As the political season heats up in Illinois and Virginia, energy policy and affordability are emerging as defining issues, shaping not only legislative agendas but also the rhetoric on the campaign trail. On January 8, 2026, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker made headlines by announcing his intent to sign the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, a sweeping bill that lifts the state’s long-standing moratorium on new nuclear power plants. This move, as reported by ABC7 Chicago, marks a significant shift in Illinois’ approach to energy, with the legislation also aiming to accelerate the development of wind and solar projects, establish three gigawatts of utility-scale battery storage, and compensate solar panel owners for supplying power back to the grid.
“The bill was created to help the state better plan for energy demand spikes,” according to ABC7 Chicago, reflecting a growing recognition that reliable power is no longer just a technical challenge—it’s a political one. The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act’s passage signals Illinois’ commitment to a diversified energy portfolio, leveraging its position as one of the nation’s top energy producers to address both climate and cost concerns. The bill’s battery storage mandate is particularly notable, as large-scale batteries are increasingly seen as a linchpin for smoothing out the intermittent nature of renewable energy.
Meanwhile, in Virginia, the debate over the future of energy storage is intensifying as lawmakers prepare for the General Assembly session beginning January 14. On January 7, 2026, Del. Rip Sullivan and Sen. Lamont Bagby announced plans to reintroduce legislation to dramatically boost energy storage targets under the Virginia Clean Economy Act. Their proposal, as reported by Cardinal News, would raise the state’s storage goal from 3,100 megawatts by 2035 to a formidable 10,000 megawatts by 2045. The bill also seeks to establish minimum safety standards, support localities in reviewing projects, and increase government oversight to protect ratepayers.
“No matter what kind of energy generation you prefer … it’s become widely acknowledged—in fact, I think I can use the word ‘consensus’—that more and better energy storage is going to be required to get Virginia to where it needs to be with respect to an affordable and reliable energy grid,” Sullivan said, according to Cardinal News. Bagby echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of affordability: “As demand on our electric grid grows, Virginia has a choice: We can keep doing what we’ve been doing, and experience what we’ve been experiencing, or make the decision to do something different and drive these costs down and find solutions that will lower bills and strengthen reliability.”
The push for expanded storage comes as Virginia grapples with rising electricity demand, particularly in areas served by Dominion Energy and electric cooperatives. The state’s burgeoning data center industry has put additional strain on the grid, and utility bills have been climbing. Democratic Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger, who will take office during this session, has signaled her support for more energy storage as part of her energy affordability plan.
But not everyone is convinced. Last year, similar legislation passed both chambers of the Virginia legislature only to be vetoed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who cited concerns over potential cost increases for residents. “Long-duration energy storage is an expensive technology and if utilities believed it to be the best technology to meet demand, they would be actively seeking permission to build them,” Youngkin argued in his veto statement. House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, a Republican, remains skeptical, stating, “I don’t think it will line up with the initial cost … it’s just like taking our consumers’ money in the left hand and then in the right hand we’re saying, ‘OK, here’s a few cents of your dollar back because you actually saved a little bit more money during that peak time that you were using.’ That’s the concern I have.”
Supporters of the Virginia proposal, however, point to falling technology costs and success stories elsewhere. John Zahurancik of Fluence, a leading battery storage developer, told Cardinal News, “Every system that we’ve gone in and built has immediately had an impact on reducing the cost and improving the reliability of the power system they operate in.” Sullivan cited Illinois and Texas as examples of states that are saving customers money by investing in energy storage, warning that Virginia is at risk of falling behind.
Energy policy is also front and center in Illinois’ 13th congressional district, where early voting for the March 17, 2026, primary begins February 5. Incumbent Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski is seeking a third term, touting her record on infrastructure and economic development. As reported by Illinois Newsroom, Budzinski helped secure more than $22 million for a new railroad bridge in Savoy and supports tax credits for small businesses that hire apprentices. “It’s a tax credit for small businesses that hire apprentices, again, helping to make more opportunities a reality for young people who want to get into the workplace here in central Illinois,” she said.
Her challengers are bringing their own visions for energy and economic policy. Republican candidate Joshua Loyd, running for the second time, is focusing on making Illinois’ energy production—including nuclear, solar, coal, and natural gas—more cost-effective and efficient. “Whether it’s nuclear, solar, coal, natural gas, we are a top producer, so we have to make it cost-effective and efficient in order to produce and export,” Loyd noted at the State Fair in 2025.
Fellow Republican Jeff Wilson, a Champaign County Board Member with three decades of nuclear energy experience, is advocating for expanding nuclear power and deploying small modular reactors. “Bringing more energy to Illinois through nuclear power, small modular reactors, so that when you turn on the light switch, your light goes on when you want to open up the refrigerator, it’s still cooling things,” Wilson said, highlighting reliability as a key concern.
On the Democratic side, Army veteran Dylan Blaha is prioritizing affordable housing and infrastructure improvements to address what he describes as a “rising unhoused crisis” from Champaign-Urbana to East St. Louis. “So building affordable housing and investing in infrastructure all around towns to make it to where people feel proud to live in those areas again,” Blaha explained to Illinois Newsroom, underlining the links between energy, infrastructure, and quality of life.
Dr. Emily Lux, another Democratic challenger, is focusing on child welfare reforms and more compassionate policing, arguing that a gentler approach could have lasting benefits for families and communities. “I think that having [the police] hold back for a little bit until everything is explained, everything has been talked about, and then having them enter, I think, will be a much more productive and gentler approach for the child,” Lux said.
As early voting approaches, the outcome of the Illinois 13th congressional district primary will help decide whether Democrats or Republicans control the next US Congress. At the same time, the legislative battles in Illinois and Virginia over energy storage, nuclear power, and affordability are likely to influence not just local policies but the broader national conversation about how the United States powers its future. The stakes—economic, environmental, and political—couldn’t be higher.
