Alderman Villegas and Key Partners Urge Balanced Policy Ahead of City Hall Energy Hearing

Posted on March 4th, 2026 | Filed under Press Releases

City leaders and community advocates cite Illinois Resource Adequacy Study findings, warnings against premature elimination of natural gas without reliable replacement infrastructure

CHICAGO, March 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Alderman Gilbert Villegas and his City Council colleagues, Aldermen Brian Hopkins, Nick Sposato, and Felix Cardona, joined the Clean Energy Choice Coalition (CECC), NPL Construction Co., labor representatives, and community leaders today at City Hall to call for a balanced and responsible approach to clean energy policy ahead of the Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy’s subject-matter hearing.

Speaking during the press conference, Villegas emphasized that Chicago can and should lead on climate action, but not at the expense of residents’ and businesses’ energy choice.

“We can modernize our energy system. We can reduce emissions. But, we must do it in a way that protects working families, protects small businesses, and protects the reliability of our energy grid,” said Villegas.

Villegas and CECC leaders pointed to findings from the recent Illinois Resource Adequacy Study, which projects rising electricity demand and tightening reliability margins across the region in as little as 10 years, as energy resources are removed and replacement generation projects face development timelines and interconnection delays.

In practical terms, CECC spokeswoman Lissa Druss noted, the cushion between available electricity supply and peak demand is shrinking, a trend that becomes especially concerning as more sectors of the economy move toward electrification.

“This is about reliability and readiness,” said Lissa Druss, CECC spokeswoman. “This study reinforces what the CECC has consistently warned: Illinois is not prepared to meet its 2035 electrification goals if we are eliminating energy options before they are replaced. Illinois can’t afford to shrink its energy portfolio at a time when demand is at an all-time high and reliability matters most.”

Tuesday’s press conference preceded the City’s Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy’s subject-matter hearing with People’s Gas, providing advocates with an opportunity to express concern that policy discussions could move toward eliminating natural gas without a sustainable, realistic transition plan.

“Two things can be possible at the same time. We can make progress toward reducing emissions, reducing reliance on non-renewable resources, and still preserving the luxury that we enjoy today as Americans, where when we turn on the switch, the lights go on; when we turn on the stove, the flame sparks; and when we turn on the heat, we get warm,” said Hopkins. “We’re all 100 percent committed to a greener future, but we have to move toward it carefully, methodically, and with planning to keep people on the same page.”

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alderman-villegas-and-key-partners-urge-balanced-policy-ahead-of-city-hall-energy-hearing-302704346.html