Illinois’ SB 2048 (2021)

In September 2021, the Illinois legislature passed a bill making the state the 11th in the nation, and first in the Midwest, to target 100% renewable energy by a date certain. The bill sets a 2050 deadline for decarbonizing the state’s electricity generation.

The legislation also provides nearly $700 million to prevent the looming closure of the nuclear power plants that now supply the majority of the state’s carbon-free power. The bill allows two major nuclear plants to remain open without emissions reduction until 2038, and then close down at that time unless they’ve cut emissions by 45 percent. The plants would also be allowed to remain open past 2045 if they can completely eliminate their carbon emissions.