House Republican Leader Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, on Thursday issued the following statement after Senate Democrats rammed through legislation to require “clean” electricity generation and force an unrealistic reliance on wind and solar power, a transition that will decrease reliability and raise electricity costs:

“Electricity prices will skyrocket as Michiganders face more blackouts under the radical energy mandates Democrats are ramming through the Legislature — all because they’re pandering to extreme environmental activists. These irresponsible bills will interfere with reliable natural gas power plants and require costly construction of less reliable wind and solar farms. At the same time, they’ll prop up union bosses by mandating union wage rates for energy construction. Democrats are rewarding their out-of-touch allies and sticking the people of Michigan with more expensive, less reliable electricity.”

The Senate passed Senate Bills 271, 273, 502, and 519 along party lines. The bills would mandate “clean” electric generation by 2040. The package would also mandate prevailing wages and project labor agreements for energy projects.