Dupage Policy Journal

Former Illinois State Representative Jeanne Ives has expressed concerns regarding the potential impact of Illinois Democrats' efforts to subsidize battery storage facilities, suggesting it could result in increased energy prices for consumers. Ives articulated her views in a social media post on March 3.

"Get ready to get screwed again Illinois ratepayers. IL Dems are about to make energy even more expensive by subsidizing battery storage," said Ives.

Ives' comments were made in response to initiatives by Illinois State Senator Bill Cunningham and Samarth Medakkar of Advanced Energy United, who are advocating for the expansion of battery storage within the state. According to Energy Storage News, Cunningham, along with Representative Marcus Evans, has introduced Senate Bill 2497 and House Bill 3758. These bills aim to develop 15 gigawatts (GW) of energy storage in Illinois.

Screenshot of Ive's Mar. 3 post on X. | Jeanne Ives

According to Advanced Energy United, Cunningham has highlighted that Illinois may face an energy supply shortfall as early as 2030. He argues that battery storage is essential to prevent shortages and rising costs. Medakkar, a principal at Advanced Energy United, is actively supporting this initiative by collaborating with policymakers and businesses to promote clean energy policies. He recently participated in a press conference with Cunningham to underscore the potential benefits of energy storage for consumers and grid reliability.

"Illinois State Senator Bill Cunningham is just wrong about so many things," Ives added. She further claimed that "coal got pushed out of the market by heavily subsidized wind and solar" and argued that "transmission is a problem because wind and solar are dispersed from the grid." Ives contended that "battery storage will not solve our energy supply issue" and attributed higher rates to "Illinois Democrats" who she says subsidized data centers under the guise of economic development.

Jeanne Ives served as an Illinois state representative from 2013 to 2019, representing Chicago’s western suburbs, according to her Ballotpedia page. In 2020, she ran for Congress in Illinois' 6th district but narrowly lost to Democrat Sean Casten. A former Army officer and West Point graduate, Ives continues her advocacy for conservative policies focused on economic reform and government accountability.