By Illinois Public Radio
Springfield, Ill. – Illinois' former U.S. Senator Paul Simon is supporting a proposed merger between Illinois Power and Commonwealth Edison.
Com-Ed has agreed to buy the downstate power company but also wants lawmakers to speed up the regulatory process and possibly help secure a rate increase.
Simon says the state's utility regulator, the Illinois Commerce Commission, would still have final say over those issues. But he thinks the legislation now pending in Springfield should pass now.
It provides a company that has the resources and the records to give us the infrastructure we need for the central and southern part of the state if they acquire Illinois Power," he said.
Simon says he's not being paid to support the plan. Illinois Power has customers in the Metro-East. The matter is on hold in the Legislature but negotiations continue.
It could come up next week when lawmakers return to Springfield to finish their annual veto session.