PORT BYRON, Ill. (AP) – The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association says Gov. Bruce Rauner weakened Illinois’ job prospects by signing a nuclear-energy subsidy.

Rauner signed the law Wednesday creating a plan to allow Exelon Corp. to keep two unprofitable nuclear plants open with $235 million a year from ratepayers. But he says it will save consumers money by providing a reliable source of energy and through energy efficiency programs.

The manufacturers’ group says Illinois lost 10,000 high-paying jobs last year while neighboring states grew. It says that “building a guaranteed rate hike into state law” and reversing decades of deregulated energy production will weaken the economy.