BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — The Windy City Wieners owner said to lawmakers’ utility prices are hurting businesses after he received a utility bill of more than $2,000 in one month.
The candidate for the Illinois open U.S. Senate seat, U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, traveled to Windy City Wieners in Bloomington alongside other lawmakers.
There, he talked to the owner Steven Marifjeren, as businesses and residents alike are being hit with high utility bills. Krishnamoorthi said President Trump’s approach in promoting only non-renewables hasn’t helped.
“I’m not necessarily against having other forms of energy available. We should. But, if all of the above becomes just some of the above, Guess what? Your electricity bills go up through the roof. I think they’ll continue to,” he said.
Energy problems in Illinois come from a supply and demand issue. Supply has gone down due to some power plants retiring. Demand has gone up due to AI and data centers.
Alongside a hot summer, it was a perfect storm that raised utility costs, according to an Ameren spokesperson.
Alongside the Democrat Congressman was the Twin Cities state Rep. Sharon Chung and Normal Mayor Chris Koos.
Koos said McLean County could have zero energy issues if all its windmills went straight to their grid. However, he said because of an issue with the County’s grid, all of the energy goes up to Chicago.
There are some proposals at the state level to solve its energy crisis, such as allowing businesses to build large modular nuclear reactors and to invest in energy storage.
Krishnamoorthi said to Koos that the federal government has not been working hard enough to ease the cost of utility bills.
“We’re not really problem-solving like a mayor would,” he said. “We’re playing politics and that’s going to lead to working families paying higher bills.”
The House representative was not in Washington because the continuing resolution is stuck in the Senate.
In other topics, Krishnamoorthi said Trump needs to stop sending troops into Chicago.
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