Pritzker vetoes bill that lifted moratorium on new Illinois nuclear power stations

Illinois’ moratorium on new nuclear power plant construction will stay in place for now after Gov. J.B. Pritzker vetoed a bill that would have lifted the ban.

The legislation would have invalidated a 1987 law that prohibited new nuclear power facilities from being built until a permanent waste storage option was made available.

“The bill is vetoed because the vague definitions in the bill, including the overly broad definition of advanced reactors, will open the door to the proliferation of large-scale nuclear reactors that are so costly to build that they will cause exorbitant ratepayer-funded bailouts,” Pritzker’s office said in a statement.

The bill specifically called for allowing the development of so-called advanced nuclear reactors such as the Small Modular Nuclear Reactors, or SMRs, that industry advocates have proposed to help meet the state’s emissions-free energy goal.

David Kraft, director of the Nuclear Energy Information Service, said the state doesn’t need any more nuclear reactors.

"There would be competition now only for market share for the energy, but there would be severe competition to get that energy on an already overcrowded transmission grid,” Kraft said.

State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, said the governor is putting his own partisan political ambitions over what is in the best interest of the people of Illinois.

“The governor’s decision to veto Senate Bill 76 is a short-sighted mistake that will hurt our state’s future energy portfolio," Rezin told The Center Square.

The measure would have made Illinois the sixth state to remove such a moratorium. Indiana passed a law allowing the public service commission to issue certificates of necessity for the construction of advanced nuclear, “paving the way for SMRs in Indiana.”

Also Friday, Pritzker vetoed House Bill 3643, which would have amended the School Code to require the Illinois State Board of Education to enter into a statewide education master contract to provide religious dietary options to all Illinois school districts.

"Local school districts, not the Illinois State Board of Education, have the expertise and understanding of local needs required to enter into food service contracts based on federal USDA nutrition guidelines," Pritzker's office said.

House Bill 2878 addressed procurement issues, but because the bill allows for the creation of public private partnerships with counties, municipalities and any other unit of local government, the governor issued an amendatory veto saying the measure didn't have proper oversight in place.

A fourth bill Pritzker acted on was an amendatory veto of House Bill 2507, which addressed issues surrounding property taxes. Pritzker's office said the action was "due to a change that was added to give private nursing home owners in Cook County a property tax break."

"That break passes the tax burden to Suburban Cook County homeowners and small businesses, with the most impact felt in the South Suburbs," the governor's office said. "That change to property taxes on homeowners risks driving up costs for residents and threatens local school funding."

Veto session begins Oct. 24.