Episode 9 - Powering Illinois' Clean Energy Future: A Conversation with Commissioner Ann McCabe

Commissioner Ann McCabe was appointed to the Illinois Commerce Commission by Governor Pritzker on February 1, 2022, to a five-year term. This is her second time serving on the Commission, having previously held the position from 2012-2017, during which she focused on grid modernization, power transformation, regional transmission, and nuclear issues. With over 25 years of experience in energy, environmental policy, and regulation across public, private, and non-profit sectors, Commissioner McCabe also served as the US Policy Director at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP).

In this episode, Pete and Elena speak with Commissioner McCabe about the state of Illinois' energy transition, including the passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and the opportunities and challenges of being the largest nuclear producer among states. Additionally, the conversation delves into energy efficiency as a resource and the bottlenecks to the clean energy transition. Commissioner McCabe also walks through the workflow process for long-term transmission planning projects and how the ICC interfaces with multiple Regional Transmission Organizations.

Additional Readings:

• High Tension by John Riggs
• Telsa: Inventor of the Modern by Rick Munson