Illinois Pushes Battery Storage, Low-Carbon Energy Buildout

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Written by Will Ploch, Assistant Editor-in-Chief for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Illinois' Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act builds on the state's development of battery-storage and nuclear projects, in hopes of putting the brakes on rising electricity bills.

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State Charges Up Plans for Battery Storage

Electric bills in Illinois jumped 15% during 2025, and state leaders are renewing a push to reduce the burden on consumers while developing long-term generation resources. Last week, Governor JB Pritzker signed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), which mandates the installation of 3 gigawatts (GW) of grid-scale energy storage by 2030; lifts a moratorium on large nuclear reactor development; and incentivizes battery-storage and other energy-efficiency technologies. Industrial Info is tracking nearly $24 billion worth of active and proposed renewable energy-generation projects across Illinois, as well as more than $7.5 billion worth of BESS projects.

"CRGA will lower costs by driving the development of new energy resources, enacting new regulatory powers to support consumers, and creating and enhancing consumer cost-saving programs," Pritzker's office said in a press release. "The Illinois Power Agency found that CRGA's critical measures are expected to save Illinois energy customers $13.4 billion over the next two decades."

Most of the battery energy-storage system (BESS) projects under development across Illinois are in their early planning phase, where plenty of factors can delay, alter or eliminate proposed investment. However, Vistra Energy Corporation (Irving, Texas) and OMERS Infrastructure Management Incorporated (Toronto, Canada) both are developing BESS additions to solar-generation projects in the Land of Lincoln.

Vistra is converting a former coal-fired power plant in Newton, Illinois, into the 52-megawatt (MW) Newton Solar Plant, which will feature a 2-MW BESS unit. OMERS, which began construction in October on its 300-MW Red Maple Solar Plant in De Kalb, Illinois, is concurrently developing a 50-MW BESS unit at the site. The Newton and Red Maple projects are set to wrap up mid-year and toward the end of 2026, respectively.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project and Plant databases can learn more about the Newton and Red Maple projects--including key contacts, investment values and necessary equipment--from profiles of the Newton and Red Maple plants and detailed reports on the Newton solar/BESS, and Red Maple solar and BESS projects.

In addition, Hecate Energy LLC (Chicago, Illinois) is seeking permits for its proposed Redbird 5 BESS Plant in Normal, Illinois, about 40 miles east of Peoria. The standalone unit will hold up to 300 MW for the power grid, utilizing lithium-ion batteries. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report.

By the Numbers

• $7.5 billion: Total investment in active and proposed Illinois BESS projects tracked by Industrial Info
• $13.4 billion: What Illinois leaders say CRGA will save residents over the next two decades
• 6 gigawatts: Total renewable energy developed in Illinois since the state's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act passed in 2021

Solar, Wind, Nuclear Also Set to Benefit

Illinois' solar developments include Vistra's Pulaski Solar Plant in Grand Chain, which sits near the southernmost tip of the state. The project, which covers thousands of acres, is designed to generate 405 MW from photovoltaic (PV) panels provided by Canadian Solar Incorporated (Kitchener, Ontario). Subscribers can learn more details from a project report.

Among all U.S. states, Illinois ranks fifth in wind power generation, which Pritzker said has nearly tripled over the last decade. This summer, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (Copenhagen, Denmark) expects to finish about two years' construction on its Panther Grove Wind Facility in Minonk, which is designed to generate 423 MW from 94 turbines provided by Vestas Wind Systems A/S (Copenhagen). This represents an increase in the facility's projected capacity, which stood at 400 MW early last year. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report.

Other large-scale wind projects include Pattern Energy Group LP's (San Francisco, California) Heritage Prairie Windfarm in Kankakee, which is about 40 miles south of Chicago. The sprawling project sits at the conjunction of three counties--Kankakee, Ford and Livingston--and will have a 200-MW presence in each, with a total projected output of 600 MW. Subscribers can learn more from a detailed project report.

CRGA also lifts the moratorium on new, large nuclear reactors in the state. Illinois has six operational nuclear power plants with a total of 11 reactors, the most of any U.S. state, which provide more than half of the state's electricity. Subscribers can learn more about Illinois' active nuclear plants from a detailed list of plant profiles.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project and Plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for active and proposed renewable energy-generation projects across Illinois, and click here for a full list of BESS projects.

Subscribers to Industrial Info's GMI Project and Plant databases can click here for a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and click here for a full list of related plant profiles.

Key Takeaways

• To combat rising electricity bills, Illinois recently enacted legislation to encourage energy efficiency and battery storage.
• New BESS units already are in development, with several key projects under construction.
• In the longer term, Illinois also could build new nuclear reactors under the legislation.

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About IIR News Intelligence
IIR News Intelligence is a trusted source of news for the industrial process and energy markets, powered by Industrial Info Resource's Global Market Intelligence (GMI).

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR News Intelligence) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking more than 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).