter. Residents throughout the Chicago area only now are opening their electric bills and seeing the effect of our sweltering June, combined with substantially higher electricity rates, on their household budgets. With inflation top of mind for everyone, you can add the cost of keeping the lights on and the air conditioners humming to food, insurance, housing, health care and more items making it harder for ordinary folks simply to pay their bills every month. A spike in the cost of energy that took effect June 1 along with higher usage in one of the hottest Junes Chicago has experienced resulted in a $67.28 increase in the average June 30 household electric bill, according to Commonwealth Edison. So far, July has been no picnic either in terms of heat and humidity, so next month's bills aren't likely to provide relief. And, adding to the electric-bill angst, there was news Tuesday that next summer's electric bills will see more upward pressure after the results of a power auction just completed by PJM Interconnection, the power-grid manager for a multistate territory running from northern Illinois east to the mid-Atlantic. The details of that auction are somewhat technical; PJM solicits bids from power generators and others for what the industry calls 'capacity' and what effectively are promises from those power-plant operators to produce energy during high-demand periods over a year. The amount paid to those selected operators for those promises comes from power consumers throughout the PJM region — that is, virtually all households and businesses — and is embedded in the overall price they pay utilities or other suppliers for energy. Much of the reason for this summer's increase in ComEd rates is due to a spike in the current cost of capacity. That capacity cost will rise another 22% in the year beginning in June 2026 after PJM's latest auction. ComEd says that change by itself will hike ComEd rates another 2%, raising the average residential bill by $2.50 per month. Politicians and environmental groups, among others, are castigating PJM for the increases and blaming the grid operator for being too sluggish in approving high-voltage connections of renewable power sources such as wind farms to population centers. PJM, an organization that has operated largely in obscurity for many years despite its centrality to ensuring power is available when most needed, has become a convenient scapegoat for governors across the PJM footprint, including JB Pritzker and Pennsylvania's Josh Shapiro. But at least in Illinois, where Pritzker spearheaded the 2021 Climate & Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), the governor owns these electricity woes whether he likes it or not and whether it's entirely fair. He and fellow Democrats in Springfield (with some GOP backing) undertook a monumental reordering of the state's power industry, preserving existing nuclear plants through ratepayer subsidies and phasing out all carbon-emitting sources such as coal and natural gas no later than 2050. Environmentalists insisted that a large chunk of those gas-fired plants — which for years have been critical to meeting demand during intense heat waves — shutter by 2030. CEJA in short was an audacious bid by a governor with presidential ambitions to boast the nation's most progressive clean-energy statute. Now, CEJA's mandates appear overly inflexible in light of legitimate concerns about whether enough power will be available during heat waves and cold snaps, especially once more of the many planned data centers — intensely power-hungry facilities — are built in Illinois. PJM's capacity prices aren't soaring for no reason. When demand begins to outstrip supply, prices go up. We warned in September that state policymakers seemed asleep at the switch in the face of a coming electricity crisis. If we're still not quite at a crisis point, we're considerably closer now than we were even nine months ago. Environmental groups and others in the spring pushed for substantial new energy legislation meant in part to address the growing concerns over cost and reliability. No action was taken. Speaking earlier this week at a climate conference in Chicago, Pritzker said, 'We've got legislation that's teed up. … When we get to the new legislature, I'm committed to getting this passed. It includes energy storage, it includes expanding the opportunity within solar and wind, and there are ways we can tweak the already really, really great CEJA bill.' We will have more to say in the future on that bill, which likely will further increase costs for ratepayers in order to incentivize favored energy technologies. If by 'tweaking' CEJA, the governor means making the existing law more flexible in order to confront the growing challenge of reliably furnishing reasonably priced power, we're glad. We're not sure that what he means, though, given that his closest and most influential allies on energy matters — environmental groups — are staunchly opposed to any changes that could be perceived as 'backsliding' on CEJA's mandates. We'll see when debate begins in earnest. Here's another warning for Springfield: The growing public dismay over power bills should be a sign to policymakers that now is not the time for litmus tests and winning plaudits from activists. It's a time for hardheaded pragmatism. Nothing will erode public support for groundbreaking clean-energy policies faster than rolling blackouts and punishing electric bills.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Five yellow food safety alerts posted in Champaign-Urbana this week
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Five businesses in the Champaign-Urbana area received yellow food safety alerts in the last seven days. LAST WEEK: Three yellow food safety alerts posted in Champaign Co. this week On March 13, the Champaign Country Club, located at 1211 S. Prospect Ave. in Champaign, received a yellow food safety alert. An inspector found two risk factor/intervention violations and one repeat risk factor/intervention violation. For the third time in a row, the country club struggled to keep foods at a cold enough temperature. Corned beef was found at 53.6°F and coleslaw was held at 50.1°F inside a two-door cooler. Diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, cut romaine lettuce, ranch, cut melons and a half and half were also found at a higher temperature than is safe. All items were brought to a walk-in cooler for rapid cooling. The inspector also found that ricotta cheese, lamb sauce, hummus, shallot butter, Caesar dressing and bom bom sauce were held past seven days. All of these items were discarded. A follow-up inspection was scheduled to be completed within 5-7 business days to make sure that the long-term corrections were completed. $57M going toward Illinois clean energy businesses through Climate & Equitable Jobs Act On March 18, Szechuan Taste, located at 707 S. Sixth St. in Champaign received a yellow food safety alert. An inspector found six risk factor/intervention violations and four repeat risk factor/intervention violations. For the third time in a row, the restaurant had surfaces/utensils that were not clean to 'sight and touch.' In this inspection, there were two knives which had dried meat on their blades from the previous day. The cooks had begun food preparation, and the knives had not been sent back to the dish area. The inspector also noted a knife near the sushi area which had food debris on its blade from the previous day. For the second time in a row, there was an issue with how the restaurant cooled the cooked foods. In this inspection, there was a rack of 12 cooked ducks, sitting between 72°F to 74°F. They had been left to cool in the kitchen instead of a walk-in cooler. The inspector also found two containers of cooked pig feet, sitting at 68°F in the walk-in cooler. It was from the previous day but had not cooled down to 41°F. All of these items were thrown away. Urbana and Champaign Sanitary District project underway Other issues the inspector noted included an industrial sprayer with oven cleaner stored next to clean dishes in the dish area, an open can of 'Sterno' ethanol chafing fuel stored next to clean dishes, scoops stored in 72°F stagnant water and boxes and containers of food stored on the floor in the walk-in freezer. A follow-up inspection will be done in 5-7 business days to make sure the corrections have been completed. On March 18, Pho Noodle Station, located at 601 S. Sixth St. in Champaign, received a yellow food safety alert. An inspector found five risk factor/intervention violations and one repeat risk factor/intervention violation. For the third inspection in a row, Pho Noodle Station struggled to keep their food cold enough. Raw shrimp was held at 50.5°F and raw meat was held between 43.7°F and 44.6°F in the reach-in cooler. There were also cooked and cooled noodles sitting out at 45°F. The noodles were marked with a sticker stating that they should be thrown out at 2 p.m. But the restaurant is not approved to use time as a 'Public Health Control.' Other issues the inspector noted included cases of food stored on the floor of the walk-in freezer, and the fried egg in the 'topping' side of the menu did not have an asterisk leading to a footnote at the bottom of the menu, as is required with FDA food code. The restaurant is required to provide corrected menus by April 1. Hunters Feeding Illinois bringing 97K meals to local families A follow-up inspection will be done in 5-7 business days to ensure the corrections have been made. On March 18, Bap Plus Korean Restaurant, located at 700 S. Gregory St. in Urbana, received a yellow food safety alert. An inspector found five risk factor/intervention violations and one repeat risk factor/intervention violation. For the third time in a row, the inspector found that poisonous or toxic materials were stored incorrectly. In this inspection, two spray bottles of cleaner were stored next to opened plastic wrap, aluminum foil, and a bag of crushed pepper powder on a cart. And, for the second time in a row, the restaurant did not use proper cooling methods. There were two pans of raw, breaded fish sitting between 45.5° to 48.4°F in the walk-in cooler. The fish were in containers that were deeper than four inches and tightly lidded. The health department said that this is an ineffective cooling method and threw the fish away. Other issues the inspector noted included raw chicken stored over uncovered containers of noodles and raw onion, raw fish containers stacked on top of a container of pickled radish, and two spray bottles were not labeled with the 'common name' of the chemical they contained. A follow-up inspection will be done in 5-7 business days to ensure the corrections have been made. Illinois lawmakers plan new strategy to combat human trafficking, help identify victims On March 19, Signature Grill, located at 505 E Green St. in Champaign, received a yellow food safety alert. An inspector found five risk factor/intervention violations and one repeat risk factor/intervention violation. For the third time in a row, Signature Grill had an issue with keeping some of their food items at cold enough temperatures. An inspector found a pan of rice sitting at 45°F, an open container of half-n-half at 60°F, and a potato dish at 48°F. Other issues the inspector noted included employees putting on gloves before washing their hands or not washing their hands before removing old gloves and putting on new ones, the hand sink near the food prep area was not stocked with soap, and dead insects on the sticky insect traps above the mop sink. A follow-up inspection will be done in 5-7 business days to ensure the corrections have been made. To see other restaurant inspections in Champaign County, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
IL pledges $8 million to repairs at New Salem historic site
PETERSBURG, Ill. (WCIA) — $8 million is going toward the improvement of a state historic site near Petersburg. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Capital Development Board (CDB) announced that the money is going to Lincoln's New Salem, the recreation of the log cabin village Abraham Lincoln lived in for six years. It's a site that attracted more than 350,000 visitors last year. The money is coming from the Rebuild Illinois capital plan, and it will be used to update and repair 23 buildings at the site. $57M going toward Illinois clean energy businesses through Climate & Equitable Jobs Act 'We are grateful for Governor Pritzker's ongoing commitment to preserving New Salem and other state historic sites for future generations,' said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. 'For decades, Illinois families have enjoyed visiting New Salem for class trips, historical demonstrations, scouting excursions, theater outings, candlelight walks, summer picnics, and more. We want to ensure visitors can continue enjoying all that New Salem has to offer for years to come.' The $8 million will be in addition to nearly $3 million in repairs already completed or undertaken at New Salem under the Pritzker administration. Repairs have included roof replacement and a new HVAC system at the visitor's center, stairway construction between the village and the grist mill, a bridge replacement on the Mentor Graham Trail, a planned major road and bridge improvement project and more. The village was constructed in the 1930s and 1940s as a Civilian Conservation Corps program. The historically furnished buildings include homes, stores, tradesmen shops, a tavern, a school, a sawmill and a gristmill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
