Eye On Illinois: Navigating nuclear future remains politically challenging for governor

Operating on the presumption Gov. JB Pritzker has grander political aspirations, there are three subject areas that may define his administration.

The first is advancing criminal justice reforms, an umbrella covering gun control legislation the state Supreme Court affirmed Friday. Though effects remain to be seen, Pritzker’s clearly attempting to build a reputation on this progressive plank.

A second is persistent, systemic failures in human services, from child welfare to elder services and all points in between, especially inpatient mental health. No prior governor has a sterling record on this front, but every time the governor seeks praise for improving the bond rating, bolstering reserve funds or increasing the minimum wage, it should be heard in the context of the gaping holes in the social safety net.

A third is environmental issues. Pritzker has spent significant political capital boosting electric vehicles, including attempts to rebuild the state’s economy around that industry. The 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act was a signature accomplishment. Without Pritzker’s endorsement, it’s difficult to envision a bipartisan coalition advancing the $694 million plan to keep Exelon-Commonwealth Edison’s nuclear fleet in operation.

On the national political scene, energy legislation remains challenging for Democrats. The party’s progressive wing demands much stronger action than the conventional liberals holding power can or will advance. Every possible reform has dramatic economic implications. For Pritzker specifically, translating his Illinois approach to federal office might be challenging because how we get our power varies greatly from state to state.

The future of nuclear generation in Illinois remains a politically sticky wicket. The Republicans whose districts include ComEd plants made an uneasy alliance with Pritzker in 2021 because losing the jobs and property taxes those plants provide would devastate the (typically smaller) communities where reactors operate. But he landed opposite some of those same folks Friday when he vetoed Senate Bill 76, leaving in place a 1980s moratorium on new reactors.

“This bill provides no regulatory protections for the health and safety of Illinois residents who would live and work around these new reactors,” Pritzker said Friday, per Capitol News Illinois. “My hope is that future legislation in Illinois regarding [small modular reactors] would address this regulation gap.”

Bill sponsor state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, said she’s already filed paperwork for a veto override vote in the fall, which quit possibly has the votes to succeed. The core opposition remains city and suburban Democrats. Pritzker said his veto came “at the request of the leadership team of the speaker of the House and advocates.”

This topic lacks the heated rhetoric of criminal justice reform and the horror stories of human services failures, but rest assured nuclear development remains a significant factor in Pritzker’s political perception.

• Scott T. Holland writes about state government issues for Shaw Media. Follow him on Twitter @sth749. He can be reached at sholland@shawmedia.com.