Gov. Pritzker Joins Multi-State Launch of PJM Governors’ Collaborative to Increase State Representation to Address Electricity Affordability and Grid Reliability

CHICAGO - This week, Governor JB Pritzker joined a bipartisan group of 11 governors from across the country in announcing the launch of the PJM Governors’ Collaborative, aimed at strengthening state representation in the decision-making process with PJM Interconnection, the power grid operator for Northern Illinois. The new collaborative comes amid growing concerns over PJM’s role in driving up electricity costs, failing to address reliability challenges, and delaying critical transmission development - all of which impact working families and businesses.

"For far too long, PJM has made decisions with minimal input from the states, leaving families and businesses to bear skyrocketing energy costs and rising reliability risks," said Governor JB Pritzker. "I’m proud to join this bipartisan collective to ensure states have a meaningful voice in shaping the region’s energy future. Together, we’re sending a clear message that PJM must prioritize affordability, reliability, and accountability for the people it serves."

The Joint Statement of Intent outlines the PJM Governors’ Collaborative’s purpose, including:

Alongside Illinois, the PJM Governors’ Collaborative includes governors from Delaware, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and New Jersey. Together, this bipartisan group of governors are pressing PJM—the grid operator serving 67 million people across 13 states and the District of Columbia—to deliver affordable, reliable, and clean energy for working families and business.

This week’s action builds on Gov. Pritzker’s ongoing efforts to hold PJM accountable. Earlier this year, he joined a bipartisan group of nine governors in urging PJM to adopt governance reforms by including bipartisan candidates on their board to raise concerns on the energy affordability crisis and strengthen grid reliability. Last fall, Gov. Pritzker also joined governors from Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, in urging PJM to fix flaws in its capacity auction that drove record-high electricity prices—nearly ten times higher than the previous year. Through collective action, Gov. Pritzker and other governors have pressed for reforms to reduce costs, protect consumers, and ensure reliability across the region.