ROCKFORD, Ill. — A bill that was said to bring down rising energy costs for Illinois residents was passed by a local politician.

State Representative Dave Vella (D-Rockford) joined Illinois House Democrats in passing a bill that looks to bring down home energy bills both now and in the future.

"Every Illinoisan deserves affordable, reliable energy," Vella said. "Families for too long have been paying the price for decisions made by big utility companies. This bill finally lowers the costs of utility bills while increasing accountability."

Many Illinoisans have seen home energy costs "skyrocket", said Vella. He said increased power demands from tech companies and a Washington tax bill could result in a $9.5 billion increase in state energy costs.

The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (Senate Bill 25) is said to focus on storing clean energy to relieve Ameren and ComEd customers, building out energy grids to increase battery storage, and investing in energy efficiency programs to lower electricity prices.

It was also said the Act will create up to 115,000 jobs, including over 50,000 manufacturing jobs in Illinois.

"This legislation is about making Illinois stronger," said Vella. "By investing in clean energy and modern infrastructure, we’re not only reducing bills, we’re creating thousands of new jobs."