Pritzker Vetoes Omnibus Energy Bill

Governor Pritzker is vetoing an omnibus energy bill.  The measure makes changes to the Adjustable Block Grant program to make it more available to public schools.  Pritzker says he is returning the bill because it would raise costs for ratepayers by giving incumbent utility providers in the MISO region a monopoly over new transmission lines.  He added that eliminating competition will cause rates to increase in the region, where there is currently a three-point-six-billion-dollars in planned transmission construction in the Ameren service territory.  Without competition, Ameren ratepayers will pay for these transmission projects at a much higher cost, putting corporate profits over consumers.