Illinois lawmakers passed a clean energy bill last week that includes the full removal of the state’s decades-long ban on new nuclear energy builds.
Senate Bill 25, “Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act”, was passed by the state’s House in a 70-37 vote on Oct. 29 and in the state Senate in a 37-22 vote on Oct. 30. The legislation now awaits the signature of Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) who has said he plans to sign it.
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, the legislation would allow construction of new nuclear reactors, small modular reactors (SMRs) or large reactors.
In 2023, Pritzker signed a law that helped lift part of the state’s nuclear moratorium. It allowed for reactors with a generating capacity of 300 megawatts or less, to be built in Illinois.
The state’s nuclear ban on new nuclear builds was passed in 1987 in response to the federal government’s lack of a permanent disposal site for spent fuel. While the United States still lacks a national repository, Illinois lawmakers are still moving forward with their investment in nuclear energy.
“The General Assembly finds that nuclear power generation is necessary for the state’s transition to 100% clean energy, and ensuring continued operation of nuclear plants advances environmental and public health interests through providing carbon-free electricity while reducing the air pollution profile of the Illinois energy generation fleet,” according to the bill.
Pritzker has supported the bill. He called it “an important step that will help lower utility bills and make our [Illinois’s] electrical grid stronger,” in an Oct. 30 press release.
Despite its then-decades-long state nuclear ban, Illinois has the most nuclear power reactors of any state with 11 reactors across six nuclear plants. In 2024, nuclear energy produced 53% of the state’s electricity net generation, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Along with the nuclear energy ban removal, the bill also includes energy efficiency programs, boosting the state’s battery storage and new state regulations for utility companies.