Illinois 2025 2025-2026 Regular Session

Illinois House Bill HB3258 Introduced / Bill

Filed 02/07/2025

                    104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 State of Illinois
 2025 and 2026 HB3258 Introduced , by Rep. Brad Halbrook SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: 20 ILCS 3855/1-75 Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Removes language regarding: diversity requirements related to the design of all programs and procurements; the development of methods that optimize procurement of renewable energy credits from proposed utility-scale projects that are located in communities eligible to receive Energy Transition Community Grants; diversity requirements related to the eligibility criteria for the selection as a supplier of renewable energy credits; the assessment of fees to recover specified costs incurred by the Illinois Power Agency; diversity requirements related to the criteria for an owner to receive grants from the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Fund; the provision of information on renewable energy company diversity reporting via the Agency's public facing online tool; and diversity, equity, and inclusion plans. LRB104 06526 AAS 16562 b   A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 State of Illinois
 2025 and 2026 HB3258 Introduced , by Rep. Brad Halbrook SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:  20 ILCS 3855/1-75 20 ILCS 3855/1-75  Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Removes language regarding: diversity requirements related to the design of all programs and procurements; the development of methods that optimize procurement of renewable energy credits from proposed utility-scale projects that are located in communities eligible to receive Energy Transition Community Grants; diversity requirements related to the eligibility criteria for the selection as a supplier of renewable energy credits; the assessment of fees to recover specified costs incurred by the Illinois Power Agency; diversity requirements related to the criteria for an owner to receive grants from the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Fund; the provision of information on renewable energy company diversity reporting via the Agency's public facing online tool; and diversity, equity, and inclusion plans.  LRB104 06526 AAS 16562 b     LRB104 06526 AAS 16562 b   A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 State of Illinois
 2025 and 2026 HB3258 Introduced , by Rep. Brad Halbrook SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
20 ILCS 3855/1-75 20 ILCS 3855/1-75
20 ILCS 3855/1-75
Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Removes language regarding: diversity requirements related to the design of all programs and procurements; the development of methods that optimize procurement of renewable energy credits from proposed utility-scale projects that are located in communities eligible to receive Energy Transition Community Grants; diversity requirements related to the eligibility criteria for the selection as a supplier of renewable energy credits; the assessment of fees to recover specified costs incurred by the Illinois Power Agency; diversity requirements related to the criteria for an owner to receive grants from the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Fund; the provision of information on renewable energy company diversity reporting via the Agency's public facing online tool; and diversity, equity, and inclusion plans.
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A BILL FOR
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1  AN ACT concerning State government.
2  Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3  represented in the General Assembly:
4  Section 5. The Illinois Power Agency Act is amended by
5  changing Section 1-75 as follows:
6  (20 ILCS 3855/1-75)
7  Sec. 1-75. Planning and Procurement Bureau. The Planning
8  and Procurement Bureau has the following duties and
9  responsibilities:
10  (a) The Planning and Procurement Bureau shall each year,
11  beginning in 2008, develop procurement plans and conduct
12  competitive procurement processes in accordance with the
13  requirements of Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act
14  for the eligible retail customers of electric utilities that
15  on December 31, 2005 provided electric service to at least
16  100,000 customers in Illinois. Beginning with the delivery
17  year commencing on June 1, 2017, the Planning and Procurement
18  Bureau shall develop plans and processes for the procurement
19  of zero emission credits from zero emission facilities in
20  accordance with the requirements of subsection (d-5) of this
21  Section. Beginning on the effective date of this amendatory
22  Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the Planning and
23  Procurement Bureau shall develop plans and processes for the

 

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 State of Illinois
 2025 and 2026 HB3258 Introduced , by Rep. Brad Halbrook SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
20 ILCS 3855/1-75 20 ILCS 3855/1-75
20 ILCS 3855/1-75
Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Removes language regarding: diversity requirements related to the design of all programs and procurements; the development of methods that optimize procurement of renewable energy credits from proposed utility-scale projects that are located in communities eligible to receive Energy Transition Community Grants; diversity requirements related to the eligibility criteria for the selection as a supplier of renewable energy credits; the assessment of fees to recover specified costs incurred by the Illinois Power Agency; diversity requirements related to the criteria for an owner to receive grants from the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Fund; the provision of information on renewable energy company diversity reporting via the Agency's public facing online tool; and diversity, equity, and inclusion plans.
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A BILL FOR

 

 

20 ILCS 3855/1-75



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1  procurement of carbon mitigation credits from carbon-free
2  energy resources in accordance with the requirements of
3  subsection (d-10) of this Section. The Planning and
4  Procurement Bureau shall also develop procurement plans and
5  conduct competitive procurement processes in accordance with
6  the requirements of Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities
7  Act for the eligible retail customers of small
8  multi-jurisdictional electric utilities that (i) on December
9  31, 2005 served less than 100,000 customers in Illinois and
10  (ii) request a procurement plan for their Illinois
11  jurisdictional load. This Section shall not apply to a small
12  multi-jurisdictional utility until such time as a small
13  multi-jurisdictional utility requests the Agency to prepare a
14  procurement plan for their Illinois jurisdictional load. For
15  the purposes of this Section, the term "eligible retail
16  customers" has the same definition as found in Section
17  16-111.5(a) of the Public Utilities Act.
18  Beginning with the plan or plans to be implemented in the
19  2017 delivery year, the Agency shall no longer include the
20  procurement of renewable energy resources in the annual
21  procurement plans required by this subsection (a), except as
22  provided in subsection (q) of Section 16-111.5 of the Public
23  Utilities Act, and shall instead develop a long-term renewable
24  resources procurement plan in accordance with subsection (c)
25  of this Section and Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities
26  Act.

 

 

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1  In accordance with subsection (c-5) of this Section, the
2  Planning and Procurement Bureau shall oversee the procurement
3  by electric utilities that served more than 300,000 retail
4  customers in this State as of January 1, 2019 of renewable
5  energy credits from new utility-scale solar projects to be
6  installed, along with energy storage facilities, at or
7  adjacent to the sites of electric generating facilities that,
8  as of January 1, 2016, burned coal as their primary fuel
9  source.
10  (1) The Agency shall each year, beginning in 2008, as
11  needed, issue a request for qualifications for experts or
12  expert consulting firms to develop the procurement plans
13  in accordance with Section 16-111.5 of the Public
14  Utilities Act. In order to qualify an expert or expert
15  consulting firm must have:
16  (A) direct previous experience assembling
17  large-scale power supply plans or portfolios for
18  end-use customers;
19  (B) an advanced degree in economics, mathematics,
20  engineering, risk management, or a related area of
21  study;
22  (C) 10 years of experience in the electricity
23  sector, including managing supply risk;
24  (D) expertise in wholesale electricity market
25  rules, including those established by the Federal
26  Energy Regulatory Commission and regional transmission

 

 

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1  organizations;
2  (E) expertise in credit protocols and familiarity
3  with contract protocols;
4  (F) adequate resources to perform and fulfill the
5  required functions and responsibilities; and
6  (G) the absence of a conflict of interest and
7  inappropriate bias for or against potential bidders or
8  the affected electric utilities.
9  (2) The Agency shall each year, as needed, issue a
10  request for qualifications for a procurement administrator
11  to conduct the competitive procurement processes in
12  accordance with Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities
13  Act. In order to qualify an expert or expert consulting
14  firm must have:
15  (A) direct previous experience administering a
16  large-scale competitive procurement process;
17  (B) an advanced degree in economics, mathematics,
18  engineering, or a related area of study;
19  (C) 10 years of experience in the electricity
20  sector, including risk management experience;
21  (D) expertise in wholesale electricity market
22  rules, including those established by the Federal
23  Energy Regulatory Commission and regional transmission
24  organizations;
25  (E) expertise in credit and contract protocols;
26  (F) adequate resources to perform and fulfill the

 

 

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1  required functions and responsibilities; and
2  (G) the absence of a conflict of interest and
3  inappropriate bias for or against potential bidders or
4  the affected electric utilities.
5  (3) The Agency shall provide affected utilities and
6  other interested parties with the lists of qualified
7  experts or expert consulting firms identified through the
8  request for qualifications processes that are under
9  consideration to develop the procurement plans and to
10  serve as the procurement administrator. The Agency shall
11  also provide each qualified expert's or expert consulting
12  firm's response to the request for qualifications. All
13  information provided under this subparagraph shall also be
14  provided to the Commission. The Agency may provide by rule
15  for fees associated with supplying the information to
16  utilities and other interested parties. These parties
17  shall, within 5 business days, notify the Agency in
18  writing if they object to any experts or expert consulting
19  firms on the lists. Objections shall be based on:
20  (A) failure to satisfy qualification criteria;
21  (B) identification of a conflict of interest; or
22  (C) evidence of inappropriate bias for or against
23  potential bidders or the affected utilities.
24  The Agency shall remove experts or expert consulting
25  firms from the lists within 10 days if there is a
26  reasonable basis for an objection and provide the updated

 

 

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1  lists to the affected utilities and other interested
2  parties. If the Agency fails to remove an expert or expert
3  consulting firm from a list, an objecting party may seek
4  review by the Commission within 5 days thereafter by
5  filing a petition, and the Commission shall render a
6  ruling on the petition within 10 days. There is no right of
7  appeal of the Commission's ruling.
8  (4) The Agency shall issue requests for proposals to
9  the qualified experts or expert consulting firms to
10  develop a procurement plan for the affected utilities and
11  to serve as procurement administrator.
12  (5) The Agency shall select an expert or expert
13  consulting firm to develop procurement plans based on the
14  proposals submitted and shall award contracts of up to 5
15  years to those selected.
16  (6) The Agency shall select an expert or expert
17  consulting firm, with approval of the Commission, to serve
18  as procurement administrator based on the proposals
19  submitted. If the Commission rejects, within 5 days, the
20  Agency's selection, the Agency shall submit another
21  recommendation within 3 days based on the proposals
22  submitted. The Agency shall award a 5-year contract to the
23  expert or expert consulting firm so selected with
24  Commission approval.
25  (b) The experts or expert consulting firms retained by the
26  Agency shall, as appropriate, prepare procurement plans, and

 

 

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1  conduct a competitive procurement process as prescribed in
2  Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act, to ensure
3  adequate, reliable, affordable, efficient, and environmentally
4  sustainable electric service at the lowest total cost over
5  time, taking into account any benefits of price stability, for
6  eligible retail customers of electric utilities that on
7  December 31, 2005 provided electric service to at least
8  100,000 customers in the State of Illinois, and for eligible
9  Illinois retail customers of small multi-jurisdictional
10  electric utilities that (i) on December 31, 2005 served less
11  than 100,000 customers in Illinois and (ii) request a
12  procurement plan for their Illinois jurisdictional load.
13  (c) Renewable portfolio standard.
14  (1)(A) The Agency shall develop a long-term renewable
15  resources procurement plan that shall include procurement
16  programs and competitive procurement events necessary to
17  meet the goals set forth in this subsection (c). The
18  initial long-term renewable resources procurement plan
19  shall be released for comment no later than 160 days after
20  June 1, 2017 (the effective date of Public Act 99-906).
21  The Agency shall review, and may revise on an expedited
22  basis, the long-term renewable resources procurement plan
23  at least every 2 years, which shall be conducted in
24  conjunction with the procurement plan under Section
25  16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act to the extent
26  practicable to minimize administrative expense. No later

 

 

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1  than 120 days after the effective date of this amendatory
2  Act of the 103rd General Assembly, the Agency shall
3  release for comment a revision to the long-term renewable
4  resources procurement plan, updating elements of the most
5  recently approved plan as needed to comply with this
6  amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, and any
7  long-term renewable resources procurement plan update
8  published by the Agency but not yet approved by the
9  Illinois Commerce Commission shall be withdrawn. The
10  long-term renewable resources procurement plans shall be
11  subject to review and approval by the Commission under
12  Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act.
13  (B) Subject to subparagraph (F) of this paragraph (1),
14  the long-term renewable resources procurement plan shall
15  attempt to meet the goals for procurement of renewable
16  energy credits at levels of at least the following overall
17  percentages: 13% by the 2017 delivery year; increasing by
18  at least 1.5% each delivery year thereafter to at least
19  25% by the 2025 delivery year; increasing by at least 3%
20  each delivery year thereafter to at least 40% by the 2030
21  delivery year, and continuing at no less than 40% for each
22  delivery year thereafter. The Agency shall attempt to
23  procure 50% by delivery year 2040. The Agency shall
24  determine the annual increase between delivery year 2030
25  and delivery year 2040, if any, taking into account energy
26  demand, other energy resources, and other public policy

 

 

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1  goals. In the event of a conflict between these goals and
2  the new wind, new photovoltaic, and hydropower procurement
3  requirements described in items (i) through (iii) of
4  subparagraph (C) of this paragraph (1), the long-term plan
5  shall prioritize compliance with the new wind, new
6  photovoltaic, and hydropower procurement requirements
7  described in items (i) through (iii) of subparagraph (C)
8  of this paragraph (1) over the annual percentage targets
9  described in this subparagraph (B). The Agency shall not
10  comply with the annual percentage targets described in
11  this subparagraph (B) by procuring renewable energy
12  credits that are unlikely to lead to the development of
13  new renewable resources or new, modernized, or retooled
14  hydropower facilities.
15  For the delivery year beginning June 1, 2017, the
16  procurement plan shall attempt to include, subject to the
17  prioritization outlined in this subparagraph (B),
18  cost-effective renewable energy resources equal to at
19  least 13% of each utility's load for eligible retail
20  customers and 13% of the applicable portion of each
21  utility's load for retail customers who are not eligible
22  retail customers, which applicable portion shall equal 50%
23  of the utility's load for retail customers who are not
24  eligible retail customers on February 28, 2017.
25  For the delivery year beginning June 1, 2018, the
26  procurement plan shall attempt to include, subject to the

 

 

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1  prioritization outlined in this subparagraph (B),
2  cost-effective renewable energy resources equal to at
3  least 14.5% of each utility's load for eligible retail
4  customers and 14.5% of the applicable portion of each
5  utility's load for retail customers who are not eligible
6  retail customers, which applicable portion shall equal 75%
7  of the utility's load for retail customers who are not
8  eligible retail customers on February 28, 2017.
9  For the delivery year beginning June 1, 2019, and for
10  each year thereafter, the procurement plans shall attempt
11  to include, subject to the prioritization outlined in this
12  subparagraph (B), cost-effective renewable energy
13  resources equal to a minimum percentage of each utility's
14  load for all retail customers as follows: 16% by June 1,
15  2019; increasing by 1.5% each year thereafter to 25% by
16  June 1, 2025; and 25% by June 1, 2026; increasing by at
17  least 3% each delivery year thereafter to at least 40% by
18  the 2030 delivery year, and continuing at no less than 40%
19  for each delivery year thereafter. The Agency shall
20  attempt to procure 50% by delivery year 2040. The Agency
21  shall determine the annual increase between delivery year
22  2030 and delivery year 2040, if any, taking into account
23  energy demand, other energy resources, and other public
24  policy goals.
25  For each delivery year, the Agency shall first
26  recognize each utility's obligations for that delivery

 

 

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1  year under existing contracts. Any renewable energy
2  credits under existing contracts, including renewable
3  energy credits as part of renewable energy resources,
4  shall be used to meet the goals set forth in this
5  subsection (c) for the delivery year.
6  (C) The long-term renewable resources procurement plan
7  described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph (1) shall
8  include the procurement of renewable energy credits from
9  new projects pursuant to the following terms:
10  (i) At least 10,000,000 renewable energy credits
11  delivered annually by the end of the 2021 delivery
12  year, and increasing ratably to reach 45,000,000
13  renewable energy credits delivered annually from new
14  wind and solar projects by the end of delivery year
15  2030 such that the goals in subparagraph (B) of this
16  paragraph (1) are met entirely by procurements of
17  renewable energy credits from new wind and
18  photovoltaic projects. Of that amount, to the extent
19  possible, the Agency shall procure 45% from wind and
20  hydropower projects and 55% from photovoltaic
21  projects. Of the amount to be procured from
22  photovoltaic projects, the Agency shall procure: at
23  least 50% from solar photovoltaic projects using the
24  program outlined in subparagraph (K) of this paragraph
25  (1) from distributed renewable energy generation
26  devices or community renewable generation projects; at

 

 

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1  least 47% from utility-scale solar projects; at least
2  3% from brownfield site photovoltaic projects that are
3  not community renewable generation projects.
4  In developing the long-term renewable resources
5  procurement plan, the Agency shall consider other
6  approaches, in addition to competitive procurements,
7  that can be used to procure renewable energy credits
8  from brownfield site photovoltaic projects and thereby
9  help return blighted or contaminated land to
10  productive use while enhancing public health and the
11  well-being of Illinois residents, including those in
12  environmental justice communities, as defined using
13  existing methodologies and findings used by the Agency
14  and its Administrator in its Illinois Solar for All
15  Program. The Agency shall also consider other
16  approaches, in addition to competitive procurements,
17  to procure renewable energy credits from new and
18  existing hydropower facilities to support the
19  development and maintenance of these facilities. The
20  Agency shall explore options to convert existing dams
21  but shall not consider approaches to develop new dams
22  where they do not already exist.
23  (ii) In any given delivery year, if forecasted
24  expenses are less than the maximum budget available
25  under subparagraph (E) of this paragraph (1), the
26  Agency shall continue to procure new renewable energy

 

 

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1  credits until that budget is exhausted in the manner
2  outlined in item (i) of this subparagraph (C).
3  (iii) For purposes of this Section:
4  "New wind projects" means wind renewable energy
5  facilities that are energized after June 1, 2017 for
6  the delivery year commencing June 1, 2017.
7  "New photovoltaic projects" means photovoltaic
8  renewable energy facilities that are energized after
9  June 1, 2017. Photovoltaic projects developed under
10  Section 1-56 of this Act shall not apply towards the
11  new photovoltaic project requirements in this
12  subparagraph (C).
13  For purposes of calculating whether the Agency has
14  procured enough new wind and solar renewable energy
15  credits required by this subparagraph (C), renewable
16  energy facilities that have a multi-year renewable
17  energy credit delivery contract with the utility
18  through at least delivery year 2030 shall be
19  considered new, however no renewable energy credits
20  from contracts entered into before June 1, 2021 shall
21  be used to calculate whether the Agency has procured
22  the correct proportion of new wind and new solar
23  contracts described in this subparagraph (C) for
24  delivery year 2021 and thereafter.
25  (D) Renewable energy credits shall be cost effective.
26  For purposes of this subsection (c), "cost effective"

 

 

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1  means that the costs of procuring renewable energy
2  resources do not cause the limit stated in subparagraph
3  (E) of this paragraph (1) to be exceeded and, for
4  renewable energy credits procured through a competitive
5  procurement event, do not exceed benchmarks based on
6  market prices for like products in the region. For
7  purposes of this subsection (c), "like products" means
8  contracts for renewable energy credits from the same or
9  substantially similar technology, same or substantially
10  similar vintage (new or existing), the same or
11  substantially similar quantity, and the same or
12  substantially similar contract length and structure.
13  Benchmarks shall reflect development, financing, or
14  related costs resulting from requirements imposed through
15  other provisions of State law, including, but not limited
16  to, requirements in subparagraph subparagraphs (P) and (Q)
17  of this paragraph (1) and the Renewable Energy Facilities
18  Agricultural Impact Mitigation Act. Confidential
19  benchmarks shall be developed by the procurement
20  administrator, in consultation with the Commission staff,
21  Agency staff, and the procurement monitor and shall be
22  subject to Commission review and approval. If price
23  benchmarks for like products in the region are not
24  available, the procurement administrator shall establish
25  price benchmarks based on publicly available data on
26  regional technology costs and expected current and future

 

 

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1  regional energy prices. The benchmarks in this Section
2  shall not be used to curtail or otherwise reduce
3  contractual obligations entered into by or through the
4  Agency prior to June 1, 2017 (the effective date of Public
5  Act 99-906).
6  (E) For purposes of this subsection (c), the required
7  procurement of cost-effective renewable energy resources
8  for a particular year commencing prior to June 1, 2017
9  shall be measured as a percentage of the actual amount of
10  electricity (megawatt-hours) supplied by the electric
11  utility to eligible retail customers in the delivery year
12  ending immediately prior to the procurement, and, for
13  delivery years commencing on and after June 1, 2017, the
14  required procurement of cost-effective renewable energy
15  resources for a particular year shall be measured as a
16  percentage of the actual amount of electricity
17  (megawatt-hours) delivered by the electric utility in the
18  delivery year ending immediately prior to the procurement,
19  to all retail customers in its service territory. For
20  purposes of this subsection (c), the amount paid per
21  kilowatthour means the total amount paid for electric
22  service expressed on a per kilowatthour basis. For
23  purposes of this subsection (c), the total amount paid for
24  electric service includes without limitation amounts paid
25  for supply, transmission, capacity, distribution,
26  surcharges, and add-on taxes.

 

 

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1  Notwithstanding the requirements of this subsection
2  (c), the total of renewable energy resources procured
3  under the procurement plan for any single year shall be
4  subject to the limitations of this subparagraph (E). Such
5  procurement shall be reduced for all retail customers
6  based on the amount necessary to limit the annual
7  estimated average net increase due to the costs of these
8  resources included in the amounts paid by eligible retail
9  customers in connection with electric service to no more
10  than 4.25% of the amount paid per kilowatthour by those
11  customers during the year ending May 31, 2009. To arrive
12  at a maximum dollar amount of renewable energy resources
13  to be procured for the particular delivery year, the
14  resulting per kilowatthour amount shall be applied to the
15  actual amount of kilowatthours of electricity delivered,
16  or applicable portion of such amount as specified in
17  paragraph (1) of this subsection (c), as applicable, by
18  the electric utility in the delivery year immediately
19  prior to the procurement to all retail customers in its
20  service territory. The calculations required by this
21  subparagraph (E) shall be made only once for each delivery
22  year at the time that the renewable energy resources are
23  procured. Once the determination as to the amount of
24  renewable energy resources to procure is made based on the
25  calculations set forth in this subparagraph (E) and the
26  contracts procuring those amounts are executed, no

 

 

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1  subsequent rate impact determinations shall be made and no
2  adjustments to those contract amounts shall be allowed.
3  All costs incurred under such contracts shall be fully
4  recoverable by the electric utility as provided in this
5  Section.
6  (F) If the limitation on the amount of renewable
7  energy resources procured in subparagraph (E) of this
8  paragraph (1) prevents the Agency from meeting all of the
9  goals in this subsection (c), the Agency's long-term plan
10  shall prioritize compliance with the requirements of this
11  subsection (c) regarding renewable energy credits in the
12  following order:
13  (i) renewable energy credits under existing
14  contractual obligations as of June 1, 2021;
15  (i-5) funding for the Illinois Solar for All
16  Program, as described in subparagraph (O) of this
17  paragraph (1);
18  (ii) renewable energy credits necessary to comply
19  with the new wind and new photovoltaic procurement
20  requirements described in items (i) through (iii) of
21  subparagraph (C) of this paragraph (1); and
22  (iii) renewable energy credits necessary to meet
23  the remaining requirements of this subsection (c).
24  (G) The following provisions shall apply to the
25  Agency's procurement of renewable energy credits under
26  this subsection (c):

 

 

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1  (i) Notwithstanding whether a long-term renewable
2  resources procurement plan has been approved, the
3  Agency shall conduct an initial forward procurement
4  for renewable energy credits from new utility-scale
5  wind projects within 160 days after June 1, 2017 (the
6  effective date of Public Act 99-906). For the purposes
7  of this initial forward procurement, the Agency shall
8  solicit 15-year contracts for delivery of 1,000,000
9  renewable energy credits delivered annually from new
10  utility-scale wind projects to begin delivery on June
11  1, 2019, if available, but not later than June 1, 2021,
12  unless the project has delays in the establishment of
13  an operating interconnection with the applicable
14  transmission or distribution system as a result of the
15  actions or inactions of the transmission or
16  distribution provider, or other causes for force
17  majeure as outlined in the procurement contract, in
18  which case, not later than June 1, 2022. Payments to
19  suppliers of renewable energy credits shall commence
20  upon delivery. Renewable energy credits procured under
21  this initial procurement shall be included in the
22  Agency's long-term plan and shall apply to all
23  renewable energy goals in this subsection (c).
24  (ii) Notwithstanding whether a long-term renewable
25  resources procurement plan has been approved, the
26  Agency shall conduct an initial forward procurement

 

 

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1  for renewable energy credits from new utility-scale
2  solar projects and brownfield site photovoltaic
3  projects within one year after June 1, 2017 (the
4  effective date of Public Act 99-906). For the purposes
5  of this initial forward procurement, the Agency shall
6  solicit 15-year contracts for delivery of 1,000,000
7  renewable energy credits delivered annually from new
8  utility-scale solar projects and brownfield site
9  photovoltaic projects to begin delivery on June 1,
10  2019, if available, but not later than June 1, 2021,
11  unless the project has delays in the establishment of
12  an operating interconnection with the applicable
13  transmission or distribution system as a result of the
14  actions or inactions of the transmission or
15  distribution provider, or other causes for force
16  majeure as outlined in the procurement contract, in
17  which case, not later than June 1, 2022. The Agency may
18  structure this initial procurement in one or more
19  discrete procurement events. Payments to suppliers of
20  renewable energy credits shall commence upon delivery.
21  Renewable energy credits procured under this initial
22  procurement shall be included in the Agency's
23  long-term plan and shall apply to all renewable energy
24  goals in this subsection (c).
25  (iii) Notwithstanding whether the Commission has
26  approved the periodic long-term renewable resources

 

 

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1  procurement plan revision described in Section
2  16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act, the Agency shall
3  conduct at least one subsequent forward procurement
4  for renewable energy credits from new utility-scale
5  wind projects, new utility-scale solar projects, and
6  new brownfield site photovoltaic projects within 240
7  days after the effective date of this amendatory Act
8  of the 102nd General Assembly in quantities necessary
9  to meet the requirements of subparagraph (C) of this
10  paragraph (1) through the delivery year beginning June
11  1, 2021.
12  (iv) Notwithstanding whether the Commission has
13  approved the periodic long-term renewable resources
14  procurement plan revision described in Section
15  16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act, the Agency shall
16  open capacity for each category in the Adjustable
17  Block program within 90 days after the effective date
18  of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly
19  manner:
20  (1) The Agency shall open the first block of
21  annual capacity for the category described in item
22  (i) of subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1). The
23  first block of annual capacity for item (i) shall
24  be for at least 75 megawatts of total nameplate
25  capacity. The price of the renewable energy credit
26  for this block of capacity shall be 4% less than

 

 

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1  the price of the last open block in this category.
2  Projects on a waitlist shall be awarded contracts
3  first in the order in which they appear on the
4  waitlist. Notwithstanding anything to the
5  contrary, for those renewable energy credits that
6  qualify and are procured under this subitem (1) of
7  this item (iv), the renewable energy credit
8  delivery contract value shall be paid in full,
9  based on the estimated generation during the first
10  15 years of operation, by the contracting
11  utilities at the time that the facility producing
12  the renewable energy credits is interconnected at
13  the distribution system level of the utility and
14  verified as energized and in compliance by the
15  Program Administrator. The electric utility shall
16  receive and retire all renewable energy credits
17  generated by the project for the first 15 years of
18  operation. Renewable energy credits generated by
19  the project thereafter shall not be transferred
20  under the renewable energy credit delivery
21  contract with the counterparty electric utility.
22  (2) The Agency shall open the first block of
23  annual capacity for the category described in item
24  (ii) of subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1).
25  The first block of annual capacity for item (ii)
26  shall be for at least 75 megawatts of total

 

 

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1  nameplate capacity.
2  (A) The price of the renewable energy
3  credit for any project on a waitlist for this
4  category before the opening of this block
5  shall be 4% less than the price of the last
6  open block in this category. Projects on the
7  waitlist shall be awarded contracts first in
8  the order in which they appear on the
9  waitlist. Any projects that are less than or
10  equal to 25 kilowatts in size on the waitlist
11  for this capacity shall be moved to the
12  waitlist for paragraph (1) of this item (iv).
13  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary,
14  projects that were on the waitlist prior to
15  opening of this block shall not be required to
16  be in compliance with the requirements of
17  subparagraph (Q) of this paragraph (1) of this
18  subsection (c). Notwithstanding anything to
19  the contrary, for those renewable energy
20  credits procured from projects that were on
21  the waitlist for this category before the
22  opening of this block 20% of the renewable
23  energy credit delivery contract value, based
24  on the estimated generation during the first
25  15 years of operation, shall be paid by the
26  contracting utilities at the time that the

 

 

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1  facility producing the renewable energy
2  credits is interconnected at the distribution
3  system level of the utility and verified as
4  energized by the Program Administrator. The
5  remaining portion shall be paid ratably over
6  the subsequent 4-year period. The electric
7  utility shall receive and retire all renewable
8  energy credits generated by the project during
9  the first 15 years of operation. Renewable
10  energy credits generated by the project
11  thereafter shall not be transferred under the
12  renewable energy credit delivery contract with
13  the counterparty electric utility.
14  (B) The price of renewable energy credits
15  for any project not on the waitlist for this
16  category before the opening of the block shall
17  be determined and published by the Agency.
18  Projects not on a waitlist as of the opening
19  of this block shall be subject to the
20  requirements of subparagraph (Q) of this
21  paragraph (1), as applicable. Projects not on
22  a waitlist as of the opening of this block
23  shall be subject to the contract provisions
24  outlined in item (iii) of subparagraph (L) of
25  this paragraph (1). The Agency shall strive to
26  publish updated prices and an updated

 

 

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1  renewable energy credit delivery contract as
2  quickly as possible.
3  (3) For opening the first 2 blocks of annual
4  capacity for projects participating in item (iii)
5  of subparagraph (K) of paragraph (1) of subsection
6  (c), projects shall be selected exclusively from
7  those projects on the ordinal waitlists of
8  community renewable generation projects
9  established by the Agency based on the status of
10  those ordinal waitlists as of December 31, 2020,
11  and only those projects previously determined to
12  be eligible for the Agency's April 2019 community
13  solar project selection process.
14  The first 2 blocks of annual capacity for item
15  (iii) shall be for 250 megawatts of total
16  nameplate capacity, with both blocks opening
17  simultaneously under the schedule outlined in the
18  paragraphs below. Projects shall be selected as
19  follows:
20  (A) The geographic balance of selected
21  projects shall follow the Group classification
22  found in the Agency's Revised Long-Term
23  Renewable Resources Procurement Plan, with 70%
24  of capacity allocated to projects on the Group
25  B waitlist and 30% of capacity allocated to
26  projects on the Group A waitlist.

 

 

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1  (B) Contract awards for waitlisted
2  projects shall be allocated proportionate to
3  the total nameplate capacity amount across
4  both ordinal waitlists associated with that
5  applicant firm or its affiliates, subject to
6  the following conditions.
7  (i) Each applicant firm having a
8  waitlisted project eligible for selection
9  shall receive no less than 500 kilowatts
10  in awarded capacity across all groups, and
11  no approved vendor may receive more than
12  20% of each Group's waitlist allocation.
13  (ii) Each applicant firm, upon
14  receiving an award of program capacity
15  proportionate to its waitlisted capacity,
16  may then determine which waitlisted
17  projects it chooses to be selected for a
18  contract award up to that capacity amount.
19  (iii) Assuming all other program
20  requirements are met, applicant firms may
21  adjust the nameplate capacity of applicant
22  projects without losing waitlist
23  eligibility, so long as no project is
24  greater than 2,000 kilowatts in size.
25  (iv) Assuming all other program
26  requirements are met, applicant firms may

 

 

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1  adjust the expected production associated
2  with applicant projects, subject to
3  verification by the Program Administrator.
4  (C) After a review of affiliate
5  information and the current ordinal waitlists,
6  the Agency shall announce the nameplate
7  capacity award amounts associated with
8  applicant firms no later than 90 days after
9  the effective date of this amendatory Act of
10  the 102nd General Assembly.
11  (D) Applicant firms shall submit their
12  portfolio of projects used to satisfy those
13  contract awards no less than 90 days after the
14  Agency's announcement. The total nameplate
15  capacity of all projects used to satisfy that
16  portfolio shall be no greater than the
17  Agency's nameplate capacity award amount
18  associated with that applicant firm. An
19  applicant firm may decline, in whole or in
20  part, its nameplate capacity award without
21  penalty, with such unmet capacity rolled over
22  to the next block opening for project
23  selection under item (iii) of subparagraph (K)
24  of this subsection (c). Any projects not
25  included in an applicant firm's portfolio may
26  reapply without prejudice upon the next block

 

 

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1  reopening for project selection under item
2  (iii) of subparagraph (K) of this subsection
3  (c).
4  (E) The renewable energy credit delivery
5  contract shall be subject to the contract and
6  payment terms outlined in item (iv) of
7  subparagraph (L) of this subsection (c).
8  Contract instruments used for this
9  subparagraph shall contain the following
10  terms:
11  (i) Renewable energy credit prices
12  shall be fixed, without further adjustment
13  under any other provision of this Act or
14  for any other reason, at 10% lower than
15  prices applicable to the last open block
16  for this category, inclusive of any adders
17  available for achieving a minimum of 50%
18  of subscribers to the project's nameplate
19  capacity being residential or small
20  commercial customers with subscriptions of
21  below 25 kilowatts in size;
22  (ii) A requirement that a minimum of
23  50% of subscribers to the project's
24  nameplate capacity be residential or small
25  commercial customers with subscriptions of
26  below 25 kilowatts in size;

 

 

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1  (iii) Permission for the ability of a
2  contract holder to substitute projects
3  with other waitlisted projects without
4  penalty should a project receive a
5  non-binding estimate of costs to construct
6  the interconnection facilities and any
7  required distribution upgrades associated
8  with that project of greater than 30 cents
9  per watt AC of that project's nameplate
10  capacity. In developing the applicable
11  contract instrument, the Agency may
12  consider whether other circumstances
13  outside of the control of the applicant
14  firm should also warrant project
15  substitution rights.
16  The Agency shall publish a finalized
17  updated renewable energy credit delivery
18  contract developed consistent with these terms
19  and conditions no less than 30 days before
20  applicant firms must submit their portfolio of
21  projects pursuant to item (D).
22  (F) To be eligible for an award, the
23  applicant firm shall certify that not less
24  than prevailing wage, as determined pursuant
25  to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, was or
26  will be paid to employees who are engaged in

 

 

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1  construction activities associated with a
2  selected project.
3  (4) The Agency shall open the first block of
4  annual capacity for the category described in item
5  (iv) of subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1).
6  The first block of annual capacity for item (iv)
7  shall be for at least 50 megawatts of total
8  nameplate capacity. Renewable energy credit prices
9  shall be fixed, without further adjustment under
10  any other provision of this Act or for any other
11  reason, at the price in the last open block in the
12  category described in item (ii) of subparagraph
13  (K) of this paragraph (1). Pricing for future
14  blocks of annual capacity for this category may be
15  adjusted in the Agency's second revision to its
16  Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan.
17  Projects in this category shall be subject to the
18  contract terms outlined in item (iv) of
19  subparagraph (L) of this paragraph (1).
20  (5) The Agency shall open the equivalent of 2
21  years of annual capacity for the category
22  described in item (v) of subparagraph (K) of this
23  paragraph (1). The first block of annual capacity
24  for item (v) shall be for at least 10 megawatts of
25  total nameplate capacity. Notwithstanding the
26  provisions of item (v) of subparagraph (K) of this

 

 

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1  paragraph (1), for the purpose of this initial
2  block, the agency shall accept new project
3  applications intended to increase the diversity of
4  areas hosting community solar projects, the
5  business models of projects, and the size of
6  projects, as described by the Agency in its
7  long-term renewable resources procurement plan
8  that is approved as of the effective date of this
9  amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.
10  Projects in this category shall be subject to the
11  contract terms outlined in item (iii) of
12  subsection (L) of this paragraph (1).
13  (6) The Agency shall open the first blocks of
14  annual capacity for the category described in item
15  (vi) of subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1),
16  with allocations of capacity within the block
17  generally matching the historical share of block
18  capacity allocated between the category described
19  in items (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (K) of this
20  paragraph (1). The first two blocks of annual
21  capacity for item (vi) shall be for at least 75
22  megawatts of total nameplate capacity. The price
23  of renewable energy credits for the blocks of
24  capacity shall be 4% less than the price of the
25  last open blocks in the categories described in
26  items (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (K) of this

 

 

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1  paragraph (1). Pricing for future blocks of annual
2  capacity for this category may be adjusted in the
3  Agency's second revision to its Long-Term
4  Renewable Resources Procurement Plan. Projects in
5  this category shall be subject to the applicable
6  contract terms outlined in items (ii) and (iii) of
7  subparagraph (L) of this paragraph (1).
8  (v) Upon the effective date of this amendatory Act
9  of the 102nd General Assembly, for all competitive
10  procurements and any procurements of renewable energy
11  credit from new utility-scale wind and new
12  utility-scale photovoltaic projects, the Agency shall
13  procure indexed renewable energy credits and direct
14  respondents to offer a strike price.
15  (1) The purchase price of the indexed
16  renewable energy credit payment shall be
17  calculated for each settlement period. That
18  payment, for any settlement period, shall be equal
19  to the difference resulting from subtracting the
20  strike price from the index price for that
21  settlement period. If this difference results in a
22  negative number, the indexed REC counterparty
23  shall owe the seller the absolute value multiplied
24  by the quantity of energy produced in the relevant
25  settlement period. If this difference results in a
26  positive number, the seller shall owe the indexed

 

 

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1  REC counterparty this amount multiplied by the
2  quantity of energy produced in the relevant
3  settlement period.
4  (2) Parties shall cash settle every month,
5  summing up all settlements (both positive and
6  negative, if applicable) for the prior month.
7  (3) To ensure funding in the annual budget
8  established under subparagraph (E) for indexed
9  renewable energy credit procurements for each year
10  of the term of such contracts, which must have a
11  minimum tenure of 20 calendar years, the
12  procurement administrator, Agency, Commission
13  staff, and procurement monitor shall quantify the
14  annual cost of the contract by utilizing an
15  industry-standard, third-party forward price curve
16  for energy at the appropriate hub or load zone,
17  including the estimated magnitude and timing of
18  the price effects related to federal carbon
19  controls. Each forward price curve shall contain a
20  specific value of the forecasted market price of
21  electricity for each annual delivery year of the
22  contract. For procurement planning purposes, the
23  impact on the annual budget for the cost of
24  indexed renewable energy credits for each delivery
25  year shall be determined as the expected annual
26  contract expenditure for that year, equaling the

 

 

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1  difference between (i) the sum across all relevant
2  contracts of the applicable strike price
3  multiplied by contract quantity and (ii) the sum
4  across all relevant contracts of the forward price
5  curve for the applicable load zone for that year
6  multiplied by contract quantity. The contracting
7  utility shall not assume an obligation in excess
8  of the estimated annual cost of the contracts for
9  indexed renewable energy credits. Forward curves
10  shall be revised on an annual basis as updated
11  forward price curves are released and filed with
12  the Commission in the proceeding approving the
13  Agency's most recent long-term renewable resources
14  procurement plan. If the expected contract spend
15  is higher or lower than the total quantity of
16  contracts multiplied by the forward price curve
17  value for that year, the forward price curve shall
18  be updated by the procurement administrator, in
19  consultation with the Agency, Commission staff,
20  and procurement monitors, using then-currently
21  available price forecast data and additional
22  budget dollars shall be obligated or reobligated
23  as appropriate.
24  (4) To ensure that indexed renewable energy
25  credit prices remain predictable and affordable,
26  the Agency may consider the institution of a price

 

 

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1  collar on REC prices paid under indexed renewable
2  energy credit procurements establishing floor and
3  ceiling REC prices applicable to indexed REC
4  contract prices. Any price collars applicable to
5  indexed REC procurements shall be proposed by the
6  Agency through its long-term renewable resources
7  procurement plan.
8  (vi) All procurements under this subparagraph (G),
9  including the procurement of renewable energy credits
10  from hydropower facilities, shall comply with the
11  geographic requirements in subparagraph (I) of this
12  paragraph (1) and shall follow the procurement
13  processes and procedures described in this Section and
14  Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act to the
15  extent practicable, and these processes and procedures
16  may be expedited to accommodate the schedule
17  established by this subparagraph (G).
18  (vii) On and after the effective date of this
19  amendatory Act of the 103rd General Assembly, for all
20  procurements of renewable energy credits from
21  hydropower facilities, the Agency shall establish
22  contract terms designed to optimize existing
23  hydropower facilities through modernization or
24  retooling and establish new hydropower facilities at
25  existing dams. Procurements made under this item (vii)
26  shall prioritize projects located in designated

 

 

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1  environmental justice communities, as defined in
2  subsection (b) of Section 1-56 of this Act, or in
3  projects located in units of local government with
4  median incomes that do not exceed 82% of the median
5  income of the State.
6  (H) The procurement of renewable energy resources for
7  a given delivery year shall be reduced as described in
8  this subparagraph (H) if an alternative retail electric
9  supplier meets the requirements described in this
10  subparagraph (H).
11  (i) Within 45 days after June 1, 2017 (the
12  effective date of Public Act 99-906), an alternative
13  retail electric supplier or its successor shall submit
14  an informational filing to the Illinois Commerce
15  Commission certifying that, as of December 31, 2015,
16  the alternative retail electric supplier owned one or
17  more electric generating facilities that generates
18  renewable energy resources as defined in Section 1-10
19  of this Act, provided that such facilities are not
20  powered by wind or photovoltaics, and the facilities
21  generate one renewable energy credit for each
22  megawatthour of energy produced from the facility.
23  The informational filing shall identify each
24  facility that was eligible to satisfy the alternative
25  retail electric supplier's obligations under Section
26  16-115D of the Public Utilities Act as described in

 

 

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1  this item (i).
2  (ii) For a given delivery year, the alternative
3  retail electric supplier may elect to supply its
4  retail customers with renewable energy credits from
5  the facility or facilities described in item (i) of
6  this subparagraph (H) that continue to be owned by the
7  alternative retail electric supplier.
8  (iii) The alternative retail electric supplier
9  shall notify the Agency and the applicable utility, no
10  later than February 28 of the year preceding the
11  applicable delivery year or 15 days after June 1, 2017
12  (the effective date of Public Act 99-906), whichever
13  is later, of its election under item (ii) of this
14  subparagraph (H) to supply renewable energy credits to
15  retail customers of the utility. Such election shall
16  identify the amount of renewable energy credits to be
17  supplied by the alternative retail electric supplier
18  to the utility's retail customers and the source of
19  the renewable energy credits identified in the
20  informational filing as described in item (i) of this
21  subparagraph (H), subject to the following
22  limitations:
23  For the delivery year beginning June 1, 2018,
24  the maximum amount of renewable energy credits to
25  be supplied by an alternative retail electric
26  supplier under this subparagraph (H) shall be 68%

 

 

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1  multiplied by 25% multiplied by 14.5% multiplied
2  by the amount of metered electricity
3  (megawatt-hours) delivered by the alternative
4  retail electric supplier to Illinois retail
5  customers during the delivery year ending May 31,
6  2016.
7  For delivery years beginning June 1, 2019 and
8  each year thereafter, the maximum amount of
9  renewable energy credits to be supplied by an
10  alternative retail electric supplier under this
11  subparagraph (H) shall be 68% multiplied by 50%
12  multiplied by 16% multiplied by the amount of
13  metered electricity (megawatt-hours) delivered by
14  the alternative retail electric supplier to
15  Illinois retail customers during the delivery year
16  ending May 31, 2016, provided that the 16% value
17  shall increase by 1.5% each delivery year
18  thereafter to 25% by the delivery year beginning
19  June 1, 2025, and thereafter the 25% value shall
20  apply to each delivery year.
21  For each delivery year, the total amount of
22  renewable energy credits supplied by all alternative
23  retail electric suppliers under this subparagraph (H)
24  shall not exceed 9% of the Illinois target renewable
25  energy credit quantity. The Illinois target renewable
26  energy credit quantity for the delivery year beginning

 

 

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1  June 1, 2018 is 14.5% multiplied by the total amount of
2  metered electricity (megawatt-hours) delivered in the
3  delivery year immediately preceding that delivery
4  year, provided that the 14.5% shall increase by 1.5%
5  each delivery year thereafter to 25% by the delivery
6  year beginning June 1, 2025, and thereafter the 25%
7  value shall apply to each delivery year.
8  If the requirements set forth in items (i) through
9  (iii) of this subparagraph (H) are met, the charges
10  that would otherwise be applicable to the retail
11  customers of the alternative retail electric supplier
12  under paragraph (6) of this subsection (c) for the
13  applicable delivery year shall be reduced by the ratio
14  of the quantity of renewable energy credits supplied
15  by the alternative retail electric supplier compared
16  to that supplier's target renewable energy credit
17  quantity. The supplier's target renewable energy
18  credit quantity for the delivery year beginning June
19  1, 2018 is 14.5% multiplied by the total amount of
20  metered electricity (megawatt-hours) delivered by the
21  alternative retail supplier in that delivery year,
22  provided that the 14.5% shall increase by 1.5% each
23  delivery year thereafter to 25% by the delivery year
24  beginning June 1, 2025, and thereafter the 25% value
25  shall apply to each delivery year.
26  On or before April 1 of each year, the Agency shall

 

 

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1  annually publish a report on its website that
2  identifies the aggregate amount of renewable energy
3  credits supplied by alternative retail electric
4  suppliers under this subparagraph (H).
5  (I) The Agency shall design its long-term renewable
6  energy procurement plan to maximize the State's interest
7  in the health, safety, and welfare of its residents,
8  including but not limited to minimizing sulfur dioxide,
9  nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and other pollution
10  that adversely affects public health in this State,
11  increasing fuel and resource diversity in this State,
12  enhancing the reliability and resiliency of the
13  electricity distribution system in this State, meeting
14  goals to limit carbon dioxide emissions under federal or
15  State law, and contributing to a cleaner and healthier
16  environment for the citizens of this State. In order to
17  further these legislative purposes, renewable energy
18  credits shall be eligible to be counted toward the
19  renewable energy requirements of this subsection (c) if
20  they are generated from facilities located in this State.
21  The Agency may qualify renewable energy credits from
22  facilities located in states adjacent to Illinois or
23  renewable energy credits associated with the electricity
24  generated by a utility-scale wind energy facility or
25  utility-scale photovoltaic facility and transmitted by a
26  qualifying direct current project described in subsection

 

 

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1  (b-5) of Section 8-406 of the Public Utilities Act to a
2  delivery point on the electric transmission grid located
3  in this State or a state adjacent to Illinois, if the
4  generator demonstrates and the Agency determines that the
5  operation of such facility or facilities will help promote
6  the State's interest in the health, safety, and welfare of
7  its residents based on the public interest criteria
8  described above. For the purposes of this Section,
9  renewable resources that are delivered via a high voltage
10  direct current converter station located in Illinois shall
11  be deemed generated in Illinois at the time and location
12  the energy is converted to alternating current by the high
13  voltage direct current converter station if the high
14  voltage direct current transmission line: (i) after the
15  effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General
16  Assembly, was constructed with a project labor agreement;
17  (ii) is capable of transmitting electricity at 525kv;
18  (iii) has an Illinois converter station located and
19  interconnected in the region of the PJM Interconnection,
20  LLC; (iv) does not operate as a public utility; and (v) if
21  the high voltage direct current transmission line was
22  energized after June 1, 2023. To ensure that the public
23  interest criteria are applied to the procurement and given
24  full effect, the Agency's long-term procurement plan shall
25  describe in detail how each public interest factor shall
26  be considered and weighted for facilities located in

 

 

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1  states adjacent to Illinois.
2  (J) In order to promote the competitive development of
3  renewable energy resources in furtherance of the State's
4  interest in the health, safety, and welfare of its
5  residents, renewable energy credits shall not be eligible
6  to be counted toward the renewable energy requirements of
7  this subsection (c) if they are sourced from a generating
8  unit whose costs were being recovered through rates
9  regulated by this State or any other state or states on or
10  after January 1, 2017. Each contract executed to purchase
11  renewable energy credits under this subsection (c) shall
12  provide for the contract's termination if the costs of the
13  generating unit supplying the renewable energy credits
14  subsequently begin to be recovered through rates regulated
15  by this State or any other state or states; and each
16  contract shall further provide that, in that event, the
17  supplier of the credits must return 110% of all payments
18  received under the contract. Amounts returned under the
19  requirements of this subparagraph (J) shall be retained by
20  the utility and all of these amounts shall be used for the
21  procurement of additional renewable energy credits from
22  new wind or new photovoltaic resources as defined in this
23  subsection (c). The long-term plan shall provide that
24  these renewable energy credits shall be procured in the
25  next procurement event.
26  Notwithstanding the limitations of this subparagraph

 

 

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1  (J), renewable energy credits sourced from generating
2  units that are constructed, purchased, owned, or leased by
3  an electric utility as part of an approved project,
4  program, or pilot under Section 1-56 of this Act shall be
5  eligible to be counted toward the renewable energy
6  requirements of this subsection (c), regardless of how the
7  costs of these units are recovered. As long as a
8  generating unit or an identifiable portion of a generating
9  unit has not had and does not have its costs recovered
10  through rates regulated by this State or any other state,
11  HVDC renewable energy credits associated with that
12  generating unit or identifiable portion thereof shall be
13  eligible to be counted toward the renewable energy
14  requirements of this subsection (c).
15  (K) The long-term renewable resources procurement plan
16  developed by the Agency in accordance with subparagraph
17  (A) of this paragraph (1) shall include an Adjustable
18  Block program for the procurement of renewable energy
19  credits from new photovoltaic projects that are
20  distributed renewable energy generation devices or new
21  photovoltaic community renewable generation projects. The
22  Adjustable Block program shall be generally designed to
23  provide for the steady, predictable, and sustainable
24  growth of new solar photovoltaic development in Illinois.
25  To this end, the Adjustable Block program shall provide a
26  transparent annual schedule of prices and quantities to

 

 

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1  enable the photovoltaic market to scale up and for
2  renewable energy credit prices to adjust at a predictable
3  rate over time. The prices set by the Adjustable Block
4  program can be reflected as a set value or as the product
5  of a formula.
6  The Adjustable Block program shall include for each
7  category of eligible projects for each delivery year: a
8  single block of nameplate capacity, a price for renewable
9  energy credits within that block, and the terms and
10  conditions for securing a spot on a waitlist once the
11  block is fully committed or reserved. Except as outlined
12  below, the waitlist of projects in a given year will carry
13  over to apply to the subsequent year when another block is
14  opened. Only projects energized on or after June 1, 2017
15  shall be eligible for the Adjustable Block program. For
16  each category for each delivery year the Agency shall
17  determine the amount of generation capacity in each block,
18  and the purchase price for each block, provided that the
19  purchase price provided and the total amount of generation
20  in all blocks for all categories shall be sufficient to
21  meet the goals in this subsection (c). The Agency shall
22  strive to issue a single block sized to provide for
23  stability and market growth. The Agency shall establish
24  program eligibility requirements that ensure that projects
25  that enter the program are sufficiently mature to indicate
26  a demonstrable path to completion. The Agency may

 

 

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1  periodically review its prior decisions establishing the
2  amount of generation capacity in each block, and the
3  purchase price for each block, and may propose, on an
4  expedited basis, changes to these previously set values,
5  including but not limited to redistributing these amounts
6  and the available funds as necessary and appropriate,
7  subject to Commission approval as part of the periodic
8  plan revision process described in Section 16-111.5 of the
9  Public Utilities Act. The Agency may define different
10  block sizes, purchase prices, or other distinct terms and
11  conditions for projects located in different utility
12  service territories if the Agency deems it necessary to
13  meet the goals in this subsection (c).
14  The Adjustable Block program shall include the
15  following categories in at least the following amounts:
16  (i) At least 20% from distributed renewable energy
17  generation devices with a nameplate capacity of no
18  more than 25 kilowatts.
19  (ii) At least 20% from distributed renewable
20  energy generation devices with a nameplate capacity of
21  more than 25 kilowatts and no more than 5,000
22  kilowatts. The Agency may create sub-categories within
23  this category to account for the differences between
24  projects for small commercial customers, large
25  commercial customers, and public or non-profit
26  customers.

 

 

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1  (iii) At least 30% from photovoltaic community
2  renewable generation projects. Capacity for this
3  category for the first 2 delivery years after the
4  effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd
5  General Assembly shall be allocated to waitlist
6  projects as provided in paragraph (3) of item (iv) of
7  subparagraph (G). Starting in the third delivery year
8  after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
9  102nd General Assembly or earlier if the Agency
10  determines there is additional capacity needed for to
11  meet previous delivery year requirements, the
12  following shall apply:
13  (1) the Agency shall select projects on a
14  first-come, first-serve basis, however the Agency
15  may suggest additional methods to prioritize
16  projects that are submitted at the same time;
17  (2) projects shall have subscriptions of 25 kW
18  or less for at least 50% of the facility's
19  nameplate capacity and the Agency shall price the
20  renewable energy credits with that as a factor;
21  (3) projects shall not be colocated with one
22  or more other community renewable generation
23  projects, as defined in the Agency's first revised
24  long-term renewable resources procurement plan
25  approved by the Commission on February 18, 2020,
26  such that the aggregate nameplate capacity exceeds

 

 

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1  5,000 kilowatts; and
2  (4) projects greater than 2 MW may not apply
3  until after the approval of the Agency's revised
4  Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan
5  after the effective date of this amendatory Act of
6  the 102nd General Assembly.
7  (iv) At least 15% from distributed renewable
8  generation devices or photovoltaic community renewable
9  generation projects installed on public school land.
10  The Agency may create subcategories within this
11  category to account for the differences between
12  project size or location. Projects located within
13  environmental justice communities or within
14  Organizational Units that fall within Tier 1 or Tier 2
15  shall be given priority. Each of the Agency's periodic
16  updates to its long-term renewable resources
17  procurement plan to incorporate the procurement
18  described in this subparagraph (iv) shall also include
19  the proposed quantities or blocks, pricing, and
20  contract terms applicable to the procurement as
21  indicated herein. In each such update and procurement,
22  the Agency shall set the renewable energy credit price
23  and establish payment terms for the renewable energy
24  credits procured pursuant to this subparagraph (iv)
25  that make it feasible and affordable for public
26  schools to install photovoltaic distributed renewable

 

 

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1  energy devices on their premises, including, but not
2  limited to, those public schools subject to the
3  prioritization provisions of this subparagraph. For
4  the purposes of this item (iv):
5  "Environmental Justice Community" shall have the
6  same meaning set forth in the Agency's long-term
7  renewable resources procurement plan;
8  "Organization Unit", "Tier 1" and "Tier 2" shall
9  have the meanings set for in Section 18-8.15 of the
10  School Code;
11  "Public schools" shall have the meaning set forth
12  in Section 1-3 of the School Code and includes public
13  institutions of higher education, as defined in the
14  Board of Higher Education Act.
15  (v) At least 5% from community-driven community
16  solar projects intended to provide more direct and
17  tangible connection and benefits to the communities
18  which they serve or in which they operate and,
19  additionally, to increase the variety of community
20  solar locations, models, and options in Illinois. As
21  part of its long-term renewable resources procurement
22  plan, the Agency shall develop selection criteria for
23  projects participating in this category. Nothing in
24  this Section shall preclude the Agency from creating a
25  selection process that maximizes community ownership
26  and community benefits in selecting projects to

 

 

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1  receive renewable energy credits. Selection criteria
2  shall include:
3  (1) community ownership or community
4  wealth-building;
5  (2) additional direct and indirect community
6  benefit, beyond project participation as a
7  subscriber, including, but not limited to,
8  economic, environmental, social, cultural, and
9  physical benefits;
10  (3) meaningful involvement in project
11  organization and development by community members
12  or nonprofit organizations or public entities
13  located in or serving the community;
14  (4) engagement in project operations and
15  management by nonprofit organizations, public
16  entities, or community members; and
17  (5) whether a project is developed in response
18  to a site-specific RFP developed by community
19  members or a nonprofit organization or public
20  entity located in or serving the community.
21  Selection criteria may also prioritize projects
22  that:
23  (1) are developed in collaboration with or to
24  provide complementary opportunities for the Clean
25  Jobs Workforce Network Program, the Illinois
26  Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program, the

 

 

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1  Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program,
2  the Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program, or
3  the Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator
4  Program;
5  (2) increase the diversity of locations of
6  community solar projects in Illinois, including by
7  locating in urban areas and population centers;
8  (3) are located in Equity Investment Eligible
9  Communities;
10  (4) are not greenfield projects;
11  (5) serve only local subscribers;
12  (6) have a nameplate capacity that does not
13  exceed 500 kW;
14  (7) are developed by an equity eligible
15  contractor; or
16  (8) otherwise meaningfully advance the goals
17  of providing more direct and tangible connection
18  and benefits to the communities which they serve
19  or in which they operate and increasing the
20  variety of community solar locations, models, and
21  options in Illinois.
22  For the purposes of this item (v):
23  "Community" means a social unit in which people
24  come together regularly to effect change; a social
25  unit in which participants are marked by a cooperative
26  spirit, a common purpose, or shared interests or

 

 

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1  characteristics; or a space understood by its
2  residents to be delineated through geographic
3  boundaries or landmarks.
4  "Community benefit" means a range of services and
5  activities that provide affirmative, economic,
6  environmental, social, cultural, or physical value to
7  a community; or a mechanism that enables economic
8  development, high-quality employment, and education
9  opportunities for local workers and residents, or
10  formal monitoring and oversight structures such that
11  community members may ensure that those services and
12  activities respond to local knowledge and needs.
13  "Community ownership" means an arrangement in
14  which an electric generating facility is, or over time
15  will be, in significant part, owned collectively by
16  members of the community to which an electric
17  generating facility provides benefits; members of that
18  community participate in decisions regarding the
19  governance, operation, maintenance, and upgrades of
20  and to that facility; and members of that community
21  benefit from regular use of that facility.
22  Terms and guidance within these criteria that are
23  not defined in this item (v) shall be defined by the
24  Agency, with stakeholder input, during the development
25  of the Agency's long-term renewable resources
26  procurement plan. The Agency shall develop regular

 

 

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1  opportunities for projects to submit applications for
2  projects under this category, and develop selection
3  criteria that gives preference to projects that better
4  meet individual criteria as well as projects that
5  address a higher number of criteria.
6  (vi) At least 10% from distributed renewable
7  energy generation devices, which includes distributed
8  renewable energy devices with a nameplate capacity
9  under 5,000 kilowatts or photovoltaic community
10  renewable generation projects, from applicants that
11  are equity eligible contractors. The Agency may create
12  subcategories within this category to account for the
13  differences between project size and type. The Agency
14  shall propose to increase the percentage in this item
15  (vi) over time to 40% based on factors, including, but
16  not limited to, the number of equity eligible
17  contractors and capacity used in this item (vi) in
18  previous delivery years.
19  The Agency shall propose a payment structure for
20  contracts executed pursuant to this paragraph under
21  which, upon a demonstration of qualification or need,
22  applicant firms are advanced capital disbursed after
23  contract execution but before the contracted project's
24  energization. The amount or percentage of capital
25  advanced prior to project energization shall be
26  sufficient to both cover any increase in development

 

 

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1  costs resulting from prevailing wage requirements or
2  project-labor agreements, and designed to overcome
3  barriers in access to capital faced by equity eligible
4  contractors. The amount or percentage of advanced
5  capital may vary by subcategory within this category
6  and by an applicant's demonstration of need, with such
7  levels to be established through the Long-Term
8  Renewable Resources Procurement Plan authorized under
9  subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of
10  this Section.
11  Contracts developed featuring capital advanced
12  prior to a project's energization shall feature
13  provisions to ensure both the successful development
14  of applicant projects and the delivery of the
15  renewable energy credits for the full term of the
16  contract, including ongoing collateral requirements
17  and other provisions deemed necessary by the Agency,
18  and may include energization timelines longer than for
19  comparable project types. The percentage or amount of
20  capital advanced prior to project energization shall
21  not operate to increase the overall contract value,
22  however contracts executed under this subparagraph may
23  feature renewable energy credit prices higher than
24  those offered to similar projects participating in
25  other categories. Capital advanced prior to
26  energization shall serve to reduce the ratable

 

 

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1  payments made after energization under items (ii) and
2  (iii) of subparagraph (L) or payments made for each
3  renewable energy credit delivery under item (iv) of
4  subparagraph (L).
5  (vii) The remaining capacity shall be allocated by
6  the Agency in order to respond to market demand. The
7  Agency shall allocate any discretionary capacity prior
8  to the beginning of each delivery year.
9  To the extent there is uncontracted capacity from any
10  block in any of categories (i) through (vi) at the end of a
11  delivery year, the Agency shall redistribute that capacity
12  to one or more other categories giving priority to
13  categories with projects on a waitlist. The redistributed
14  capacity shall be added to the annual capacity in the
15  subsequent delivery year, and the price for renewable
16  energy credits shall be the price for the new delivery
17  year. Redistributed capacity shall not be considered
18  redistributed when determining whether the goals in this
19  subsection (K) have been met.
20  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, as the
21  Agency increases the capacity in item (vi) to 40% over
22  time, the Agency may reduce the capacity of items (i)
23  through (v) proportionate to the capacity of the
24  categories of projects in item (vi), to achieve a balance
25  of project types.
26  The Adjustable Block program shall be designed to

 

 

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1  ensure that renewable energy credits are procured from
2  projects in diverse locations and are not concentrated in
3  a few regional areas.
4  (L) Notwithstanding provisions for advancing capital
5  prior to project energization found in item (vi) of
6  subparagraph (K), the procurement of photovoltaic
7  renewable energy credits under items (i) through (vi) of
8  subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1) shall otherwise be
9  subject to the following contract and payment terms:
10  (i) (Blank).
11  (ii) For those renewable energy credits that
12  qualify and are procured under item (i) of
13  subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1), and any
14  similar category projects that are procured under item
15  (vi) of subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1) that
16  qualify and are procured under item (vi), the contract
17  length shall be 15 years. The renewable energy credit
18  delivery contract value shall be paid in full, based
19  on the estimated generation during the first 15 years
20  of operation, by the contracting utilities at the time
21  that the facility producing the renewable energy
22  credits is interconnected at the distribution system
23  level of the utility and verified as energized and
24  compliant by the Program Administrator. The electric
25  utility shall receive and retire all renewable energy
26  credits generated by the project for the first 15

 

 

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1  years of operation. Renewable energy credits generated
2  by the project thereafter shall not be transferred
3  under the renewable energy credit delivery contract
4  with the counterparty electric utility.
5  (iii) For those renewable energy credits that
6  qualify and are procured under item (ii) and (v) of
7  subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1) and any like
8  projects similar category that qualify and are
9  procured under item (vi), the contract length shall be
10  15 years. 15% of the renewable energy credit delivery
11  contract value, based on the estimated generation
12  during the first 15 years of operation, shall be paid
13  by the contracting utilities at the time that the
14  facility producing the renewable energy credits is
15  interconnected at the distribution system level of the
16  utility and verified as energized and compliant by the
17  Program Administrator. The remaining portion shall be
18  paid ratably over the subsequent 6-year period. The
19  electric utility shall receive and retire all
20  renewable energy credits generated by the project for
21  the first 15 years of operation. Renewable energy
22  credits generated by the project thereafter shall not
23  be transferred under the renewable energy credit
24  delivery contract with the counterparty electric
25  utility.
26  (iv) For those renewable energy credits that

 

 

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1  qualify and are procured under items (iii) and (iv) of
2  subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1), and any like
3  projects that qualify and are procured under item
4  (vi), the renewable energy credit delivery contract
5  length shall be 20 years and shall be paid over the
6  delivery term, not to exceed during each delivery year
7  the contract price multiplied by the estimated annual
8  renewable energy credit generation amount. If
9  generation of renewable energy credits during a
10  delivery year exceeds the estimated annual generation
11  amount, the excess renewable energy credits shall be
12  carried forward to future delivery years and shall not
13  expire during the delivery term. If generation of
14  renewable energy credits during a delivery year,
15  including carried forward excess renewable energy
16  credits, if any, is less than the estimated annual
17  generation amount, payments during such delivery year
18  will not exceed the quantity generated plus the
19  quantity carried forward multiplied by the contract
20  price. The electric utility shall receive all
21  renewable energy credits generated by the project
22  during the first 20 years of operation and retire all
23  renewable energy credits paid for under this item (iv)
24  and return at the end of the delivery term all
25  renewable energy credits that were not paid for.
26  Renewable energy credits generated by the project

 

 

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1  thereafter shall not be transferred under the
2  renewable energy credit delivery contract with the
3  counterparty electric utility. Notwithstanding the
4  preceding, for those projects participating under item
5  (iii) of subparagraph (K), the contract price for a
6  delivery year shall be based on subscription levels as
7  measured on the higher of the first business day of the
8  delivery year or the first business day 6 months after
9  the first business day of the delivery year.
10  Subscription of 90% of nameplate capacity or greater
11  shall be deemed to be fully subscribed for the
12  purposes of this item (iv). For projects receiving a
13  20-year delivery contract, REC prices shall be
14  adjusted downward for consistency with the incentive
15  levels previously determined to be necessary to
16  support projects under 15-year delivery contracts,
17  taking into consideration any additional new
18  requirements placed on the projects, including, but
19  not limited to, labor standards.
20  (v) Each contract shall include provisions to
21  ensure the delivery of the estimated quantity of
22  renewable energy credits and ongoing collateral
23  requirements and other provisions deemed appropriate
24  by the Agency.
25  (vi) The utility shall be the counterparty to the
26  contracts executed under this subparagraph (L) that

 

 

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1  are approved by the Commission under the process
2  described in Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities
3  Act. No contract shall be executed for an amount that
4  is less than one renewable energy credit per year.
5  (vii) If, at any time, approved applications for
6  the Adjustable Block program exceed funds collected by
7  the electric utility or would cause the Agency to
8  exceed the limitation described in subparagraph (E) of
9  this paragraph (1) on the amount of renewable energy
10  resources that may be procured, then the Agency may
11  consider future uncommitted funds to be reserved for
12  these contracts on a first-come, first-served basis.
13  (viii) Nothing in this Section shall require the
14  utility to advance any payment or pay any amounts that
15  exceed the actual amount of revenues anticipated to be
16  collected by the utility under paragraph (6) of this
17  subsection (c) and subsection (k) of Section 16-108 of
18  the Public Utilities Act inclusive of eligible funds
19  collected in prior years and alternative compliance
20  payments for use by the utility, and contracts
21  executed under this Section shall expressly
22  incorporate this limitation.
23  (ix) Notwithstanding other requirements of this
24  subparagraph (L), no modification shall be required to
25  Adjustable Block program contracts if they were
26  already executed prior to the establishment, approval,

 

 

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1  and implementation of new contract forms as a result
2  of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.
3  (x) Contracts may be assignable, but only to
4  entities first deemed by the Agency to have met
5  program terms and requirements applicable to direct
6  program participation. In developing contracts for the
7  delivery of renewable energy credits, the Agency shall
8  be permitted to establish fees applicable to each
9  contract assignment.
10  (M) The Agency shall be authorized to retain one or
11  more experts or expert consulting firms to develop,
12  administer, implement, operate, and evaluate the
13  Adjustable Block program described in subparagraph (K) of
14  this paragraph (1), and the Agency shall retain the
15  consultant or consultants in the same manner, to the
16  extent practicable, as the Agency retains others to
17  administer provisions of this Act, including, but not
18  limited to, the procurement administrator. The selection
19  of experts and expert consulting firms and the procurement
20  process described in this subparagraph (M) are exempt from
21  the requirements of Section 20-10 of the Illinois
22  Procurement Code, under Section 20-10 of that Code. The
23  Agency shall strive to minimize administrative expenses in
24  the implementation of the Adjustable Block program.
25  The Program Administrator may charge application fees
26  to participating firms to cover the cost of program

 

 

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1  administration. Any application fee amounts shall
2  initially be determined through the long-term renewable
3  resources procurement plan, and modifications to any
4  application fee that deviate more than 25% from the
5  Commission's approved value must be approved by the
6  Commission as a long-term plan revision under Section
7  16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act. The Agency shall
8  consider stakeholder feedback when making adjustments to
9  application fees and shall notify stakeholders in advance
10  of any planned changes.
11  In addition to covering the costs of program
12  administration, the Agency, in conjunction with its
13  Program Administrator, may also use the proceeds of such
14  fees charged to participating firms to support public
15  education and ongoing regional and national coordination
16  with nonprofit organizations, public bodies, and others
17  engaged in the implementation of renewable energy
18  incentive programs or similar initiatives. This work may
19  include developing papers and reports, hosting regional
20  and national conferences, and other work deemed necessary
21  by the Agency to position the State of Illinois as a
22  national leader in renewable energy incentive program
23  development and administration.
24  The Agency and its consultant or consultants shall
25  monitor block activity, share program activity with
26  stakeholders and conduct quarterly meetings to discuss

 

 

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1  program activity and market conditions. If necessary, the
2  Agency may make prospective administrative adjustments to
3  the Adjustable Block program design, such as making
4  adjustments to purchase prices as necessary to achieve the
5  goals of this subsection (c). Program modifications to any
6  block price that do not deviate from the Commission's
7  approved value by more than 10% shall take effect
8  immediately and are not subject to Commission review and
9  approval. Program modifications to any block price that
10  deviate more than 10% from the Commission's approved value
11  must be approved by the Commission as a long-term plan
12  amendment under Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities
13  Act. The Agency shall consider stakeholder feedback when
14  making adjustments to the Adjustable Block design and
15  shall notify stakeholders in advance of any planned
16  changes.
17  The Agency and its program administrators for both the
18  Adjustable Block program and the Illinois Solar for All
19  Program, consistent with the requirements of this
20  subsection (c) and subsection (b) of Section 1-56 of this
21  Act, shall propose the Adjustable Block program terms,
22  conditions, and requirements, including the prices to be
23  paid for renewable energy credits, where applicable, and
24  requirements applicable to participating entities and
25  project applications, through the development, review, and
26  approval of the Agency's long-term renewable resources

 

 

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1  procurement plan described in this subsection (c) and
2  paragraph (5) of subsection (b) of Section 16-111.5 of the
3  Public Utilities Act. Terms, conditions, and requirements
4  for program participation shall include the following:
5  (i) The Agency shall establish a registration
6  process for entities seeking to qualify for
7  program-administered incentive funding and establish
8  baseline qualifications for vendor approval. The
9  Agency must maintain a list of approved entities on
10  each program's website, and may revoke a vendor's
11  ability to receive program-administered incentive
12  funding status upon a determination that the vendor
13  failed to comply with contract terms, the law, or
14  other program requirements.
15  (ii) The Agency shall establish program
16  requirements and minimum contract terms to ensure
17  projects are properly installed and produce their
18  expected amounts of energy. Program requirements may
19  include on-site inspections and photo documentation of
20  projects under construction. The Agency may require
21  repairs, alterations, or additions to remedy any
22  material deficiencies discovered. Vendors who have a
23  disproportionately high number of deficient systems
24  may lose their eligibility to continue to receive
25  State-administered incentive funding through Agency
26  programs and procurements.

 

 

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1  (iii) To discourage deceptive marketing or other
2  bad faith business practices, the Agency may require
3  direct program participants, including agents
4  operating on their behalf, to provide standardized
5  disclosures to a customer prior to that customer's
6  execution of a contract for the development of a
7  distributed generation system or a subscription to a
8  community solar project.
9  (iv) The Agency shall establish one or multiple
10  Consumer Complaints Centers to accept complaints
11  regarding businesses that participate in, or otherwise
12  benefit from, State-administered incentive funding
13  through Agency-administered programs. The Agency shall
14  maintain a public database of complaints with any
15  confidential or particularly sensitive information
16  redacted from public entries.
17  (v) Through a filing in the proceeding for the
18  approval of its long-term renewable energy resources
19  procurement plan, the Agency shall provide an annual
20  written report to the Illinois Commerce Commission
21  documenting the frequency and nature of complaints and
22  any enforcement actions taken in response to those
23  complaints.
24  (vi) The Agency shall schedule regular meetings
25  with representatives of the Office of the Attorney
26  General, the Illinois Commerce Commission, consumer

 

 

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1  protection groups, and other interested stakeholders
2  to share relevant information about consumer
3  protection, project compliance, and complaints
4  received.
5  (vii) To the extent that complaints received
6  implicate the jurisdiction of the Office of the
7  Attorney General, the Illinois Commerce Commission, or
8  local, State, or federal law enforcement, the Agency
9  shall also refer complaints to those entities as
10  appropriate.
11  (N) The Agency shall establish the terms, conditions,
12  and program requirements for photovoltaic community
13  renewable generation projects with a goal to expand access
14  to a broader group of energy consumers, to ensure robust
15  participation opportunities for residential and small
16  commercial customers and those who cannot install
17  renewable energy on their own properties. Subject to
18  reasonable limitations, any plan approved by the
19  Commission shall allow subscriptions to community
20  renewable generation projects to be portable and
21  transferable. For purposes of this subparagraph (N),
22  "portable" means that subscriptions may be retained by the
23  subscriber even if the subscriber relocates or changes its
24  address within the same utility service territory; and
25  "transferable" means that a subscriber may assign or sell
26  subscriptions to another person within the same utility

 

 

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1  service territory.
2  Through the development of its long-term renewable
3  resources procurement plan, the Agency may consider
4  whether community renewable generation projects utilizing
5  technologies other than photovoltaics should be supported
6  through State-administered incentive funding, and may
7  issue requests for information to gauge market demand.
8  Electric utilities shall provide a monetary credit to
9  a subscriber's subsequent bill for service for the
10  proportional output of a community renewable generation
11  project attributable to that subscriber as specified in
12  Section 16-107.5 of the Public Utilities Act.
13  The Agency shall purchase renewable energy credits
14  from subscribed shares of photovoltaic community renewable
15  generation projects through the Adjustable Block program
16  described in subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1) or
17  through the Illinois Solar for All Program described in
18  Section 1-56 of this Act. The electric utility shall
19  purchase any unsubscribed energy from community renewable
20  generation projects that are Qualifying Facilities ("QF")
21  under the electric utility's tariff for purchasing the
22  output from QFs under Public Utilities Regulatory Policies
23  Act of 1978.
24  The owners of and any subscribers to a community
25  renewable generation project shall not be considered
26  public utilities or alternative retail electricity

 

 

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1  suppliers under the Public Utilities Act solely as a
2  result of their interest in or subscription to a community
3  renewable generation project and shall not be required to
4  become an alternative retail electric supplier by
5  participating in a community renewable generation project
6  with a public utility.
7  (O) For the delivery year beginning June 1, 2018, the
8  long-term renewable resources procurement plan required by
9  this subsection (c) shall provide for the Agency to
10  procure contracts to continue offering the Illinois Solar
11  for All Program described in subsection (b) of Section
12  1-56 of this Act, and the contracts approved by the
13  Commission shall be executed by the utilities that are
14  subject to this subsection (c). The long-term renewable
15  resources procurement plan shall allocate up to
16  $50,000,000 per delivery year to fund the programs, and
17  the plan shall determine the amount of funding to be
18  apportioned to the programs identified in subsection (b)
19  of Section 1-56 of this Act; provided that for the
20  delivery years beginning June 1, 2021, June 1, 2022, and
21  June 1, 2023, the long-term renewable resources
22  procurement plan may average the annual budgets over a
23  3-year period to account for program ramp-up. For the
24  delivery years beginning June 1, 2021, June 1, 2024, June
25  1, 2027, and June 1, 2030 and additional $10,000,000 shall
26  be provided to the Department of Commerce and Economic

 

 

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1  Opportunity to implement the workforce development
2  programs and reporting as outlined in Section 16-108.12 of
3  the Public Utilities Act. In making the determinations
4  required under this subparagraph (O), the Commission shall
5  consider the experience and performance under the programs
6  and any evaluation reports. The Commission shall also
7  provide for an independent evaluation of those programs on
8  a periodic basis that are funded under this subparagraph
9  (O).
10  (P) (Blank). All programs and procurements under this
11  subsection (c) shall be designed to encourage
12  participating projects to use a diverse and equitable
13  workforce and a diverse set of contractors, including
14  minority-owned businesses, disadvantaged businesses,
15  trade unions, graduates of any workforce training programs
16  administered under this Act, and small businesses.
17  The Agency shall develop a method to optimize
18  procurement of renewable energy credits from proposed
19  utility-scale projects that are located in communities
20  eligible to receive Energy Transition Community Grants
21  pursuant to Section 10-20 of the Energy Community
22  Reinvestment Act. If this requirement conflicts with other
23  provisions of law or the Agency determines that full
24  compliance with the requirements of this subparagraph (P)
25  would be unreasonably costly or administratively
26  impractical, the Agency is to propose alternative

 

 

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1  approaches to achieve development of renewable energy
2  resources in communities eligible to receive Energy
3  Transition Community Grants pursuant to Section 10-20 of
4  the Energy Community Reinvestment Act or seek an exemption
5  from this requirement from the Commission.
6  (Q) Each facility listed in subitems (i) through (ix)
7  of item (1) of this subparagraph (Q) for which a renewable
8  energy credit delivery contract is signed after the
9  effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General
10  Assembly is subject to the following requirements through
11  the Agency's long-term renewable resources procurement
12  plan:
13  (1) Each facility shall be subject to the
14  prevailing wage requirements included in the
15  Prevailing Wage Act. The Agency shall require
16  verification that all construction performed on the
17  facility by the renewable energy credit delivery
18  contract holder, its contractors, or its
19  subcontractors relating to construction of the
20  facility is performed by construction employees
21  receiving an amount for that work equal to or greater
22  than the general prevailing rate, as that term is
23  defined in Section 3 of the Prevailing Wage Act. For
24  purposes of this item (1), "house of worship" means
25  property that is both (1) used exclusively by a
26  religious society or body of persons as a place for

 

 

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1  religious exercise or religious worship and (2)
2  recognized as exempt from taxation pursuant to Section
3  15-40 of the Property Tax Code. This item (1) shall
4  apply to any the following:
5  (i) all new utility-scale wind projects;
6  (ii) all new utility-scale photovoltaic
7  projects;
8  (iii) all new brownfield photovoltaic
9  projects;
10  (iv) all new photovoltaic community renewable
11  energy facilities that qualify for item (iii) of
12  subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1);
13  (v) all new community driven community
14  photovoltaic projects that qualify for item (v) of
15  subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1);
16  (vi) all new photovoltaic projects on public
17  school land that qualify for item (iv) of
18  subparagraph (K) of this paragraph (1);
19  (vii) all new photovoltaic distributed
20  renewable energy generation devices that (1)
21  qualify for item (i) of subparagraph (K) of this
22  paragraph (1); (2) are not projects that serve
23  single-family or multi-family residential
24  buildings; and (3) are not houses of worship where
25  the aggregate capacity including collocated
26  projects would not exceed 100 kilowatts;

 

 

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1  (viii) all new photovoltaic distributed
2  renewable energy generation devices that (1)
3  qualify for item (ii) of subparagraph (K) of this
4  paragraph (1); (2) are not projects that serve
5  single-family or multi-family residential
6  buildings; and (3) are not houses of worship where
7  the aggregate capacity including collocated
8  projects would not exceed 100 kilowatts;
9  (ix) all new, modernized, or retooled
10  hydropower facilities.
11  (2) Renewable energy credits procured from new
12  utility-scale wind projects, new utility-scale solar
13  projects, and new brownfield solar projects pursuant
14  to Agency procurement events occurring after the
15  effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd
16  General Assembly must be from facilities built by
17  general contractors that must enter into a project
18  labor agreement, as defined by this Act, prior to
19  construction. The project labor agreement shall be
20  filed with the Director in accordance with procedures
21  established by the Agency through its long-term
22  renewable resources procurement plan. Any information
23  submitted to the Agency in this item (2) shall be
24  considered commercially sensitive information. At a
25  minimum, the project labor agreement must provide the
26  names, addresses, and occupations of the owner of the

 

 

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1  plant and the individuals representing the labor
2  organization employees participating in the project
3  labor agreement consistent with the Project Labor
4  Agreements Act. The agreement must also specify the
5  terms and conditions as defined by this Act.
6  (3) It is the intent of this Section to ensure that
7  economic development occurs across Illinois
8  communities, that emerging businesses may grow, and
9  that there is improved access to the clean energy
10  economy by persons who have greater economic burdens
11  to success. The Agency shall take into consideration
12  the unique cost of compliance of this subparagraph (Q)
13  that might be borne by equity eligible contractors,
14  shall include such costs when determining the price of
15  renewable energy credits in the Adjustable Block
16  program, and shall take such costs into consideration
17  in a nondiscriminatory manner when comparing bids for
18  competitive procurements. The Agency shall consider
19  costs associated with compliance whether in the
20  development, financing, or construction of projects.
21  The Agency shall periodically review the assumptions
22  in these costs and may adjust prices, in compliance
23  with subparagraph (M) of this paragraph (1).
24  (R) In its long-term renewable resources procurement
25  plan, the Agency shall establish a self-direct renewable
26  portfolio standard compliance program for eligible

 

 

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1  self-direct customers that purchase renewable energy
2  credits from utility-scale wind and solar projects through
3  long-term agreements for purchase of renewable energy
4  credits as described in this Section. Such long-term
5  agreements may include the purchase of energy or other
6  products on a physical or financial basis and may involve
7  an alternative retail electric supplier as defined in
8  Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act. This program
9  shall take effect in the delivery year commencing June 1,
10  2023.
11  (1) For the purposes of this subparagraph:
12  "Eligible self-direct customer" means any retail
13  customers of an electric utility that serves 3,000,000
14  or more retail customers in the State and whose total
15  highest 30-minute demand was more than 10,000
16  kilowatts, or any retail customers of an electric
17  utility that serves less than 3,000,000 retail
18  customers but more than 500,000 retail customers in
19  the State and whose total highest 15-minute demand was
20  more than 10,000 kilowatts.
21  "Retail customer" has the meaning set forth in
22  Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act and
23  multiple retail customer accounts under the same
24  corporate parent may aggregate their account demands
25  to meet the 10,000 kilowatt threshold. The criteria
26  for determining whether this subparagraph is

 

 

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1  applicable to a retail customer shall be based on the
2  12 consecutive billing periods prior to the start of
3  the year in which the application is filed.
4  (2) For renewable energy credits to count toward
5  the self-direct renewable portfolio standard
6  compliance program, they must:
7  (i) qualify as renewable energy credits as
8  defined in Section 1-10 of this Act;
9  (ii) be sourced from one or more renewable
10  energy generating facilities that comply with the
11  geographic requirements as set forth in
12  subparagraph (I) of paragraph (1) of subsection
13  (c) as interpreted through the Agency's long-term
14  renewable resources procurement plan, or, where
15  applicable, the geographic requirements that
16  governed utility-scale renewable energy credits at
17  the time the eligible self-direct customer entered
18  into the applicable renewable energy credit
19  purchase agreement;
20  (iii) be procured through long-term contracts
21  with term lengths of at least 10 years either
22  directly with the renewable energy generating
23  facility or through a bundled power purchase
24  agreement, a virtual power purchase agreement, an
25  agreement between the renewable generating
26  facility, an alternative retail electric supplier,

 

 

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1  and the customer, or such other structure as is
2  permissible under this subparagraph (R);
3  (iv) be equivalent in volume to at least 40%
4  of the eligible self-direct customer's usage,
5  determined annually by the eligible self-direct
6  customer's usage during the previous delivery
7  year, measured to the nearest megawatt-hour;
8  (v) be retired by or on behalf of the large
9  energy customer;
10  (vi) be sourced from new utility-scale wind
11  projects or new utility-scale solar projects; and
12  (vii) if the contracts for renewable energy
13  credits are entered into after the effective date
14  of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General
15  Assembly, the new utility-scale wind projects or
16  new utility-scale solar projects must comply with
17  the requirements established in subparagraph
18  subparagraphs (P) and (Q) of paragraph (1) of this
19  subsection (c) and subsection (c-10).
20  (3) The self-direct renewable portfolio standard
21  compliance program shall be designed to allow eligible
22  self-direct customers to procure new renewable energy
23  credits from new utility-scale wind projects or new
24  utility-scale photovoltaic projects. The Agency shall
25  annually determine the amount of utility-scale
26  renewable energy credits it will include each year

 

 

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1  from the self-direct renewable portfolio standard
2  compliance program, subject to receiving qualifying
3  applications. In making this determination, the Agency
4  shall evaluate publicly available analyses and studies
5  of the potential market size for utility-scale
6  renewable energy long-term purchase agreements by
7  commercial and industrial energy customers and make
8  that report publicly available. If demand for
9  participation in the self-direct renewable portfolio
10  standard compliance program exceeds availability, the
11  Agency shall ensure participation is evenly split
12  between commercial and industrial users to the extent
13  there is sufficient demand from both customer classes.
14  Each renewable energy credit procured pursuant to this
15  subparagraph (R) by a self-direct customer shall
16  reduce the total volume of renewable energy credits
17  the Agency is otherwise required to procure from new
18  utility-scale projects pursuant to subparagraph (C) of
19  paragraph (1) of this subsection (c) on behalf of
20  contracting utilities where the eligible self-direct
21  customer is located. The self-direct customer shall
22  file an annual compliance report with the Agency
23  pursuant to terms established by the Agency through
24  its long-term renewable resources procurement plan to
25  be eligible for participation in this program.
26  Customers must provide the Agency with their most

 

 

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1  recent electricity billing statements or other
2  information deemed necessary by the Agency to
3  demonstrate they are an eligible self-direct customer.
4  (4) The Commission shall approve a reduction in
5  the volumetric charges collected pursuant to Section
6  16-108 of the Public Utilities Act for approved
7  eligible self-direct customers equivalent to the
8  anticipated cost of renewable energy credit deliveries
9  under contracts for new utility-scale wind and new
10  utility-scale solar entered for each delivery year
11  after the large energy customer begins retiring
12  eligible new utility scale renewable energy credits
13  for self-compliance. The self-direct credit amount
14  shall be determined annually and is equal to the
15  estimated portion of the cost authorized by
16  subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of this subsection
17  (c) that supported the annual procurement of
18  utility-scale renewable energy credits in the prior
19  delivery year using a methodology described in the
20  long-term renewable resources procurement plan,
21  expressed on a per kilowatthour basis, and does not
22  include (i) costs associated with any contracts
23  entered into before the delivery year in which the
24  customer files the initial compliance report to be
25  eligible for participation in the self-direct program,
26  and (ii) costs associated with procuring renewable

 

 

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1  energy credits through existing and future contracts
2  through the Adjustable Block Program, subsection (c-5)
3  of this Section 1-75, and the Solar for All Program.
4  The Agency shall assist the Commission in determining
5  the current and future costs. The Agency must
6  determine the self-direct credit amount for new and
7  existing eligible self-direct customers and submit
8  this to the Commission in an annual compliance filing.
9  The Commission must approve the self-direct credit
10  amount by June 1, 2023 and June 1 of each delivery year
11  thereafter.
12  (5) Customers described in this subparagraph (R)
13  shall apply, on a form developed by the Agency, to the
14  Agency to be designated as a self-direct eligible
15  customer. Once the Agency determines that a
16  self-direct customer is eligible for participation in
17  the program, the self-direct customer will remain
18  eligible until the end of the term of the contract.
19  Thereafter, application may be made not less than 12
20  months before the filing date of the long-term
21  renewable resources procurement plan described in this
22  Act. At a minimum, such application shall contain the
23  following:
24  (i) the customer's certification that, at the
25  time of the customer's application, the customer
26  qualifies to be a self-direct eligible customer,

 

 

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1  including documents demonstrating that
2  qualification;
3  (ii) the customer's certification that the
4  customer has entered into or will enter into by
5  the beginning of the applicable procurement year,
6  one or more bilateral contracts for new wind
7  projects or new photovoltaic projects, including
8  supporting documentation;
9  (iii) certification that the contract or
10  contracts for new renewable energy resources are
11  long-term contracts with term lengths of at least
12  10 years, including supporting documentation;
13  (iv) certification of the quantities of
14  renewable energy credits that the customer will
15  purchase each year under such contract or
16  contracts, including supporting documentation;
17  (v) proof that the contract is sufficient to
18  produce renewable energy credits to be equivalent
19  in volume to at least 40% of the large energy
20  customer's usage from the previous delivery year,
21  measured to the nearest megawatt-hour; and
22  (vi) certification that the customer intends
23  to maintain the contract for the duration of the
24  length of the contract.
25  (6) If a customer receives the self-direct credit
26  but fails to properly procure and retire renewable

 

 

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1  energy credits as required under this subparagraph
2  (R), the Commission, on petition from the Agency and
3  after notice and hearing, may direct such customer's
4  utility to recover the cost of the wrongfully received
5  self-direct credits plus interest through an adder to
6  charges assessed pursuant to Section 16-108 of the
7  Public Utilities Act. Self-direct customers who
8  knowingly fail to properly procure and retire
9  renewable energy credits and do not notify the Agency
10  are ineligible for continued participation in the
11  self-direct renewable portfolio standard compliance
12  program.
13  (2) (Blank).
14  (3) (Blank).
15  (4) The electric utility shall retire all renewable
16  energy credits used to comply with the standard.
17  (5) Beginning with the 2010 delivery year and ending
18  June 1, 2017, an electric utility subject to this
19  subsection (c) shall apply the lesser of the maximum
20  alternative compliance payment rate or the most recent
21  estimated alternative compliance payment rate for its
22  service territory for the corresponding compliance period,
23  established pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 16-115D
24  of the Public Utilities Act to its retail customers that
25  take service pursuant to the electric utility's hourly
26  pricing tariff or tariffs. The electric utility shall

 

 

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1  retain all amounts collected as a result of the
2  application of the alternative compliance payment rate or
3  rates to such customers, and, beginning in 2011, the
4  utility shall include in the information provided under
5  item (1) of subsection (d) of Section 16-111.5 of the
6  Public Utilities Act the amounts collected under the
7  alternative compliance payment rate or rates for the prior
8  year ending May 31. Notwithstanding any limitation on the
9  procurement of renewable energy resources imposed by item
10  (2) of this subsection (c), the Agency shall increase its
11  spending on the purchase of renewable energy resources to
12  be procured by the electric utility for the next plan year
13  by an amount equal to the amounts collected by the utility
14  under the alternative compliance payment rate or rates in
15  the prior year ending May 31.
16  (6) The electric utility shall be entitled to recover
17  all of its costs associated with the procurement of
18  renewable energy credits under plans approved under this
19  Section and Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act.
20  These costs shall include associated reasonable expenses
21  for implementing the procurement programs, including, but
22  not limited to, the costs of administering and evaluating
23  the Adjustable Block program, through an automatic
24  adjustment clause tariff in accordance with subsection (k)
25  of Section 16-108 of the Public Utilities Act.
26  (7) Renewable energy credits procured from new

 

 

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1  photovoltaic projects or new distributed renewable energy
2  generation devices under this Section after June 1, 2017
3  (the effective date of Public Act 99-906) must be procured
4  from devices installed by a qualified person in compliance
5  with the requirements of Section 16-128A of the Public
6  Utilities Act and any rules or regulations adopted
7  thereunder.
8  In meeting the renewable energy requirements of this
9  subsection (c), to the extent feasible and consistent with
10  State and federal law, the renewable energy credit
11  procurements, Adjustable Block solar program, and
12  community renewable generation program shall provide
13  employment opportunities for all segments of the
14  population and workforce, including minority-owned and
15  female-owned business enterprises, and shall not,
16  consistent with State and federal law, discriminate based
17  on race or socioeconomic status.
18  (c-5) Procurement of renewable energy credits from new
19  renewable energy facilities installed at or adjacent to the
20  sites of electric generating facilities that burn or burned
21  coal as their primary fuel source.
22  (1) In addition to the procurement of renewable energy
23  credits pursuant to long-term renewable resources
24  procurement plans in accordance with subsection (c) of
25  this Section and Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities
26  Act, the Agency shall conduct procurement events in

 

 

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1  accordance with this subsection (c-5) for the procurement
2  by electric utilities that served more than 300,000 retail
3  customers in this State as of January 1, 2019 of renewable
4  energy credits from new renewable energy facilities to be
5  installed at or adjacent to the sites of electric
6  generating facilities that, as of January 1, 2016, burned
7  coal as their primary fuel source and meet the other
8  criteria specified in this subsection (c-5). For purposes
9  of this subsection (c-5), "new renewable energy facility"
10  means a new utility-scale solar project as defined in this
11  Section 1-75. The renewable energy credits procured
12  pursuant to this subsection (c-5) may be included or
13  counted for purposes of compliance with the amounts of
14  renewable energy credits required to be procured pursuant
15  to subsection (c) of this Section to the extent that there
16  are otherwise shortfalls in compliance with such
17  requirements. The procurement of renewable energy credits
18  by electric utilities pursuant to this subsection (c-5)
19  shall be funded solely by revenues collected from the Coal
20  to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Charge provided for
21  in this subsection (c-5) and subsection (i-5) of Section
22  16-108 of the Public Utilities Act, shall not be funded by
23  revenues collected through any of the other funding
24  mechanisms provided for in subsection (c) of this Section,
25  and shall not be subject to the limitation imposed by
26  subsection (c) on charges to retail customers for costs to

 

 

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1  procure renewable energy resources pursuant to subsection
2  (c), and shall not be subject to any other requirements or
3  limitations of subsection (c).
4  (2) The Agency shall conduct 2 procurement events to
5  select owners of electric generating facilities meeting
6  the eligibility criteria specified in this subsection
7  (c-5) to enter into long-term contracts to sell renewable
8  energy credits to electric utilities serving more than
9  300,000 retail customers in this State as of January 1,
10  2019. The first procurement event shall be conducted no
11  later than March 31, 2022, unless the Agency elects to
12  delay it, until no later than May 1, 2022, due to its
13  overall volume of work, and shall be to select owners of
14  electric generating facilities located in this State and
15  south of federal Interstate Highway 80 that meet the
16  eligibility criteria specified in this subsection (c-5).
17  The second procurement event shall be conducted no sooner
18  than September 30, 2022 and no later than October 31, 2022
19  and shall be to select owners of electric generating
20  facilities located anywhere in this State that meet the
21  eligibility criteria specified in this subsection (c-5).
22  The Agency shall establish and announce a time period,
23  which shall begin no later than 30 days prior to the
24  scheduled date for the procurement event, during which
25  applicants may submit applications to be selected as
26  suppliers of renewable energy credits pursuant to this

 

 

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1  subsection (c-5). The eligibility criteria for selection
2  as a supplier of renewable energy credits pursuant to this
3  subsection (c-5) shall be as follows:
4  (A) The applicant owns an electric generating
5  facility located in this State that: (i) as of January
6  1, 2016, burned coal as its primary fuel to generate
7  electricity; and (ii) has, or had prior to retirement,
8  an electric generating capacity of at least 150
9  megawatts. The electric generating facility can be
10  either: (i) retired as of the date of the procurement
11  event; or (ii) still operating as of the date of the
12  procurement event.
13  (B) The applicant is not (i) an electric
14  cooperative as defined in Section 3-119 of the Public
15  Utilities Act, or (ii) an entity described in
16  subsection (b)(1) of Section 3-105 of the Public
17  Utilities Act, or an association or consortium of or
18  an entity owned by entities described in (i) or (ii);
19  and the coal-fueled electric generating facility was
20  at one time owned, in whole or in part, by a public
21  utility as defined in Section 3-105 of the Public
22  Utilities Act.
23  (C) If participating in the first procurement
24  event, the applicant proposes and commits to construct
25  and operate, at the site, and if necessary for
26  sufficient space on property adjacent to the existing

 

 

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1  property, at which the electric generating facility
2  identified in paragraph (A) is located: (i) a new
3  renewable energy facility of at least 20 megawatts but
4  no more than 100 megawatts of electric generating
5  capacity, and (ii) an energy storage facility having a
6  storage capacity equal to at least 2 megawatts and at
7  most 10 megawatts. If participating in the second
8  procurement event, the applicant proposes and commits
9  to construct and operate, at the site, and if
10  necessary for sufficient space on property adjacent to
11  the existing property, at which the electric
12  generating facility identified in paragraph (A) is
13  located: (i) a new renewable energy facility of at
14  least 5 megawatts but no more than 20 megawatts of
15  electric generating capacity, and (ii) an energy
16  storage facility having a storage capacity equal to at
17  least 0.5 megawatts and at most one megawatt.
18  (D) The applicant agrees that the new renewable
19  energy facility and the energy storage facility will
20  be constructed or installed by a qualified entity or
21  entities in compliance with the requirements of
22  subsection (g) of Section 16-128A of the Public
23  Utilities Act and any rules adopted thereunder.
24  (E) The applicant agrees that personnel operating
25  the new renewable energy facility and the energy
26  storage facility will have the requisite skills,

 

 

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1  knowledge, training, experience, and competence, which
2  may be demonstrated by completion or current
3  participation and ultimate completion by employees of
4  an accredited or otherwise recognized apprenticeship
5  program for the employee's particular craft, trade, or
6  skill, including through training and education
7  courses and opportunities offered by the owner to
8  employees of the coal-fueled electric generating
9  facility or by previous employment experience
10  performing the employee's particular work skill or
11  function.
12  (F) The applicant commits that not less than the
13  prevailing wage, as determined pursuant to the
14  Prevailing Wage Act, will be paid to the applicant's
15  employees engaged in construction activities
16  associated with the new renewable energy facility and
17  the new energy storage facility and to the employees
18  of applicant's contractors engaged in construction
19  activities associated with the new renewable energy
20  facility and the new energy storage facility, and
21  that, on or before the commercial operation date of
22  the new renewable energy facility, the applicant shall
23  file a report with the Agency certifying that the
24  requirements of this subparagraph (F) have been met.
25  (G) (Blank). The applicant commits that if
26  selected, it will negotiate a project labor agreement

 

 

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1  for the construction of the new renewable energy
2  facility and associated energy storage facility that
3  includes provisions requiring the parties to the
4  agreement to work together to establish diversity
5  threshold requirements and to ensure best efforts to
6  meet diversity targets, improve diversity at the
7  applicable job site, create diverse apprenticeship
8  opportunities, and create opportunities to employ
9  former coal-fired power plant workers.
10  (H) The applicant commits to enter into a contract
11  or contracts for the applicable duration to provide
12  specified numbers of renewable energy credits each
13  year from the new renewable energy facility to
14  electric utilities that served more than 300,000
15  retail customers in this State as of January 1, 2019,
16  at a price of $30 per renewable energy credit. The
17  price per renewable energy credit shall be fixed at
18  $30 for the applicable duration and the renewable
19  energy credits shall not be indexed renewable energy
20  credits as provided for in item (v) of subparagraph
21  (G) of paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of Section 1-75
22  of this Act. The applicable duration of each contract
23  shall be 20 years, unless the applicant is physically
24  interconnected to the PJM Interconnection, LLC
25  transmission grid and had a generating capacity of at
26  least 1,200 megawatts as of January 1, 2021, in which

 

 

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1  case the applicable duration of the contract shall be
2  15 years.
3  (I) The applicant's application is certified by an
4  officer of the applicant and by an officer of the
5  applicant's ultimate parent company, if any.
6  (3) An applicant may submit applications to contract
7  to supply renewable energy credits from more than one new
8  renewable energy facility to be constructed at or adjacent
9  to one or more qualifying electric generating facilities
10  owned by the applicant. The Agency may select new
11  renewable energy facilities to be located at or adjacent
12  to the sites of more than one qualifying electric
13  generation facility owned by an applicant to contract with
14  electric utilities to supply renewable energy credits from
15  such facilities.
16  (4) (Blank). The Agency shall assess fees to each
17  applicant to recover the Agency's costs incurred in
18  receiving and evaluating applications, conducting the
19  procurement event, developing contracts for sale, delivery
20  and purchase of renewable energy credits, and monitoring
21  the administration of such contracts, as provided for in
22  this subsection (c-5), including fees paid to a
23  procurement administrator retained by the Agency for one
24  or more of these purposes.
25  (5) The Agency shall select the applicants and the new
26  renewable energy facilities to contract with electric

 

 

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1  utilities to supply renewable energy credits in accordance
2  with this subsection (c-5). In the first procurement
3  event, the Agency shall select applicants and new
4  renewable energy facilities to supply renewable energy
5  credits, at a price of $30 per renewable energy credit,
6  aggregating to no less than 400,000 renewable energy
7  credits per year for the applicable duration, assuming
8  sufficient qualifying applications to supply, in the
9  aggregate, at least that amount of renewable energy
10  credits per year; and not more than 580,000 renewable
11  energy credits per year for the applicable duration. In
12  the second procurement event, the Agency shall select
13  applicants and new renewable energy facilities to supply
14  renewable energy credits, at a price of $30 per renewable
15  energy credit, aggregating to no more than 625,000
16  renewable energy credits per year less the amount of
17  renewable energy credits each year contracted for as a
18  result of the first procurement event, for the applicable
19  durations. The number of renewable energy credits to be
20  procured as specified in this paragraph (5) shall not be
21  reduced based on renewable energy credits procured in the
22  self-direct renewable energy credit compliance program
23  established pursuant to subparagraph (R) of paragraph (1)
24  of subsection (c) of Section 1-75.
25  (6) The obligation to purchase renewable energy
26  credits from the applicants and their new renewable energy

 

 

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1  facilities selected by the Agency shall be allocated to
2  the electric utilities based on their respective
3  percentages of kilowatthours delivered to delivery
4  services customers to the aggregate kilowatthour
5  deliveries by the electric utilities to delivery services
6  customers for the year ended December 31, 2021. In order
7  to achieve these allocation percentages between or among
8  the electric utilities, the Agency shall require each
9  applicant that is selected in the procurement event to
10  enter into a contract with each electric utility for the
11  sale and purchase of renewable energy credits from each
12  new renewable energy facility to be constructed and
13  operated by the applicant, with the sale and purchase
14  obligations under the contracts to aggregate to the total
15  number of renewable energy credits per year to be supplied
16  by the applicant from the new renewable energy facility.
17  (7) The Agency shall submit its proposed selection of
18  applicants, new renewable energy facilities to be
19  constructed, and renewable energy credit amounts for each
20  procurement event to the Commission for approval. The
21  Commission shall, within 2 business days after receipt of
22  the Agency's proposed selections, approve the proposed
23  selections if it determines that the applicants and the
24  new renewable energy facilities to be constructed meet the
25  selection criteria set forth in this subsection (c-5) and
26  that the Agency seeks approval for contracts of applicable

 

 

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1  durations aggregating to no more than the maximum amount
2  of renewable energy credits per year authorized by this
3  subsection (c-5) for the procurement event, at a price of
4  $30 per renewable energy credit.
5  (8) The Agency, in conjunction with its procurement
6  administrator if one is retained, the electric utilities,
7  and potential applicants for contracts to produce and
8  supply renewable energy credits pursuant to this
9  subsection (c-5), shall develop a standard form contract
10  for the sale, delivery and purchase of renewable energy
11  credits pursuant to this subsection (c-5). Each contract
12  resulting from the first procurement event shall allow for
13  a commercial operation date for the new renewable energy
14  facility of either June 1, 2023 or June 1, 2024, with such
15  dates subject to adjustment as provided in this paragraph.
16  Each contract resulting from the second procurement event
17  shall provide for a commercial operation date on June 1
18  next occurring up to 48 months after execution of the
19  contract. Each contract shall provide that the owner shall
20  receive payments for renewable energy credits for the
21  applicable durations beginning with the commercial
22  operation date of the new renewable energy facility. The
23  form contract shall provide for adjustments to the
24  commercial operation and payment start dates as needed due
25  to any delays in completing the procurement and
26  contracting processes, in finalizing interconnection

 

 

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1  agreements and installing interconnection facilities, and
2  in obtaining other necessary governmental permits and
3  approvals. The form contract shall be, to the maximum
4  extent possible, consistent with standard electric
5  industry contracts for sale, delivery, and purchase of
6  renewable energy credits while taking into account the
7  specific requirements of this subsection (c-5). The form
8  contract shall provide for over-delivery and
9  under-delivery of renewable energy credits within
10  reasonable ranges during each 12-month period and penalty,
11  default, and enforcement provisions for failure of the
12  selling party to deliver renewable energy credits as
13  specified in the contract and to comply with the
14  requirements of this subsection (c-5). The standard form
15  contract shall specify that all renewable energy credits
16  delivered to the electric utility pursuant to the contract
17  shall be retired. The Agency shall make the proposed
18  contracts available for a reasonable period for comment by
19  potential applicants, and shall publish the final form
20  contract at least 30 days before the date of the first
21  procurement event.
22  (9) Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative
23  Charge.
24  (A) By no later than July 1, 2022, each electric
25  utility that served more than 300,000 retail customers
26  in this State as of January 1, 2019 shall file a tariff

 

 

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1  with the Commission for the billing and collection of
2  a Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Charge
3  in accordance with subsection (i-5) of Section 16-108
4  of the Public Utilities Act, with such tariff to be
5  effective, following review and approval or
6  modification by the Commission, beginning January 1,
7  2023. The tariff shall provide for the calculation and
8  setting of the electric utility's Coal to Solar and
9  Energy Storage Initiative Charge to collect revenues
10  estimated to be sufficient, in the aggregate, (i) to
11  enable the electric utility to pay for the renewable
12  energy credits it has contracted to purchase in the
13  delivery year beginning June 1, 2023 and each delivery
14  year thereafter from new renewable energy facilities
15  located at the sites of qualifying electric generating
16  facilities, and (ii) to fund the grant payments to be
17  made in each delivery year by the Department of
18  Commerce and Economic Opportunity, or any successor
19  department or agency, which shall be referred to in
20  this subsection (c-5) as the Department, pursuant to
21  paragraph (10) of this subsection (c-5). The electric
22  utility's tariff shall provide for the billing and
23  collection of the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage
24  Initiative Charge on each kilowatthour of electricity
25  delivered to its delivery services customers within
26  its service territory and shall provide for an annual

 

 

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1  reconciliation of revenues collected with actual
2  costs, in accordance with subsection (i-5) of Section
3  16-108 of the Public Utilities Act.
4  (B) Each electric utility shall remit on a monthly
5  basis to the State Treasurer, for deposit in the Coal
6  to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Fund provided
7  for in this subsection (c-5), the electric utility's
8  collections of the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage
9  Initiative Charge in the amount estimated to be needed
10  by the Department for grant payments pursuant to grant
11  contracts entered into by the Department pursuant to
12  paragraph (10) of this subsection (c-5).
13  (10) Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Fund.
14  (A) The Coal to Solar and Energy Storage
15  Initiative Fund is established as a special fund in
16  the State treasury. The Coal to Solar and Energy
17  Storage Initiative Fund is authorized to receive, by
18  statutory deposit, that portion specified in item (B)
19  of paragraph (9) of this subsection (c-5) of moneys
20  collected by electric utilities through imposition of
21  the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative Charge
22  required by this subsection (c-5). The Coal to Solar
23  and Energy Storage Initiative Fund shall be
24  administered by the Department to provide grants to
25  support the installation and operation of energy
26  storage facilities at the sites of qualifying electric

 

 

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1  generating facilities meeting the criteria specified
2  in this paragraph (10).
3  (B) The Coal to Solar and Energy Storage
4  Initiative Fund shall not be subject to sweeps,
5  administrative charges, or chargebacks, including, but
6  not limited to, those authorized under Section 8h of
7  the State Finance Act, that would in any way result in
8  the transfer of those funds from the Coal to Solar and
9  Energy Storage Initiative Fund to any other fund of
10  this State or in having any such funds utilized for any
11  purpose other than the express purposes set forth in
12  this paragraph (10).
13  (C) The Department shall utilize up to
14  $280,500,000 in the Coal to Solar and Energy Storage
15  Initiative Fund for grants, assuming sufficient
16  qualifying applicants, to support installation of
17  energy storage facilities at the sites of up to 3
18  qualifying electric generating facilities located in
19  the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.,
20  region in Illinois and the sites of up to 2 qualifying
21  electric generating facilities located in the PJM
22  Interconnection, LLC region in Illinois that meet the
23  criteria set forth in this subparagraph (C). The
24  criteria for receipt of a grant pursuant to this
25  subparagraph (C) are as follows:
26  (1) the electric generating facility at the

 

 

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1  site has, or had prior to retirement, an electric
2  generating capacity of at least 150 megawatts;
3  (2) the electric generating facility burns (or
4  burned prior to retirement) coal as its primary
5  source of fuel;
6  (3) if the electric generating facility is
7  retired, it was retired subsequent to January 1,
8  2016;
9  (4) the owner of the electric generating
10  facility has not been selected by the Agency
11  pursuant to this subsection (c-5) of this Section
12  to enter into a contract to sell renewable energy
13  credits to one or more electric utilities from a
14  new renewable energy facility located or to be
15  located at or adjacent to the site at which the
16  electric generating facility is located;
17  (5) the electric generating facility located
18  at the site was at one time owned, in whole or in
19  part, by a public utility as defined in Section
20  3-105 of the Public Utilities Act;
21  (6) the electric generating facility at the
22  site is not owned by (i) an electric cooperative
23  as defined in Section 3-119 of the Public
24  Utilities Act, or (ii) an entity described in
25  subsection (b)(1) of Section 3-105 of the Public
26  Utilities Act, or an association or consortium of

 

 

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1  or an entity owned by entities described in items
2  (i) or (ii);
3  (7) the proposed energy storage facility at
4  the site will have energy storage capacity of at
5  least 37 megawatts;
6  (8) the owner commits to place the energy
7  storage facility into commercial operation on
8  either June 1, 2023, June 1, 2024, or June 1, 2025,
9  with such date subject to adjustment as needed due
10  to any delays in completing the grant contracting
11  process, in finalizing interconnection agreements
12  and in installing interconnection facilities, and
13  in obtaining necessary governmental permits and
14  approvals;
15  (9) the owner agrees that the new energy
16  storage facility will be constructed or installed
17  by a qualified entity or entities consistent with
18  the requirements of subsection (g) of Section
19  16-128A of the Public Utilities Act and any rules
20  adopted under that Section;
21  (10) the owner agrees that personnel operating
22  the energy storage facility will have the
23  requisite skills, knowledge, training, experience,
24  and competence, which may be demonstrated by
25  completion or current participation and ultimate
26  completion by employees of an accredited or

 

 

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1  otherwise recognized apprenticeship program for
2  the employee's particular craft, trade, or skill,
3  including through training and education courses
4  and opportunities offered by the owner to
5  employees of the coal-fueled electric generating
6  facility or by previous employment experience
7  performing the employee's particular work skill or
8  function;
9  (11) the owner commits that not less than the
10  prevailing wage, as determined pursuant to the
11  Prevailing Wage Act, will be paid to the owner's
12  employees engaged in construction activities
13  associated with the new energy storage facility
14  and to the employees of the owner's contractors
15  engaged in construction activities associated with
16  the new energy storage facility, and that, on or
17  before the commercial operation date of the new
18  energy storage facility, the owner shall file a
19  report with the Department certifying that the
20  requirements of this subparagraph (11) have been
21  met; and
22  (12) (blank). the owner commits that if
23  selected to receive a grant, it will negotiate a
24  project labor agreement for the construction of
25  the new energy storage facility that includes
26  provisions requiring the parties to the agreement

 

 

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1  to work together to establish diversity threshold
2  requirements and to ensure best efforts to meet
3  diversity targets, improve diversity at the
4  applicable job site, create diverse apprenticeship
5  opportunities, and create opportunities to employ
6  former coal-fired power plant workers.
7  The Department shall accept applications for this
8  grant program until March 31, 2022 and shall announce
9  the award of grants no later than June 1, 2022. The
10  Department shall make the grant payments to a
11  recipient in equal annual amounts for 10 years
12  following the date the energy storage facility is
13  placed into commercial operation. The annual grant
14  payments to a qualifying energy storage facility shall
15  be $110,000 per megawatt of energy storage capacity,
16  with total annual grant payments pursuant to this
17  subparagraph (C) for qualifying energy storage
18  facilities not to exceed $28,050,000 in any year.
19  (D) Grants of funding for energy storage
20  facilities pursuant to subparagraph (C) of this
21  paragraph (10), from the Coal to Solar and Energy
22  Storage Initiative Fund, shall be memorialized in
23  grant contracts between the Department and the
24  recipient. The grant contracts shall specify the date
25  or dates in each year on which the annual grant
26  payments shall be paid.

 

 

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1  (E) All disbursements from the Coal to Solar and
2  Energy Storage Initiative Fund shall be made only upon
3  warrants of the Comptroller drawn upon the Treasurer
4  as custodian of the Fund upon vouchers signed by the
5  Director of the Department or by the person or persons
6  designated by the Director of the Department for that
7  purpose. The Comptroller is authorized to draw the
8  warrants upon vouchers so signed. The Treasurer shall
9  accept all written warrants so signed and shall be
10  released from liability for all payments made on those
11  warrants.
12  (11) (Blank). Diversity, equity, and inclusion plans.
13  (A) Each applicant selected in a procurement event
14  to contract to supply renewable energy credits in
15  accordance with this subsection (c-5) and each owner
16  selected by the Department to receive a grant or
17  grants to support the construction and operation of a
18  new energy storage facility or facilities in
19  accordance with this subsection (c-5) shall, within 60
20  days following the Commission's approval of the
21  applicant to contract to supply renewable energy
22  credits or within 60 days following execution of a
23  grant contract with the Department, as applicable,
24  submit to the Commission a diversity, equity, and
25  inclusion plan setting forth the applicant's or
26  owner's numeric goals for the diversity composition of

 

 

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1  its supplier entities for the new renewable energy
2  facility or new energy storage facility, as
3  applicable, which shall be referred to for purposes of
4  this paragraph (11) as the project, and the
5  applicant's or owner's action plan and schedule for
6  achieving those goals.
7  (B) For purposes of this paragraph (11), diversity
8  composition shall be based on the percentage, which
9  shall be a minimum of 25%, of eligible expenditures
10  for contract awards for materials and services (which
11  shall be defined in the plan) to business enterprises
12  owned by minority persons, women, or persons with
13  disabilities as defined in Section 2 of the Business
14  Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with
15  Disabilities Act, to LGBTQ business enterprises, to
16  veteran-owned business enterprises, and to business
17  enterprises located in environmental justice
18  communities. The diversity composition goals of the
19  plan may include eligible expenditures in areas for
20  vendor or supplier opportunities in addition to
21  development and construction of the project, and may
22  exclude from eligible expenditures materials and
23  services with limited market availability, limited
24  production and availability from suppliers in the
25  United States, such as solar panels and storage
26  batteries, and material and services that are subject

 

 

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1  to critical energy infrastructure or cybersecurity
2  requirements or restrictions. The plan may provide
3  that the diversity composition goals may be met
4  through Tier 1 Direct or Tier 2 subcontracting
5  expenditures or a combination thereof for the project.
6  (C) The plan shall provide for, but not be limited
7  to: (i) internal initiatives, including multi-tier
8  initiatives, by the applicant or owner, or by its
9  engineering, procurement and construction contractor
10  if one is used for the project, which for purposes of
11  this paragraph (11) shall be referred to as the EPC
12  contractor, to enable diverse businesses to be
13  considered fairly for selection to provide materials
14  and services; (ii) requirements for the applicant or
15  owner or its EPC contractor to proactively solicit and
16  utilize diverse businesses to provide materials and
17  services; and (iii) requirements for the applicant or
18  owner or its EPC contractor to hire a diverse
19  workforce for the project. The plan shall include a
20  description of the applicant's or owner's diversity
21  recruiting efforts both for the project and for other
22  areas of the applicant's or owner's business
23  operations. The plan shall provide for the imposition
24  of financial penalties on the applicant's or owner's
25  EPC contractor for failure to exercise best efforts to
26  comply with and execute the EPC contractor's diversity

 

 

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1  obligations under the plan. The plan may provide for
2  the applicant or owner to set aside a portion of the
3  work on the project to serve as an incubation program
4  for qualified businesses, as specified in the plan,
5  owned by minority persons, women, persons with
6  disabilities, LGBTQ persons, and veterans, and
7  businesses located in environmental justice
8  communities, seeking to enter the renewable energy
9  industry.
10  (D) The applicant or owner may submit a revised or
11  updated plan to the Commission from time to time as
12  circumstances warrant. The applicant or owner shall
13  file annual reports with the Commission detailing the
14  applicant's or owner's progress in implementing its
15  plan and achieving its goals and any modifications the
16  applicant or owner has made to its plan to better
17  achieve its diversity, equity and inclusion goals. The
18  applicant or owner shall file a final report on the
19  fifth June 1 following the commercial operation date
20  of the new renewable energy resource or new energy
21  storage facility, but the applicant or owner shall
22  thereafter continue to be subject to applicable
23  reporting requirements of Section 5-117 of the Public
24  Utilities Act.
25  (c-10) Equity accountability system. It is the purpose of
26  this subsection (c-10) to create an equity accountability

 

 

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1  system, which includes the minimum equity standards for all
2  renewable energy procurements, the equity category of the
3  Adjustable Block Program, and the equity prioritization for
4  noncompetitive procurements, that is successful in advancing
5  priority access to the clean energy economy for businesses and
6  workers from communities that have been excluded from economic
7  opportunities in the energy sector, have been subject to
8  disproportionate levels of pollution, and have
9  disproportionately experienced negative public health
10  outcomes. Further, it is the purpose of this subsection to
11  ensure that this equity accountability system is successful in
12  advancing equity across Illinois by providing access to the
13  clean energy economy for businesses and workers from
14  communities that have been historically excluded from economic
15  opportunities in the energy sector, have been subject to
16  disproportionate levels of pollution, and have
17  disproportionately experienced negative public health
18  outcomes.
19  (1) Minimum equity standards. The Agency shall create
20  programs with the purpose of increasing access to and
21  development of equity eligible contractors, who are prime
22  contractors and subcontractors, across all of the programs
23  it manages. All applications for renewable energy credit
24  procurements shall comply with specific minimum equity
25  commitments. Starting in the delivery year immediately
26  following the next long-term renewable resources

 

 

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1  procurement plan, at least 10% of the project workforce
2  for each entity participating in a procurement program
3  outlined in this subsection (c-10) must be done by equity
4  eligible persons or equity eligible contractors. The
5  Agency shall increase the minimum percentage each delivery
6  year thereafter by increments that ensure a statewide
7  average of 30% of the project workforce for each entity
8  participating in a procurement program is done by equity
9  eligible persons or equity eligible contractors by 2030.
10  The Agency shall propose a schedule of percentage
11  increases to the minimum equity standards in its draft
12  revised renewable energy resources procurement plan
13  submitted to the Commission for approval pursuant to
14  paragraph (5) of subsection (b) of Section 16-111.5 of the
15  Public Utilities Act. In determining these annual
16  increases, the Agency shall have the discretion to
17  establish different minimum equity standards for different
18  types of procurements and different regions of the State
19  if the Agency finds that doing so will further the
20  purposes of this subsection (c-10). The proposed schedule
21  of annual increases shall be revisited and updated on an
22  annual basis. Revisions shall be developed with
23  stakeholder input, including from equity eligible persons,
24  equity eligible contractors, clean energy industry
25  representatives, and community-based organizations that
26  work with such persons and contractors.

 

 

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1  (A) At the start of each delivery year, the Agency
2  shall require a compliance plan from each entity
3  participating in a procurement program of subsection
4  (c) of this Section that demonstrates how they will
5  achieve compliance with the minimum equity standard
6  percentage for work completed in that delivery year.
7  If an entity applies for its approved vendor or
8  designee status between delivery years, the Agency
9  shall require a compliance plan at the time of
10  application.
11  (B) Halfway through each delivery year, the Agency
12  shall require each entity participating in a
13  procurement program to confirm that it will achieve
14  compliance in that delivery year, when applicable. The
15  Agency may offer corrective action plans to entities
16  that are not on track to achieve compliance.
17  (C) At the end of each delivery year, each entity
18  participating and completing work in that delivery
19  year in a procurement program of subsection (c) shall
20  submit a report to the Agency that demonstrates how it
21  achieved compliance with the minimum equity standards
22  percentage for that delivery year.
23  (D) The Agency shall prohibit participation in
24  procurement programs by an approved vendor or
25  designee, as applicable, or entities with which an
26  approved vendor or designee, as applicable, shares a

 

 

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1  common parent company if an approved vendor or
2  designee, as applicable, failed to meet the minimum
3  equity standards for the prior delivery year. Waivers
4  approved for lack of equity eligible persons or equity
5  eligible contractors in a geographic area of a project
6  shall not count against the approved vendor or
7  designee. The Agency shall offer a corrective action
8  plan for any such entities to assist them in obtaining
9  compliance and shall allow continued access to
10  procurement programs upon an approved vendor or
11  designee demonstrating compliance.
12  (E) The Agency shall pursue efficiencies achieved
13  by combining with other approved vendor or designee
14  reporting.
15  (2) Equity accountability system within the Adjustable
16  Block program. The equity category described in item (vi)
17  of subparagraph (K) of subsection (c) is only available to
18  applicants that are equity eligible contractors.
19  (3) Equity accountability system within competitive
20  procurements. Through its long-term renewable resources
21  procurement plan, the Agency shall develop requirements
22  for ensuring that competitive procurement processes,
23  including utility-scale solar, utility-scale wind, and
24  brownfield site photovoltaic projects, advance the equity
25  goals of this subsection (c-10). Subject to Commission
26  approval, the Agency shall develop bid application

 

 

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1  requirements and a bid evaluation methodology for ensuring
2  that utilization of equity eligible contractors, whether
3  as bidders or as participants on project development, is
4  optimized, including requiring that winning or successful
5  applicants for utility-scale projects are or will partner
6  with equity eligible contractors and giving preference to
7  bids through which a higher portion of contract value
8  flows to equity eligible contractors. To the extent
9  practicable, entities participating in competitive
10  procurements shall also be required to meet all the equity
11  accountability requirements for approved vendors and their
12  designees under this subsection (c-10). In developing
13  these requirements, the Agency shall also consider whether
14  equity goals can be further advanced through additional
15  measures.
16  (4) In the first revision to the long-term renewable
17  energy resources procurement plan and each revision
18  thereafter, the Agency shall include the following:
19  (A) The current status and number of equity
20  eligible contractors listed in the Energy Workforce
21  Equity Database designed in subsection (c-25),
22  including the number of equity eligible contractors
23  with current certifications as issued by the Agency.
24  (B) A mechanism for measuring, tracking, and
25  reporting project workforce at the approved vendor or
26  designee level, as applicable, which shall include a

 

 

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1  measurement methodology and records to be made
2  available for audit by the Agency or the Program
3  Administrator.
4  (C) A program for approved vendors, designees,
5  eligible persons, and equity eligible contractors to
6  receive trainings, guidance, and other support from
7  the Agency or its designee regarding the equity
8  category outlined in item (vi) of subparagraph (K) of
9  paragraph (1) of subsection (c) and in meeting the
10  minimum equity standards of this subsection (c-10).
11  (D) A process for certifying equity eligible
12  contractors and equity eligible persons. The
13  certification process shall coordinate with the Energy
14  Workforce Equity Database set forth in subsection
15  (c-25).
16  (E) An application for waiver of the minimum
17  equity standards of this subsection, which the Agency
18  shall have the discretion to grant in rare
19  circumstances. The Agency may grant such a waiver
20  where the applicant provides evidence of significant
21  efforts toward meeting the minimum equity commitment,
22  including: use of the Energy Workforce Equity
23  Database; efforts to hire or contract with entities
24  that hire eligible persons; and efforts to establish
25  contracting relationships with eligible contractors.
26  The Agency shall support applicants in understanding

 

 

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1  the Energy Workforce Equity Database and other
2  resources for pursuing compliance of the minimum
3  equity standards. Waivers shall be project-specific,
4  unless the Agency deems it necessary to grant a waiver
5  across a portfolio of projects, and in effect for no
6  longer than one year. Any waiver extension or
7  subsequent waiver request from an applicant shall be
8  subject to the requirements of this Section and shall
9  specify efforts made to reach compliance. When
10  considering whether to grant a waiver, and to what
11  extent, the Agency shall consider the degree to which
12  similarly situated applicants have been able to meet
13  these minimum equity commitments. For repeated waiver
14  requests for specific lack of eligible persons or
15  eligible contractors available, the Agency shall make
16  recommendations to target recruitment to add such
17  eligible persons or eligible contractors to the
18  database.
19  (5) The Agency shall collect information about work on
20  projects or portfolios of projects subject to these
21  minimum equity standards to ensure compliance with this
22  subsection (c-10). Reporting in furtherance of this
23  requirement may be combined with other annual reporting
24  requirements. Such reporting shall include proof of
25  certification of each equity eligible contractor or equity
26  eligible person during the applicable time period.

 

 

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1  (6) The Agency shall keep confidential all information
2  and communication that provides private or personal
3  information.
4  (7) Modifications to the equity accountability system.
5  As part of the update of the long-term renewable resources
6  procurement plan to be initiated in 2023, or sooner if the
7  Agency deems necessary, the Agency shall determine the
8  extent to which the equity accountability system described
9  in this subsection (c-10) has advanced the goals of this
10  amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, including
11  through the inclusion of equity eligible persons and
12  equity eligible contractors in renewable energy credit
13  projects. If the Agency finds that the equity
14  accountability system has failed to meet those goals to
15  its fullest potential, the Agency may revise the following
16  criteria for future Agency procurements: (A) the
17  percentage of project workforce, or other appropriate
18  workforce measure, certified as equity eligible persons or
19  equity eligible contractors; (B) definitions for equity
20  investment eligible persons and equity investment eligible
21  community; and (C) such other modifications necessary to
22  advance the goals of this amendatory Act of the 102nd
23  General Assembly effectively. Such revised criteria may
24  also establish distinct equity accountability systems for
25  different types of procurements or different regions of
26  the State if the Agency finds that doing so will further

 

 

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1  the purposes of such programs. Revisions shall be
2  developed with stakeholder input, including from equity
3  eligible persons, equity eligible contractors, and
4  community-based organizations that work with such persons
5  and contractors.
6  (c-15) Racial discrimination elimination powers and
7  process.
8  (1) Purpose. It is the purpose of this subsection to
9  empower the Agency and other State actors to remedy racial
10  discrimination in Illinois' clean energy economy as
11  effectively and expediently as possible, including through
12  the use of race-conscious remedies, such as race-conscious
13  contracting and hiring goals, as consistent with State and
14  federal law.
15  (2) Racial disparity and discrimination review
16  process.
17  (A) Within one year after awarding contracts using
18  the equity actions processes established in this
19  Section, the Agency shall publish a report evaluating
20  the effectiveness of the equity actions point criteria
21  of this Section in increasing participation of equity
22  eligible persons and equity eligible contractors. The
23  report shall disaggregate participating workers and
24  contractors by race and ethnicity. The report shall be
25  forwarded to the Governor, the General Assembly, and
26  the Illinois Commerce Commission and be made available

 

 

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1  to the public.
2  (B) As soon as is practicable thereafter, the
3  Agency, in consultation with the Department of
4  Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Department of
5  Labor, and other agencies that may be relevant, shall
6  commission and publish a disparity and availability
7  study that measures the presence and impact of
8  discrimination on minority businesses and workers in
9  Illinois' clean energy economy. The Agency may hire
10  consultants and experts to conduct the disparity and
11  availability study, with the retention of those
12  consultants and experts exempt from the requirements
13  of Section 20-10 of the Illinois Procurement Code. The
14  Illinois Power Agency shall forward a copy of its
15  findings and recommendations to the Governor, the
16  General Assembly, and the Illinois Commerce
17  Commission. If the disparity and availability study
18  establishes a strong basis in evidence that there is
19  discrimination in Illinois' clean energy economy, the
20  Agency, Department of Commerce and Economic
21  Opportunity, Department of Labor, Department of
22  Corrections, and other appropriate agencies shall take
23  appropriate remedial actions, including race-conscious
24  remedial actions as consistent with State and federal
25  law, to effectively remedy this discrimination. Such
26  remedies may include modification of the equity

 

 

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1  accountability system as described in subsection
2  (c-10).
3  (c-20) Program data collection.
4  (1) Purpose. Data collection, data analysis, and
5  reporting are critical to ensure that the benefits of the
6  clean energy economy provided to Illinois residents and
7  businesses are equitably distributed across the State. The
8  Agency shall collect data from program applicants in order
9  to track and improve equitable distribution of benefits
10  across Illinois communities for all procurements the
11  Agency conducts. The Agency shall use this data to, among
12  other things, measure any potential impact of racial
13  discrimination on the distribution of benefits and provide
14  information necessary to correct any discrimination
15  through methods consistent with State and federal law.
16  (2) Agency collection of program data. The Agency
17  shall collect demographic and geographic data for each
18  entity awarded contracts under any Agency-administered
19  program.
20  (3) Required information to be collected. The Agency
21  shall collect the following information from applicants
22  and program participants where applicable:
23  (A) demographic information, including racial or
24  ethnic identity for real persons employed, contracted,
25  or subcontracted through the program and owners of
26  businesses or entities that apply to receive renewable

 

 

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1  energy credits from the Agency;
2  (B) geographic location of the residency of real
3  persons employed, contracted, or subcontracted through
4  the program and geographic location of the
5  headquarters of the business or entity that applies to
6  receive renewable energy credits from the Agency; and
7  (C) any other information the Agency determines is
8  necessary for the purpose of achieving the purpose of
9  this subsection.
10  (4) Publication of collected information. The Agency
11  shall publish, at least annually, information on the
12  demographics of program participants on an aggregate
13  basis.
14  (5) Nothing in this subsection shall be interpreted to
15  limit the authority of the Agency, or other agency or
16  department of the State, to require or collect demographic
17  information from applicants of other State programs.
18  (c-25) Energy Workforce Equity Database.
19  (1) The Agency, in consultation with the Department of
20  Commerce and Economic Opportunity, shall create an Energy
21  Workforce Equity Database, and may contract with a third
22  party to do so ("database program administrator"). If the
23  Department decides to contract with a third party, that
24  third party shall be exempt from the requirements of
25  Section 20-10 of the Illinois Procurement Code. The Energy
26  Workforce Equity Database shall be a searchable database

 

 

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1  of suppliers, vendors, and subcontractors for clean energy
2  industries that is:
3  (A) publicly accessible;
4  (B) easy for people to find and use;
5  (C) organized by company specialty or field;
6  (D) region-specific; and
7  (E) populated with information including, but not
8  limited to, contacts for suppliers, vendors, or
9  subcontractors who are minority and women-owned
10  business enterprise certified or who participate or
11  have participated in any of the programs described in
12  this Act.
13  (2) The Agency shall create an easily accessible,
14  public facing online tool using the database information
15  that includes, at a minimum, the following:
16  (A) a map of environmental justice and equity
17  investment eligible communities;
18  (B) job postings and recruiting opportunities;
19  (C) a means by which recruiting clean energy
20  companies can find and interact with current or former
21  participants of clean energy workforce training
22  programs;
23  (D) information on workforce training service
24  providers and training opportunities available to
25  prospective workers;
26  (E) (blank); renewable energy company diversity

 

 

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1  reporting;
2  (F) a list of equity eligible contractors with
3  their contact information, types of work performed,
4  and locations worked in;
5  (G) reporting on outcomes of the programs
6  described in the workforce programs of the Energy
7  Transition Act, including information such as, but not
8  limited to, retention rate, graduation rate, and
9  placement rates of trainees; and
10  (H) information about the Jobs and Environmental
11  Justice Grant Program, the Clean Energy Jobs and
12  Justice Fund, and other sources of capital.
13  (3) The Agency shall ensure the database is regularly
14  updated to ensure information is current and shall
15  coordinate with the Department of Commerce and Economic
16  Opportunity to ensure that it includes information on
17  individuals and entities that are or have participated in
18  the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, Clean Energy
19  Contractor Incubator Program, Returning Residents Clean
20  Jobs Training Program, or Clean Energy Primes Contractor
21  Accelerator Program.
22  (c-30) Enforcement of minimum equity standards. All
23  entities seeking renewable energy credits must submit an
24  annual report to demonstrate compliance with each of the
25  equity commitments required under subsection (c-10). If the
26  Agency concludes the entity has not met or maintained its

 

 

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1  minimum equity standards required under the applicable
2  subparagraphs under subsection (c-10), the Agency shall deny
3  the entity's ability to participate in procurement programs in
4  subsection (c), including by withholding approved vendor or
5  designee status. The Agency may require the entity to enter
6  into a corrective action plan. An entity that is not
7  recertified for failing to meet required equity actions in
8  subparagraph (c-10) may reapply once they have a corrective
9  action plan and achieve compliance with the minimum equity
10  standards.
11  (d) Clean coal portfolio standard.
12  (1) The procurement plans shall include electricity
13  generated using clean coal. Each utility shall enter into
14  one or more sourcing agreements with the initial clean
15  coal facility, as provided in paragraph (3) of this
16  subsection (d), covering electricity generated by the
17  initial clean coal facility representing at least 5% of
18  each utility's total supply to serve the load of eligible
19  retail customers in 2015 and each year thereafter, as
20  described in paragraph (3) of this subsection (d), subject
21  to the limits specified in paragraph (2) of this
22  subsection (d). It is the goal of the State that by January
23  1, 2025, 25% of the electricity used in the State shall be
24  generated by cost-effective clean coal facilities. For
25  purposes of this subsection (d), "cost-effective" means
26  that the expenditures pursuant to such sourcing agreements

 

 

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1  do not cause the limit stated in paragraph (2) of this
2  subsection (d) to be exceeded and do not exceed cost-based
3  benchmarks, which shall be developed to assess all
4  expenditures pursuant to such sourcing agreements covering
5  electricity generated by clean coal facilities, other than
6  the initial clean coal facility, by the procurement
7  administrator, in consultation with the Commission staff,
8  Agency staff, and the procurement monitor and shall be
9  subject to Commission review and approval.
10  A utility party to a sourcing agreement shall
11  immediately retire any emission credits that it receives
12  in connection with the electricity covered by such
13  agreement.
14  Utilities shall maintain adequate records documenting
15  the purchases under the sourcing agreement to comply with
16  this subsection (d) and shall file an accounting with the
17  load forecast that must be filed with the Agency by July 15
18  of each year, in accordance with subsection (d) of Section
19  16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act.
20  A utility shall be deemed to have complied with the
21  clean coal portfolio standard specified in this subsection
22  (d) if the utility enters into a sourcing agreement as
23  required by this subsection (d).
24  (2) For purposes of this subsection (d), the required
25  execution of sourcing agreements with the initial clean
26  coal facility for a particular year shall be measured as a

 

 

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1  percentage of the actual amount of electricity
2  (megawatt-hours) supplied by the electric utility to
3  eligible retail customers in the planning year ending
4  immediately prior to the agreement's execution. For
5  purposes of this subsection (d), the amount paid per
6  kilowatthour means the total amount paid for electric
7  service expressed on a per kilowatthour basis. For
8  purposes of this subsection (d), the total amount paid for
9  electric service includes without limitation amounts paid
10  for supply, transmission, distribution, surcharges and
11  add-on taxes.
12  Notwithstanding the requirements of this subsection
13  (d), the total amount paid under sourcing agreements with
14  clean coal facilities pursuant to the procurement plan for
15  any given year shall be reduced by an amount necessary to
16  limit the annual estimated average net increase due to the
17  costs of these resources included in the amounts paid by
18  eligible retail customers in connection with electric
19  service to:
20  (A) in 2010, no more than 0.5% of the amount paid
21  per kilowatthour by those customers during the year
22  ending May 31, 2009;
23  (B) in 2011, the greater of an additional 0.5% of
24  the amount paid per kilowatthour by those customers
25  during the year ending May 31, 2010 or 1% of the amount
26  paid per kilowatthour by those customers during the

 

 

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1  year ending May 31, 2009;
2  (C) in 2012, the greater of an additional 0.5% of
3  the amount paid per kilowatthour by those customers
4  during the year ending May 31, 2011 or 1.5% of the
5  amount paid per kilowatthour by those customers during
6  the year ending May 31, 2009;
7  (D) in 2013, the greater of an additional 0.5% of
8  the amount paid per kilowatthour by those customers
9  during the year ending May 31, 2012 or 2% of the amount
10  paid per kilowatthour by those customers during the
11  year ending May 31, 2009; and
12  (E) thereafter, the total amount paid under
13  sourcing agreements with clean coal facilities
14  pursuant to the procurement plan for any single year
15  shall be reduced by an amount necessary to limit the
16  estimated average net increase due to the cost of
17  these resources included in the amounts paid by
18  eligible retail customers in connection with electric
19  service to no more than the greater of (i) 2.015% of
20  the amount paid per kilowatthour by those customers
21  during the year ending May 31, 2009 or (ii) the
22  incremental amount per kilowatthour paid for these
23  resources in 2013. These requirements may be altered
24  only as provided by statute.
25  No later than June 30, 2015, the Commission shall
26  review the limitation on the total amount paid under

 

 

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1  sourcing agreements, if any, with clean coal facilities
2  pursuant to this subsection (d) and report to the General
3  Assembly its findings as to whether that limitation unduly
4  constrains the amount of electricity generated by
5  cost-effective clean coal facilities that is covered by
6  sourcing agreements.
7  (3) Initial clean coal facility. In order to promote
8  development of clean coal facilities in Illinois, each
9  electric utility subject to this Section shall execute a
10  sourcing agreement to source electricity from a proposed
11  clean coal facility in Illinois (the "initial clean coal
12  facility") that will have a nameplate capacity of at least
13  500 MW when commercial operation commences, that has a
14  final Clean Air Act permit on June 1, 2009 (the effective
15  date of Public Act 95-1027), and that will meet the
16  definition of clean coal facility in Section 1-10 of this
17  Act when commercial operation commences. The sourcing
18  agreements with this initial clean coal facility shall be
19  subject to both approval of the initial clean coal
20  facility by the General Assembly and satisfaction of the
21  requirements of paragraph (4) of this subsection (d) and
22  shall be executed within 90 days after any such approval
23  by the General Assembly. The Agency and the Commission
24  shall have authority to inspect all books and records
25  associated with the initial clean coal facility during the
26  term of such a sourcing agreement. A utility's sourcing

 

 

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1  agreement for electricity produced by the initial clean
2  coal facility shall include:
3  (A) a formula contractual price (the "contract
4  price") approved pursuant to paragraph (4) of this
5  subsection (d), which shall:
6  (i) be determined using a cost of service
7  methodology employing either a level or deferred
8  capital recovery component, based on a capital
9  structure consisting of 45% equity and 55% debt,
10  and a return on equity as may be approved by the
11  Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which in any
12  case may not exceed the lower of 11.5% or the rate
13  of return approved by the General Assembly
14  pursuant to paragraph (4) of this subsection (d);
15  and
16  (ii) provide that all miscellaneous net
17  revenue, including but not limited to net revenue
18  from the sale of emission allowances, if any,
19  substitute natural gas, if any, grants or other
20  support provided by the State of Illinois or the
21  United States Government, firm transmission
22  rights, if any, by-products produced by the
23  facility, energy or capacity derived from the
24  facility and not covered by a sourcing agreement
25  pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection (d)
26  or item (5) of subsection (d) of Section 16-115 of

 

 

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1  the Public Utilities Act, whether generated from
2  the synthesis gas derived from coal, from SNG, or
3  from natural gas, shall be credited against the
4  revenue requirement for this initial clean coal
5  facility;
6  (B) power purchase provisions, which shall:
7  (i) provide that the utility party to such
8  sourcing agreement shall pay the contract price
9  for electricity delivered under such sourcing
10  agreement;
11  (ii) require delivery of electricity to the
12  regional transmission organization market of the
13  utility that is party to such sourcing agreement;
14  (iii) require the utility party to such
15  sourcing agreement to buy from the initial clean
16  coal facility in each hour an amount of energy
17  equal to all clean coal energy made available from
18  the initial clean coal facility during such hour
19  times a fraction, the numerator of which is such
20  utility's retail market sales of electricity
21  (expressed in kilowatthours sold) in the State
22  during the prior calendar month and the
23  denominator of which is the total retail market
24  sales of electricity (expressed in kilowatthours
25  sold) in the State by utilities during such prior
26  month and the sales of electricity (expressed in

 

 

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1  kilowatthours sold) in the State by alternative
2  retail electric suppliers during such prior month
3  that are subject to the requirements of this
4  subsection (d) and paragraph (5) of subsection (d)
5  of Section 16-115 of the Public Utilities Act,
6  provided that the amount purchased by the utility
7  in any year will be limited by paragraph (2) of
8  this subsection (d); and
9  (iv) be considered pre-existing contracts in
10  such utility's procurement plans for eligible
11  retail customers;
12  (C) contract for differences provisions, which
13  shall:
14  (i) require the utility party to such sourcing
15  agreement to contract with the initial clean coal
16  facility in each hour with respect to an amount of
17  energy equal to all clean coal energy made
18  available from the initial clean coal facility
19  during such hour times a fraction, the numerator
20  of which is such utility's retail market sales of
21  electricity (expressed in kilowatthours sold) in
22  the utility's service territory in the State
23  during the prior calendar month and the
24  denominator of which is the total retail market
25  sales of electricity (expressed in kilowatthours
26  sold) in the State by utilities during such prior

 

 

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1  month and the sales of electricity (expressed in
2  kilowatthours sold) in the State by alternative
3  retail electric suppliers during such prior month
4  that are subject to the requirements of this
5  subsection (d) and paragraph (5) of subsection (d)
6  of Section 16-115 of the Public Utilities Act,
7  provided that the amount paid by the utility in
8  any year will be limited by paragraph (2) of this
9  subsection (d);
10  (ii) provide that the utility's payment
11  obligation in respect of the quantity of
12  electricity determined pursuant to the preceding
13  clause (i) shall be limited to an amount equal to
14  (1) the difference between the contract price
15  determined pursuant to subparagraph (A) of
16  paragraph (3) of this subsection (d) and the
17  day-ahead price for electricity delivered to the
18  regional transmission organization market of the
19  utility that is party to such sourcing agreement
20  (or any successor delivery point at which such
21  utility's supply obligations are financially
22  settled on an hourly basis) (the "reference
23  price") on the day preceding the day on which the
24  electricity is delivered to the initial clean coal
25  facility busbar, multiplied by (2) the quantity of
26  electricity determined pursuant to the preceding

 

 

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1  clause (i); and
2  (iii) not require the utility to take physical
3  delivery of the electricity produced by the
4  facility;
5  (D) general provisions, which shall:
6  (i) specify a term of no more than 30 years,
7  commencing on the commercial operation date of the
8  facility;
9  (ii) provide that utilities shall maintain
10  adequate records documenting purchases under the
11  sourcing agreements entered into to comply with
12  this subsection (d) and shall file an accounting
13  with the load forecast that must be filed with the
14  Agency by July 15 of each year, in accordance with
15  subsection (d) of Section 16-111.5 of the Public
16  Utilities Act;
17  (iii) provide that all costs associated with
18  the initial clean coal facility will be
19  periodically reported to the Federal Energy
20  Regulatory Commission and to purchasers in
21  accordance with applicable laws governing
22  cost-based wholesale power contracts;
23  (iv) permit the Illinois Power Agency to
24  assume ownership of the initial clean coal
25  facility, without monetary consideration and
26  otherwise on reasonable terms acceptable to the

 

 

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1  Agency, if the Agency so requests no less than 3
2  years prior to the end of the stated contract
3  term;
4  (v) require the owner of the initial clean
5  coal facility to provide documentation to the
6  Commission each year, starting in the facility's
7  first year of commercial operation, accurately
8  reporting the quantity of carbon emissions from
9  the facility that have been captured and
10  sequestered and report any quantities of carbon
11  released from the site or sites at which carbon
12  emissions were sequestered in prior years, based
13  on continuous monitoring of such sites. If, in any
14  year after the first year of commercial operation,
15  the owner of the facility fails to demonstrate
16  that the initial clean coal facility captured and
17  sequestered at least 50% of the total carbon
18  emissions that the facility would otherwise emit
19  or that sequestration of emissions from prior
20  years has failed, resulting in the release of
21  carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, the owner of
22  the facility must offset excess emissions. Any
23  such carbon offsets must be permanent, additional,
24  verifiable, real, located within the State of
25  Illinois, and legally and practicably enforceable.
26  The cost of such offsets for the facility that are

 

 

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1  not recoverable shall not exceed $15 million in
2  any given year. No costs of any such purchases of
3  carbon offsets may be recovered from a utility or
4  its customers. All carbon offsets purchased for
5  this purpose and any carbon emission credits
6  associated with sequestration of carbon from the
7  facility must be permanently retired. The initial
8  clean coal facility shall not forfeit its
9  designation as a clean coal facility if the
10  facility fails to fully comply with the applicable
11  carbon sequestration requirements in any given
12  year, provided the requisite offsets are
13  purchased. However, the Attorney General, on
14  behalf of the People of the State of Illinois, may
15  specifically enforce the facility's sequestration
16  requirement and the other terms of this contract
17  provision. Compliance with the sequestration
18  requirements and offset purchase requirements
19  specified in paragraph (3) of this subsection (d)
20  shall be reviewed annually by an independent
21  expert retained by the owner of the initial clean
22  coal facility, with the advance written approval
23  of the Attorney General. The Commission may, in
24  the course of the review specified in item (vii),
25  reduce the allowable return on equity for the
26  facility if the facility willfully fails to comply

 

 

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1  with the carbon capture and sequestration
2  requirements set forth in this item (v);
3  (vi) include limits on, and accordingly
4  provide for modification of, the amount the
5  utility is required to source under the sourcing
6  agreement consistent with paragraph (2) of this
7  subsection (d);
8  (vii) require Commission review: (1) to
9  determine the justness, reasonableness, and
10  prudence of the inputs to the formula referenced
11  in subparagraphs (A)(i) through (A)(iii) of
12  paragraph (3) of this subsection (d), prior to an
13  adjustment in those inputs including, without
14  limitation, the capital structure and return on
15  equity, fuel costs, and other operations and
16  maintenance costs and (2) to approve the costs to
17  be passed through to customers under the sourcing
18  agreement by which the utility satisfies its
19  statutory obligations. Commission review shall
20  occur no less than every 3 years, regardless of
21  whether any adjustments have been proposed, and
22  shall be completed within 9 months;
23  (viii) limit the utility's obligation to such
24  amount as the utility is allowed to recover
25  through tariffs filed with the Commission,
26  provided that neither the clean coal facility nor

 

 

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1  the utility waives any right to assert federal
2  pre-emption or any other argument in response to a
3  purported disallowance of recovery costs;
4  (ix) limit the utility's or alternative retail
5  electric supplier's obligation to incur any
6  liability until such time as the facility is in
7  commercial operation and generating power and
8  energy and such power and energy is being
9  delivered to the facility busbar;
10  (x) provide that the owner or owners of the
11  initial clean coal facility, which is the
12  counterparty to such sourcing agreement, shall
13  have the right from time to time to elect whether
14  the obligations of the utility party thereto shall
15  be governed by the power purchase provisions or
16  the contract for differences provisions;
17  (xi) append documentation showing that the
18  formula rate and contract, insofar as they relate
19  to the power purchase provisions, have been
20  approved by the Federal Energy Regulatory
21  Commission pursuant to Section 205 of the Federal
22  Power Act;
23  (xii) provide that any changes to the terms of
24  the contract, insofar as such changes relate to
25  the power purchase provisions, are subject to
26  review under the public interest standard applied

 

 

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1  by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
2  pursuant to Sections 205 and 206 of the Federal
3  Power Act; and
4  (xiii) conform with customary lender
5  requirements in power purchase agreements used as
6  the basis for financing non-utility generators.
7  (4) Effective date of sourcing agreements with the
8  initial clean coal facility. Any proposed sourcing
9  agreement with the initial clean coal facility shall not
10  become effective unless the following reports are prepared
11  and submitted and authorizations and approvals obtained:
12  (i) Facility cost report. The owner of the initial
13  clean coal facility shall submit to the Commission,
14  the Agency, and the General Assembly a front-end
15  engineering and design study, a facility cost report,
16  method of financing (including but not limited to
17  structure and associated costs), and an operating and
18  maintenance cost quote for the facility (collectively
19  "facility cost report"), which shall be prepared in
20  accordance with the requirements of this paragraph (4)
21  of subsection (d) of this Section, and shall provide
22  the Commission and the Agency access to the work
23  papers, relied upon documents, and any other backup
24  documentation related to the facility cost report.
25  (ii) Commission report. Within 6 months following
26  receipt of the facility cost report, the Commission,

 

 

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1  in consultation with the Agency, shall submit a report
2  to the General Assembly setting forth its analysis of
3  the facility cost report. Such report shall include,
4  but not be limited to, a comparison of the costs
5  associated with electricity generated by the initial
6  clean coal facility to the costs associated with
7  electricity generated by other types of generation
8  facilities, an analysis of the rate impacts on
9  residential and small business customers over the life
10  of the sourcing agreements, and an analysis of the
11  likelihood that the initial clean coal facility will
12  commence commercial operation by and be delivering
13  power to the facility's busbar by 2016. To assist in
14  the preparation of its report, the Commission, in
15  consultation with the Agency, may hire one or more
16  experts or consultants, the costs of which shall be
17  paid for by the owner of the initial clean coal
18  facility. The Commission and Agency may begin the
19  process of selecting such experts or consultants prior
20  to receipt of the facility cost report.
21  (iii) General Assembly approval. The proposed
22  sourcing agreements shall not take effect unless,
23  based on the facility cost report and the Commission's
24  report, the General Assembly enacts authorizing
25  legislation approving (A) the projected price, stated
26  in cents per kilowatthour, to be charged for

 

 

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1  electricity generated by the initial clean coal
2  facility, (B) the projected impact on residential and
3  small business customers' bills over the life of the
4  sourcing agreements, and (C) the maximum allowable
5  return on equity for the project; and
6  (iv) Commission review. If the General Assembly
7  enacts authorizing legislation pursuant to
8  subparagraph (iii) approving a sourcing agreement, the
9  Commission shall, within 90 days of such enactment,
10  complete a review of such sourcing agreement. During
11  such time period, the Commission shall implement any
12  directive of the General Assembly, resolve any
13  disputes between the parties to the sourcing agreement
14  concerning the terms of such agreement, approve the
15  form of such agreement, and issue an order finding
16  that the sourcing agreement is prudent and reasonable.
17  The facility cost report shall be prepared as follows:
18  (A) The facility cost report shall be prepared by
19  duly licensed engineering and construction firms
20  detailing the estimated capital costs payable to one
21  or more contractors or suppliers for the engineering,
22  procurement and construction of the components
23  comprising the initial clean coal facility and the
24  estimated costs of operation and maintenance of the
25  facility. The facility cost report shall include:
26  (i) an estimate of the capital cost of the

 

 

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1  core plant based on one or more front end
2  engineering and design studies for the
3  gasification island and related facilities. The
4  core plant shall include all civil, structural,
5  mechanical, electrical, control, and safety
6  systems.
7  (ii) an estimate of the capital cost of the
8  balance of the plant, including any capital costs
9  associated with sequestration of carbon dioxide
10  emissions and all interconnects and interfaces
11  required to operate the facility, such as
12  transmission of electricity, construction or
13  backfeed power supply, pipelines to transport
14  substitute natural gas or carbon dioxide, potable
15  water supply, natural gas supply, water supply,
16  water discharge, landfill, access roads, and coal
17  delivery.
18  The quoted construction costs shall be expressed
19  in nominal dollars as of the date that the quote is
20  prepared and shall include capitalized financing costs
21  during construction, taxes, insurance, and other
22  owner's costs, and an assumed escalation in materials
23  and labor beyond the date as of which the construction
24  cost quote is expressed.
25  (B) The front end engineering and design study for
26  the gasification island and the cost study for the

 

 

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1  balance of plant shall include sufficient design work
2  to permit quantification of major categories of
3  materials, commodities and labor hours, and receipt of
4  quotes from vendors of major equipment required to
5  construct and operate the clean coal facility.
6  (C) The facility cost report shall also include an
7  operating and maintenance cost quote that will provide
8  the estimated cost of delivered fuel, personnel,
9  maintenance contracts, chemicals, catalysts,
10  consumables, spares, and other fixed and variable
11  operations and maintenance costs. The delivered fuel
12  cost estimate will be provided by a recognized third
13  party expert or experts in the fuel and transportation
14  industries. The balance of the operating and
15  maintenance cost quote, excluding delivered fuel
16  costs, will be developed based on the inputs provided
17  by duly licensed engineering and construction firms
18  performing the construction cost quote, potential
19  vendors under long-term service agreements and plant
20  operating agreements, or recognized third party plant
21  operator or operators.
22  The operating and maintenance cost quote
23  (including the cost of the front end engineering and
24  design study) shall be expressed in nominal dollars as
25  of the date that the quote is prepared and shall
26  include taxes, insurance, and other owner's costs, and

 

 

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1  an assumed escalation in materials and labor beyond
2  the date as of which the operating and maintenance
3  cost quote is expressed.
4  (D) The facility cost report shall also include an
5  analysis of the initial clean coal facility's ability
6  to deliver power and energy into the applicable
7  regional transmission organization markets and an
8  analysis of the expected capacity factor for the
9  initial clean coal facility.
10  (E) Amounts paid to third parties unrelated to the
11  owner or owners of the initial clean coal facility to
12  prepare the core plant construction cost quote,
13  including the front end engineering and design study,
14  and the operating and maintenance cost quote will be
15  reimbursed through Coal Development Bonds.
16  (5) Re-powering and retrofitting coal-fired power
17  plants previously owned by Illinois utilities to qualify
18  as clean coal facilities. During the 2009 procurement
19  planning process and thereafter, the Agency and the
20  Commission shall consider sourcing agreements covering
21  electricity generated by power plants that were previously
22  owned by Illinois utilities and that have been or will be
23  converted into clean coal facilities, as defined by
24  Section 1-10 of this Act. Pursuant to such procurement
25  planning process, the owners of such facilities may
26  propose to the Agency sourcing agreements with utilities

 

 

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1  and alternative retail electric suppliers required to
2  comply with subsection (d) of this Section and item (5) of
3  subsection (d) of Section 16-115 of the Public Utilities
4  Act, covering electricity generated by such facilities. In
5  the case of sourcing agreements that are power purchase
6  agreements, the contract price for electricity sales shall
7  be established on a cost of service basis. In the case of
8  sourcing agreements that are contracts for differences,
9  the contract price from which the reference price is
10  subtracted shall be established on a cost of service
11  basis. The Agency and the Commission may approve any such
12  utility sourcing agreements that do not exceed cost-based
13  benchmarks developed by the procurement administrator, in
14  consultation with the Commission staff, Agency staff and
15  the procurement monitor, subject to Commission review and
16  approval. The Commission shall have authority to inspect
17  all books and records associated with these clean coal
18  facilities during the term of any such contract.
19  (6) Costs incurred under this subsection (d) or
20  pursuant to a contract entered into under this subsection
21  (d) shall be deemed prudently incurred and reasonable in
22  amount and the electric utility shall be entitled to full
23  cost recovery pursuant to the tariffs filed with the
24  Commission.
25  (d-5) Zero emission standard.
26  (1) Beginning with the delivery year commencing on

 

 

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1  June 1, 2017, the Agency shall, for electric utilities
2  that serve at least 100,000 retail customers in this
3  State, procure contracts with zero emission facilities
4  that are reasonably capable of generating cost-effective
5  zero emission credits in an amount approximately equal to
6  16% of the actual amount of electricity delivered by each
7  electric utility to retail customers in the State during
8  calendar year 2014. For an electric utility serving fewer
9  than 100,000 retail customers in this State that
10  requested, under Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities
11  Act, that the Agency procure power and energy for all or a
12  portion of the utility's Illinois load for the delivery
13  year commencing June 1, 2016, the Agency shall procure
14  contracts with zero emission facilities that are
15  reasonably capable of generating cost-effective zero
16  emission credits in an amount approximately equal to 16%
17  of the portion of power and energy to be procured by the
18  Agency for the utility. The duration of the contracts
19  procured under this subsection (d-5) shall be for a term
20  of 10 years ending May 31, 2027. The quantity of zero
21  emission credits to be procured under the contracts shall
22  be all of the zero emission credits generated by the zero
23  emission facility in each delivery year; however, if the
24  zero emission facility is owned by more than one entity,
25  then the quantity of zero emission credits to be procured
26  under the contracts shall be the amount of zero emission

 

 

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1  credits that are generated from the portion of the zero
2  emission facility that is owned by the winning supplier.
3  The 16% value identified in this paragraph (1) is the
4  average of the percentage targets in subparagraph (B) of
5  paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of this Section for the 5
6  delivery years beginning June 1, 2017.
7  The procurement process shall be subject to the
8  following provisions:
9  (A) Those zero emission facilities that intend to
10  participate in the procurement shall submit to the
11  Agency the following eligibility information for each
12  zero emission facility on or before the date
13  established by the Agency:
14  (i) the in-service date and remaining useful
15  life of the zero emission facility;
16  (ii) the amount of power generated annually
17  for each of the years 2005 through 2015, and the
18  projected zero emission credits to be generated
19  over the remaining useful life of the zero
20  emission facility, which shall be used to
21  determine the capability of each facility;
22  (iii) the annual zero emission facility cost
23  projections, expressed on a per megawatthour
24  basis, over the next 6 delivery years, which shall
25  include the following: operation and maintenance
26  expenses; fully allocated overhead costs, which

 

 

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1  shall be allocated using the methodology developed
2  by the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations;
3  fuel expenditures; non-fuel capital expenditures;
4  spent fuel expenditures; a return on working
5  capital; the cost of operational and market risks
6  that could be avoided by ceasing operation; and
7  any other costs necessary for continued
8  operations, provided that "necessary" means, for
9  purposes of this item (iii), that the costs could
10  reasonably be avoided only by ceasing operations
11  of the zero emission facility; and
12  (iv) a commitment to continue operating, for
13  the duration of the contract or contracts executed
14  under the procurement held under this subsection
15  (d-5), the zero emission facility that produces
16  the zero emission credits to be procured in the
17  procurement.
18  The information described in item (iii) of this
19  subparagraph (A) may be submitted on a confidential
20  basis and shall be treated and maintained by the
21  Agency, the procurement administrator, and the
22  Commission as confidential and proprietary and exempt
23  from disclosure under subparagraphs (a) and (g) of
24  paragraph (1) of Section 7 of the Freedom of
25  Information Act. The Office of Attorney General shall
26  have access to, and maintain the confidentiality of,

 

 

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1  such information pursuant to Section 6.5 of the
2  Attorney General Act.
3  (B) The price for each zero emission credit
4  procured under this subsection (d-5) for each delivery
5  year shall be in an amount that equals the Social Cost
6  of Carbon, expressed on a price per megawatthour
7  basis. However, to ensure that the procurement remains
8  affordable to retail customers in this State if
9  electricity prices increase, the price in an
10  applicable delivery year shall be reduced below the
11  Social Cost of Carbon by the amount ("Price
12  Adjustment") by which the market price index for the
13  applicable delivery year exceeds the baseline market
14  price index for the consecutive 12-month period ending
15  May 31, 2016. If the Price Adjustment is greater than
16  or equal to the Social Cost of Carbon in an applicable
17  delivery year, then no payments shall be due in that
18  delivery year. The components of this calculation are
19  defined as follows:
20  (i) Social Cost of Carbon: The Social Cost of
21  Carbon is $16.50 per megawatthour, which is based
22  on the U.S. Interagency Working Group on Social
23  Cost of Carbon's price in the August 2016
24  Technical Update using a 3% discount rate,
25  adjusted for inflation for each year of the
26  program. Beginning with the delivery year

 

 

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1  commencing June 1, 2023, the price per
2  megawatthour shall increase by $1 per
3  megawatthour, and continue to increase by an
4  additional $1 per megawatthour each delivery year
5  thereafter.
6  (ii) Baseline market price index: The baseline
7  market price index for the consecutive 12-month
8  period ending May 31, 2016 is $31.40 per
9  megawatthour, which is based on the sum of (aa)
10  the average day-ahead energy price across all
11  hours of such 12-month period at the PJM
12  Interconnection LLC Northern Illinois Hub, (bb)
13  50% multiplied by the Base Residual Auction, or
14  its successor, capacity price for the rest of the
15  RTO zone group determined by PJM Interconnection
16  LLC, divided by 24 hours per day, and (cc) 50%
17  multiplied by the Planning Resource Auction, or
18  its successor, capacity price for Zone 4
19  determined by the Midcontinent Independent System
20  Operator, Inc., divided by 24 hours per day.
21  (iii) Market price index: The market price
22  index for a delivery year shall be the sum of
23  projected energy prices and projected capacity
24  prices determined as follows:
25  (aa) Projected energy prices: the
26  projected energy prices for the applicable

 

 

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1  delivery year shall be calculated once for the
2  year using the forward market price for the
3  PJM Interconnection, LLC Northern Illinois
4  Hub. The forward market price shall be
5  calculated as follows: the energy forward
6  prices for each month of the applicable
7  delivery year averaged for each trade date
8  during the calendar year immediately preceding
9  that delivery year to produce a single energy
10  forward price for the delivery year. The
11  forward market price calculation shall use
12  data published by the Intercontinental
13  Exchange, or its successor.
14  (bb) Projected capacity prices:
15  (I) For the delivery years commencing
16  June 1, 2017, June 1, 2018, and June 1,
17  2019, the projected capacity price shall
18  be equal to the sum of (1) 50% multiplied
19  by the Base Residual Auction, or its
20  successor, price for the rest of the RTO
21  zone group as determined by PJM
22  Interconnection LLC, divided by 24 hours
23  per day and, (2) 50% multiplied by the
24  resource auction price determined in the
25  resource auction administered by the
26  Midcontinent Independent System Operator,

 

 

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1  Inc., in which the largest percentage of
2  load cleared for Local Resource Zone 4,
3  divided by 24 hours per day, and where
4  such price is determined by the
5  Midcontinent Independent System Operator,
6  Inc.
7  (II) For the delivery year commencing
8  June 1, 2020, and each year thereafter,
9  the projected capacity price shall be
10  equal to the sum of (1) 50% multiplied by
11  the Base Residual Auction, or its
12  successor, price for the ComEd zone as
13  determined by PJM Interconnection LLC,
14  divided by 24 hours per day, and (2) 50%
15  multiplied by the resource auction price
16  determined in the resource auction
17  administered by the Midcontinent
18  Independent System Operator, Inc., in
19  which the largest percentage of load
20  cleared for Local Resource Zone 4, divided
21  by 24 hours per day, and where such price
22  is determined by the Midcontinent
23  Independent System Operator, Inc.
24  For purposes of this subsection (d-5):
25  "Rest of the RTO" and "ComEd Zone" shall have
26  the meaning ascribed to them by PJM

 

 

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1  Interconnection, LLC.
2  "RTO" means regional transmission
3  organization.
4  (C) No later than 45 days after June 1, 2017 (the
5  effective date of Public Act 99-906), the Agency shall
6  publish its proposed zero emission standard
7  procurement plan. The plan shall be consistent with
8  the provisions of this paragraph (1) and shall provide
9  that winning bids shall be selected based on public
10  interest criteria that include, but are not limited
11  to, minimizing carbon dioxide emissions that result
12  from electricity consumed in Illinois and minimizing
13  sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter
14  emissions that adversely affect the citizens of this
15  State. In particular, the selection of winning bids
16  shall take into account the incremental environmental
17  benefits resulting from the procurement, such as any
18  existing environmental benefits that are preserved by
19  the procurements held under Public Act 99-906 and
20  would cease to exist if the procurements were not
21  held, including the preservation of zero emission
22  facilities. The plan shall also describe in detail how
23  each public interest factor shall be considered and
24  weighted in the bid selection process to ensure that
25  the public interest criteria are applied to the
26  procurement and given full effect.

 

 

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1  For purposes of developing the plan, the Agency
2  shall consider any reports issued by a State agency,
3  board, or commission under House Resolution 1146 of
4  the 98th General Assembly and paragraph (4) of
5  subsection (d) of this Section, as well as publicly
6  available analyses and studies performed by or for
7  regional transmission organizations that serve the
8  State and their independent market monitors.
9  Upon publishing of the zero emission standard
10  procurement plan, copies of the plan shall be posted
11  and made publicly available on the Agency's website.
12  All interested parties shall have 10 days following
13  the date of posting to provide comment to the Agency on
14  the plan. All comments shall be posted to the Agency's
15  website. Following the end of the comment period, but
16  no more than 60 days later than June 1, 2017 (the
17  effective date of Public Act 99-906), the Agency shall
18  revise the plan as necessary based on the comments
19  received and file its zero emission standard
20  procurement plan with the Commission.
21  If the Commission determines that the plan will
22  result in the procurement of cost-effective zero
23  emission credits, then the Commission shall, after
24  notice and hearing, but no later than 45 days after the
25  Agency filed the plan, approve the plan or approve
26  with modification. For purposes of this subsection

 

 

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1  (d-5), "cost effective" means the projected costs of
2  procuring zero emission credits from zero emission
3  facilities do not cause the limit stated in paragraph
4  (2) of this subsection to be exceeded.
5  (C-5) As part of the Commission's review and
6  acceptance or rejection of the procurement results,
7  the Commission shall, in its public notice of
8  successful bidders:
9  (i) identify how the winning bids satisfy the
10  public interest criteria described in subparagraph
11  (C) of this paragraph (1) of minimizing carbon
12  dioxide emissions that result from electricity
13  consumed in Illinois and minimizing sulfur
14  dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter
15  emissions that adversely affect the citizens of
16  this State;
17  (ii) specifically address how the selection of
18  winning bids takes into account the incremental
19  environmental benefits resulting from the
20  procurement, including any existing environmental
21  benefits that are preserved by the procurements
22  held under Public Act 99-906 and would have ceased
23  to exist if the procurements had not been held,
24  such as the preservation of zero emission
25  facilities;
26  (iii) quantify the environmental benefit of

 

 

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1  preserving the resources identified in item (ii)
2  of this subparagraph (C-5), including the
3  following:
4  (aa) the value of avoided greenhouse gas
5  emissions measured as the product of the zero
6  emission facilities' output over the contract
7  term multiplied by the U.S. Environmental
8  Protection Agency eGrid subregion carbon
9  dioxide emission rate and the U.S. Interagency
10  Working Group on Social Cost of Carbon's price
11  in the August 2016 Technical Update using a 3%
12  discount rate, adjusted for inflation for each
13  delivery year; and
14  (bb) the costs of replacement with other
15  zero carbon dioxide resources, including wind
16  and photovoltaic, based upon the simple
17  average of the following:
18  (I) the price, or if there is more
19  than one price, the average of the prices,
20  paid for renewable energy credits from new
21  utility-scale wind projects in the
22  procurement events specified in item (i)
23  of subparagraph (G) of paragraph (1) of
24  subsection (c) of this Section; and
25  (II) the price, or if there is more
26  than one price, the average of the prices,

 

 

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1  paid for renewable energy credits from new
2  utility-scale solar projects and
3  brownfield site photovoltaic projects in
4  the procurement events specified in item
5  (ii) of subparagraph (G) of paragraph (1)
6  of subsection (c) of this Section and,
7  after January 1, 2015, renewable energy
8  credits from photovoltaic distributed
9  generation projects in procurement events
10  held under subsection (c) of this Section.
11  Each utility shall enter into binding contractual
12  arrangements with the winning suppliers.
13  The procurement described in this subsection
14  (d-5), including, but not limited to, the execution of
15  all contracts procured, shall be completed no later
16  than May 10, 2017. Based on the effective date of
17  Public Act 99-906, the Agency and Commission may, as
18  appropriate, modify the various dates and timelines
19  under this subparagraph and subparagraphs (C) and (D)
20  of this paragraph (1). The procurement and plan
21  approval processes required by this subsection (d-5)
22  shall be conducted in conjunction with the procurement
23  and plan approval processes required by subsection (c)
24  of this Section and Section 16-111.5 of the Public
25  Utilities Act, to the extent practicable.
26  Notwithstanding whether a procurement event is

 

 

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1  conducted under Section 16-111.5 of the Public
2  Utilities Act, the Agency shall immediately initiate a
3  procurement process on June 1, 2017 (the effective
4  date of Public Act 99-906).
5  (D) Following the procurement event described in
6  this paragraph (1) and consistent with subparagraph
7  (B) of this paragraph (1), the Agency shall calculate
8  the payments to be made under each contract for the
9  next delivery year based on the market price index for
10  that delivery year. The Agency shall publish the
11  payment calculations no later than May 25, 2017 and
12  every May 25 thereafter.
13  (E) Notwithstanding the requirements of this
14  subsection (d-5), the contracts executed under this
15  subsection (d-5) shall provide that the zero emission
16  facility may, as applicable, suspend or terminate
17  performance under the contracts in the following
18  instances:
19  (i) A zero emission facility shall be excused
20  from its performance under the contract for any
21  cause beyond the control of the resource,
22  including, but not restricted to, acts of God,
23  flood, drought, earthquake, storm, fire,
24  lightning, epidemic, war, riot, civil disturbance
25  or disobedience, labor dispute, labor or material
26  shortage, sabotage, acts of public enemy,

 

 

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1  explosions, orders, regulations or restrictions
2  imposed by governmental, military, or lawfully
3  established civilian authorities, which, in any of
4  the foregoing cases, by exercise of commercially
5  reasonable efforts the zero emission facility
6  could not reasonably have been expected to avoid,
7  and which, by the exercise of commercially
8  reasonable efforts, it has been unable to
9  overcome. In such event, the zero emission
10  facility shall be excused from performance for the
11  duration of the event, including, but not limited
12  to, delivery of zero emission credits, and no
13  payment shall be due to the zero emission facility
14  during the duration of the event.
15  (ii) A zero emission facility shall be
16  permitted to terminate the contract if legislation
17  is enacted into law by the General Assembly that
18  imposes or authorizes a new tax, special
19  assessment, or fee on the generation of
20  electricity, the ownership or leasehold of a
21  generating unit, or the privilege or occupation of
22  such generation, ownership, or leasehold of
23  generation units by a zero emission facility.
24  However, the provisions of this item (ii) do not
25  apply to any generally applicable tax, special
26  assessment or fee, or requirements imposed by

 

 

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1  federal law.
2  (iii) A zero emission facility shall be
3  permitted to terminate the contract in the event
4  that the resource requires capital expenditures in
5  excess of $40,000,000 that were neither known nor
6  reasonably foreseeable at the time it executed the
7  contract and that a prudent owner or operator of
8  such resource would not undertake.
9  (iv) A zero emission facility shall be
10  permitted to terminate the contract in the event
11  the Nuclear Regulatory Commission terminates the
12  resource's license.
13  (F) If the zero emission facility elects to
14  terminate a contract under subparagraph (E) of this
15  paragraph (1), then the Commission shall reopen the
16  docket in which the Commission approved the zero
17  emission standard procurement plan under subparagraph
18  (C) of this paragraph (1) and, after notice and
19  hearing, enter an order acknowledging the contract
20  termination election if such termination is consistent
21  with the provisions of this subsection (d-5).
22  (2) For purposes of this subsection (d-5), the amount
23  paid per kilowatthour means the total amount paid for
24  electric service expressed on a per kilowatthour basis.
25  For purposes of this subsection (d-5), the total amount
26  paid for electric service includes, without limitation,

 

 

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1  amounts paid for supply, transmission, distribution,
2  surcharges, and add-on taxes.
3  Notwithstanding the requirements of this subsection
4  (d-5), the contracts executed under this subsection (d-5)
5  shall provide that the total of zero emission credits
6  procured under a procurement plan shall be subject to the
7  limitations of this paragraph (2). For each delivery year,
8  the contractual volume receiving payments in such year
9  shall be reduced for all retail customers based on the
10  amount necessary to limit the net increase that delivery
11  year to the costs of those credits included in the amounts
12  paid by eligible retail customers in connection with
13  electric service to no more than 1.65% of the amount paid
14  per kilowatthour by eligible retail customers during the
15  year ending May 31, 2009. The result of this computation
16  shall apply to and reduce the procurement for all retail
17  customers, and all those customers shall pay the same
18  single, uniform cents per kilowatthour charge under
19  subsection (k) of Section 16-108 of the Public Utilities
20  Act. To arrive at a maximum dollar amount of zero emission
21  credits to be paid for the particular delivery year, the
22  resulting per kilowatthour amount shall be applied to the
23  actual amount of kilowatthours of electricity delivered by
24  the electric utility in the delivery year immediately
25  prior to the procurement, to all retail customers in its
26  service territory. Unpaid contractual volume for any

 

 

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1  delivery year shall be paid in any subsequent delivery
2  year in which such payments can be made without exceeding
3  the amount specified in this paragraph (2). The
4  calculations required by this paragraph (2) shall be made
5  only once for each procurement plan year. Once the
6  determination as to the amount of zero emission credits to
7  be paid is made based on the calculations set forth in this
8  paragraph (2), no subsequent rate impact determinations
9  shall be made and no adjustments to those contract amounts
10  shall be allowed. All costs incurred under those contracts
11  and in implementing this subsection (d-5) shall be
12  recovered by the electric utility as provided in this
13  Section.
14  No later than June 30, 2019, the Commission shall
15  review the limitation on the amount of zero emission
16  credits procured under this subsection (d-5) and report to
17  the General Assembly its findings as to whether that
18  limitation unduly constrains the procurement of
19  cost-effective zero emission credits.
20  (3) Six years after the execution of a contract under
21  this subsection (d-5), the Agency shall determine whether
22  the actual zero emission credit payments received by the
23  supplier over the 6-year period exceed the Average ZEC
24  Payment. In addition, at the end of the term of a contract
25  executed under this subsection (d-5), or at the time, if
26  any, a zero emission facility's contract is terminated

 

 

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1  under subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of this subsection
2  (d-5), then the Agency shall determine whether the actual
3  zero emission credit payments received by the supplier
4  over the term of the contract exceed the Average ZEC
5  Payment, after taking into account any amounts previously
6  credited back to the utility under this paragraph (3). If
7  the Agency determines that the actual zero emission credit
8  payments received by the supplier over the relevant period
9  exceed the Average ZEC Payment, then the supplier shall
10  credit the difference back to the utility. The amount of
11  the credit shall be remitted to the applicable electric
12  utility no later than 120 days after the Agency's
13  determination, which the utility shall reflect as a credit
14  on its retail customer bills as soon as practicable;
15  however, the credit remitted to the utility shall not
16  exceed the total amount of payments received by the
17  facility under its contract.
18  For purposes of this Section, the Average ZEC Payment
19  shall be calculated by multiplying the quantity of zero
20  emission credits delivered under the contract times the
21  average contract price. The average contract price shall
22  be determined by subtracting the amount calculated under
23  subparagraph (B) of this paragraph (3) from the amount
24  calculated under subparagraph (A) of this paragraph (3),
25  as follows:
26  (A) The average of the Social Cost of Carbon, as

 

 

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1  defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this
2  subsection (d-5), during the term of the contract.
3  (B) The average of the market price indices, as
4  defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this
5  subsection (d-5), during the term of the contract,
6  minus the baseline market price index, as defined in
7  subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of this subsection
8  (d-5).
9  If the subtraction yields a negative number, then the
10  Average ZEC Payment shall be zero.
11  (4) Cost-effective zero emission credits procured from
12  zero emission facilities shall satisfy the applicable
13  definitions set forth in Section 1-10 of this Act.
14  (5) The electric utility shall retire all zero
15  emission credits used to comply with the requirements of
16  this subsection (d-5).
17  (6) Electric utilities shall be entitled to recover
18  all of the costs associated with the procurement of zero
19  emission credits through an automatic adjustment clause
20  tariff in accordance with subsection (k) and (m) of
21  Section 16-108 of the Public Utilities Act, and the
22  contracts executed under this subsection (d-5) shall
23  provide that the utilities' payment obligations under such
24  contracts shall be reduced if an adjustment is required
25  under subsection (m) of Section 16-108 of the Public
26  Utilities Act.

 

 

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1  (7) This subsection (d-5) shall become inoperative on
2  January 1, 2028.
3  (d-10) Nuclear Plant Assistance; carbon mitigation
4  credits.
5  (1) The General Assembly finds:
6  (A) The health, welfare, and prosperity of all
7  Illinois citizens require that the State of Illinois act
8  to avoid and not increase carbon emissions from electric
9  generation sources while continuing to ensure affordable,
10  stable, and reliable electricity to all citizens.
11  (B) Absent immediate action by the State to preserve
12  existing carbon-free energy resources, those resources may
13  retire, and the electric generation needs of Illinois'
14  retail customers may be met instead by facilities that
15  emit significant amounts of carbon pollution and other
16  harmful air pollutants at a high social and economic cost
17  until Illinois is able to develop other forms of clean
18  energy.
19  (C) The General Assembly finds that nuclear power
20  generation is necessary for the State's transition to 100%
21  clean energy, and ensuring continued operation of nuclear
22  plants advances environmental and public health interests
23  through providing carbon-free electricity while reducing
24  the air pollution profile of the Illinois energy
25  generation fleet.
26  (D) The clean energy attributes of nuclear generation

 

 

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1  facilities support the State in its efforts to achieve
2  100% clean energy.
3  (E) The State currently invests in various forms of
4  clean energy, including, but not limited to, renewable
5  energy, energy efficiency, and low-emission vehicles,
6  among others.
7  (F) The Environmental Protection Agency commissioned
8  an independent audit which provided a detailed assessment
9  of the financial condition of the Illinois nuclear fleet
10  to evaluate its financial viability and whether the
11  environmental benefits of such resources were at risk. The
12  report identified the risk of losing the environmental
13  benefits of several specific nuclear units. The report
14  also identified that the LaSalle County Generating Station
15  will continue to operate through 2026 and therefore is not
16  eligible to participate in the carbon mitigation credit
17  program.
18  (G) Nuclear plants provide carbon-free energy, which
19  helps to avoid many health-related negative impacts for
20  Illinois residents.
21  (H) The procurement of carbon mitigation credits
22  representing the environmental benefits of carbon-free
23  generation will further the State's efforts at achieving
24  100% clean energy and decarbonizing the electricity sector
25  in a safe, reliable, and affordable manner. Further, the
26  procurement of carbon emission credits will enhance the

 

 

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1  health and welfare of Illinois residents through decreased
2  reliance on more highly polluting generation.
3  (I) The General Assembly therefore finds it necessary
4  to establish carbon mitigation credits to ensure decreased
5  reliance on more carbon-intensive energy resources, for
6  transitioning to a fully decarbonized electricity sector,
7  and to help ensure health and welfare of the State's
8  residents.
9  (2) As used in this subsection:
10  "Baseline costs" means costs used to establish a customer
11  protection cap that have been evaluated through an independent
12  audit of a carbon-free energy resource conducted by the
13  Environmental Protection Agency that evaluated projected
14  annual costs for operation and maintenance expenses; fully
15  allocated overhead costs, which shall be allocated using the
16  methodology developed by the Institute for Nuclear Power
17  Operations; fuel expenditures; nonfuel capital expenditures;
18  spent fuel expenditures; a return on working capital; the cost
19  of operational and market risks that could be avoided by
20  ceasing operation; and any other costs necessary for continued
21  operations, provided that "necessary" means, for purposes of
22  this definition, that the costs could reasonably be avoided
23  only by ceasing operations of the carbon-free energy resource.
24  "Carbon mitigation credit" means a tradable credit that
25  represents the carbon emission reduction attributes of one
26  megawatt-hour of energy produced from a carbon-free energy

 

 

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1  resource.
2  "Carbon-free energy resource" means a generation facility
3  that: (1) is fueled by nuclear power; and (2) is
4  interconnected to PJM Interconnection, LLC.
5  (3) Procurement.
6  (A) Beginning with the delivery year commencing on
7  June 1, 2022, the Agency shall, for electric utilities
8  serving at least 3,000,000 retail customers in the State,
9  seek to procure contracts for no more than approximately
10  54,500,000 cost-effective carbon mitigation credits from
11  carbon-free energy resources because such credits are
12  necessary to support current levels of carbon-free energy
13  generation and ensure the State meets its carbon dioxide
14  emissions reduction goals. The Agency shall not make a
15  partial award of a contract for carbon mitigation credits
16  covering a fractional amount of a carbon-free energy
17  resource's projected output.
18  (B) Each carbon-free energy resource that intends to
19  participate in a procurement shall be required to submit
20  to the Agency the following information for the resource
21  on or before the date established by the Agency:
22  (i) the in-service date and remaining useful life
23  of the carbon-free energy resource;
24  (ii) the amount of power generated annually for
25  each of the past 10 years, which shall be used to
26  determine the capability of each facility;

 

 

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1  (iii) a commitment to be reflected in any contract
2  entered into pursuant to this subsection (d-10) to
3  continue operating the carbon-free energy resource at
4  a capacity factor of at least 88% annually on average
5  for the duration of the contract or contracts executed
6  under the procurement held under this subsection
7  (d-10), except in an instance described in
8  subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of subsection (d-5)
9  of this Section or made impracticable as a result of
10  compliance with law or regulation;
11  (iv) financial need and the risk of loss of the
12  environmental benefits of such resource, which shall
13  include the following information:
14  (I) the carbon-free energy resource's cost
15  projections, expressed on a per megawatt-hour
16  basis, over the next 5 delivery years, which shall
17  include the following: operation and maintenance
18  expenses; fully allocated overhead costs, which
19  shall be allocated using the methodology developed
20  by the Institute for Nuclear Power Operations;
21  fuel expenditures; nonfuel capital expenditures;
22  spent fuel expenditures; a return on working
23  capital; the cost of operational and market risks
24  that could be avoided by ceasing operation; and
25  any other costs necessary for continued
26  operations, provided that "necessary" means, for

 

 

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1  purposes of this subitem (I), that the costs could
2  reasonably be avoided only by ceasing operations
3  of the carbon-free energy resource; and
4  (II) the carbon-free energy resource's revenue
5  projections, including energy, capacity, ancillary
6  services, any other direct State support, known or
7  anticipated federal attribute credits, known or
8  anticipated tax credits, and any other direct
9  federal support.
10  The information described in this subparagraph (B) may
11  be submitted on a confidential basis and shall be treated
12  and maintained by the Agency, the procurement
13  administrator, and the Commission as confidential and
14  proprietary and exempt from disclosure under subparagraphs
15  (a) and (g) of paragraph (1) of Section 7 of the Freedom of
16  Information Act. The Office of the Attorney General shall
17  have access to, and maintain the confidentiality of, such
18  information pursuant to Section 6.5 of the Attorney
19  General Act.
20  (C) The Agency shall solicit bids for the contracts
21  described in this subsection (d-10) from carbon-free
22  energy resources that have satisfied the requirements of
23  subparagraph (B) of this paragraph (3). The contracts
24  procured pursuant to a procurement event shall reflect,
25  and be subject to, the following terms, requirements, and
26  limitations:

 

 

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1  (i) Contracts are for delivery of carbon
2  mitigation credits, and are not energy or capacity
3  sales contracts requiring physical delivery. Pursuant
4  to item (iii), contract payments shall fully deduct
5  the value of any monetized federal production tax
6  credits, credits issued pursuant to a federal clean
7  energy standard, and other federal credits if
8  applicable.
9  (ii) Contracts for carbon mitigation credits shall
10  commence with the delivery year beginning on June 1,
11  2022 and shall be for a term of 5 delivery years
12  concluding on May 31, 2027.
13  (iii) The price per carbon mitigation credit to be
14  paid under a contract for a given delivery year shall
15  be equal to an accepted bid price less the sum of:
16  (I) one of the following energy price indices,
17  selected by the bidder at the time of the bid for
18  the term of the contract:
19  (aa) the weighted-average hourly day-ahead
20  price for the applicable delivery year at the
21  busbar of all resources procured pursuant to
22  this subsection (d-10), weighted by actual
23  production from the resources; or
24  (bb) the projected energy price for the
25  PJM Interconnection, LLC Northern Illinois Hub
26  for the applicable delivery year determined

 

 

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1  according to subitem (aa) of item (iii) of
2  subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of
3  subsection (d-5).
4  (II) the Base Residual Auction Capacity Price
5  for the ComEd zone as determined by PJM
6  Interconnection, LLC, divided by 24 hours per day,
7  for the applicable delivery year for the first 3
8  delivery years, and then any subsequent delivery
9  years unless the PJM Interconnection, LLC applies
10  the Minimum Offer Price Rule to participating
11  carbon-free energy resources because they supply
12  carbon mitigation credits pursuant to this Section
13  at which time, upon notice by the carbon-free
14  energy resource to the Commission and subject to
15  the Commission's confirmation, the value under
16  this subitem shall be zero, as further described
17  in the carbon mitigation credit procurement plan;
18  and
19  (III) any value of monetized federal tax
20  credits, direct payments, or similar subsidy
21  provided to the carbon-free energy resource from
22  any unit of government that is not already
23  reflected in energy prices.
24  If the price-per-megawatt-hour calculation
25  performed under item (iii) of this subparagraph (C)
26  for a given delivery year results in a net positive

 

 

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1  value, then the electric utility counterparty to the
2  contract shall multiply such net value by the
3  applicable contract quantity and remit the amount to
4  the supplier.
5  To protect retail customers from retail rate
6  impacts that may arise upon the initiation of carbon
7  policy changes, if the price-per-megawatt-hour
8  calculation performed under item (iii) of this
9  subparagraph (C) for a given delivery year results in
10  a net negative value, then the supplier counterparty
11  to the contract shall multiply such net value by the
12  applicable contract quantity and remit such amount to
13  the electric utility counterparty. The electric
14  utility shall reflect such amounts remitted by
15  suppliers as a credit on its retail customer bills as
16  soon as practicable.
17  (iv) To ensure that retail customers in Northern
18  Illinois do not pay more for carbon mitigation credits
19  than the value such credits provide, and
20  notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection
21  (d-10), the Agency shall not accept bids for contracts
22  that exceed a customer protection cap equal to the
23  baseline costs of carbon-free energy resources.
24  The baseline costs for the applicable year shall
25  be the following:
26  (I) For the delivery year beginning June 1,

 

 

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1  2022, the baseline costs shall be an amount equal
2  to $30.30 per megawatt-hour.
3  (II) For the delivery year beginning June 1,
4  2023, the baseline costs shall be an amount equal
5  to $32.50 per megawatt-hour.
6  (III) For the delivery year beginning June 1,
7  2024, the baseline costs shall be an amount equal
8  to $33.43 per megawatt-hour.
9  (IV) For the delivery year beginning June 1,
10  2025, the baseline costs shall be an amount equal
11  to $33.50 per megawatt-hour.
12  (V) For the delivery year beginning June 1,
13  2026, the baseline costs shall be an amount equal
14  to $34.50 per megawatt-hour.
15  An Environmental Protection Agency consultant
16  forecast, included in a report issued April 14, 2021,
17  projects that a carbon-free energy resource has the
18  opportunity to earn on average approximately $30.28
19  per megawatt-hour, for the sale of energy and capacity
20  during the time period between 2022 and 2027.
21  Therefore, the sale of carbon mitigation credits
22  provides the opportunity to receive an additional
23  amount per megawatt-hour in addition to the projected
24  prices for energy and capacity.
25  Although actual energy and capacity prices may
26  vary from year-to-year, the General Assembly finds

 

 

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1  that this customer protection cap will help ensure
2  that the cost of carbon mitigation credits will be
3  less than its value, based upon the social cost of
4  carbon identified in the Technical Support Document
5  issued in February 2021 by the U.S. Interagency
6  Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases and
7  the PJM Interconnection, LLC carbon dioxide marginal
8  emission rate for 2020, and that a carbon-free energy
9  resource receiving payment for carbon mitigation
10  credits receives no more than necessary to keep those
11  units in operation.
12  (D) No later than 7 days after the effective date of
13  this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the
14  Agency shall publish its proposed carbon mitigation credit
15  procurement plan. The Plan shall provide that winning bids
16  shall be selected by taking into consideration which
17  resources best match public interest criteria that
18  include, but are not limited to, minimizing carbon dioxide
19  emissions that result from electricity consumed in
20  Illinois and minimizing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide,
21  and particulate matter emissions that adversely affect the
22  citizens of this State. The selection of winning bids
23  shall also take into account the incremental environmental
24  benefits resulting from the procurement or procurements,
25  such as any existing environmental benefits that are
26  preserved by a procurement held under this subsection

 

 

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1  (d-10) and would cease to exist if the procurement were
2  not held, including the preservation of carbon-free energy
3  resources. For those bidders having the same public
4  interest criteria score, the relative ranking of such
5  bidders shall be determined by price. The Plan shall
6  describe in detail how each public interest factor shall
7  be considered and weighted in the bid selection process to
8  ensure that the public interest criteria are applied to
9  the procurement. The Plan shall, to the extent practical
10  and permissible by federal law, ensure that successful
11  bidders make commercially reasonable efforts to apply for
12  federal tax credits, direct payments, or similar subsidy
13  programs that support carbon-free generation and for which
14  the successful bidder is eligible. Upon publishing of the
15  carbon mitigation credit procurement plan, copies of the
16  plan shall be posted and made publicly available on the
17  Agency's website. All interested parties shall have 7 days
18  following the date of posting to provide comment to the
19  Agency on the plan. All comments shall be posted to the
20  Agency's website. Following the end of the comment period,
21  but no more than 19 days later than the effective date of
22  this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the
23  Agency shall revise the plan as necessary based on the
24  comments received and file its carbon mitigation credit
25  procurement plan with the Commission.
26  (E) If the Commission determines that the plan is

 

 

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1  likely to result in the procurement of cost-effective
2  carbon mitigation credits, then the Commission shall,
3  after notice and hearing and opportunity for comment, but
4  no later than 42 days after the Agency filed the plan,
5  approve the plan or approve it with modification. For
6  purposes of this subsection (d-10), "cost-effective" means
7  carbon mitigation credits that are procured from
8  carbon-free energy resources at prices that are within the
9  limits specified in this paragraph (3). As part of the
10  Commission's review and acceptance or rejection of the
11  procurement results, the Commission shall, in its public
12  notice of successful bidders:
13  (i) identify how the selected carbon-free energy
14  resources satisfy the public interest criteria
15  described in this paragraph (3) of minimizing carbon
16  dioxide emissions that result from electricity
17  consumed in Illinois and minimizing sulfur dioxide,
18  nitrogen oxide, and particulate matter emissions that
19  adversely affect the citizens of this State;
20  (ii) specifically address how the selection of
21  carbon-free energy resources takes into account the
22  incremental environmental benefits resulting from the
23  procurement, including any existing environmental
24  benefits that are preserved by the procurements held
25  under this amendatory Act of the 102nd General
26  Assembly and would have ceased to exist if the

 

 

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1  procurements had not been held, such as the
2  preservation of carbon-free energy resources;
3  (iii) quantify the environmental benefit of
4  preserving the carbon-free energy resources procured
5  pursuant to this subsection (d-10), including the
6  following:
7  (I) an assessment value of avoided greenhouse
8  gas emissions measured as the product of the
9  carbon-free energy resources' output over the
10  contract term, using generally accepted
11  methodologies for the valuation of avoided
12  emissions; and
13  (II) an assessment of costs of replacement
14  with other carbon-free energy resources and
15  renewable energy resources, including wind and
16  photovoltaic generation, based upon an assessment
17  of the prices paid for renewable energy credits
18  through programs and procurements conducted
19  pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 1-75 of this
20  Act, and the additional storage necessary to
21  produce the same or similar capability of matching
22  customer usage patterns.
23  (F) The procurements described in this paragraph (3),
24  including, but not limited to, the execution of all
25  contracts procured, shall be completed no later than
26  December 3, 2021. The procurement and plan approval

 

 

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1  processes required by this paragraph (3) shall be
2  conducted in conjunction with the procurement and plan
3  approval processes required by Section 16-111.5 of the
4  Public Utilities Act, to the extent practicable. However,
5  the Agency and Commission may, as appropriate, modify the
6  various dates and timelines under this subparagraph and
7  subparagraphs (D) and (E) of this paragraph (3) to meet
8  the December 3, 2021 contract execution deadline.
9  Following the completion of such procurements, and
10  consistent with this paragraph (3), the Agency shall
11  calculate the payments to be made under each contract in a
12  timely fashion.
13  (F-1) Costs incurred by the electric utility pursuant
14  to a contract authorized by this subsection (d-10) shall
15  be deemed prudently incurred and reasonable in amount, and
16  the electric utility shall be entitled to full cost
17  recovery pursuant to a tariff or tariffs filed with the
18  Commission.
19  (G) The counterparty electric utility shall retire all
20  carbon mitigation credits used to comply with the
21  requirements of this subsection (d-10).
22  (H) If a carbon-free energy resource is sold to
23  another owner, the rights, obligations, and commitments
24  under this subsection (d-10) shall continue to the
25  subsequent owner.
26  (I) This subsection (d-10) shall become inoperative on

 

 

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1  January 1, 2028.
2  (e) The draft procurement plans are subject to public
3  comment, as required by Section 16-111.5 of the Public
4  Utilities Act.
5  (f) The Agency shall submit the final procurement plan to
6  the Commission. The Agency shall revise a procurement plan if
7  the Commission determines that it does not meet the standards
8  set forth in Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act.
9  (g) The Agency shall assess fees to each affected utility
10  to recover the costs incurred in preparation of the annual
11  procurement plan for the utility.
12  (h) The Agency shall assess fees to each bidder to recover
13  the costs incurred in connection with a competitive
14  procurement process.
15  (i) A renewable energy credit, carbon emission credit,
16  zero emission credit, or carbon mitigation credit can only be
17  used once to comply with a single portfolio or other standard
18  as set forth in subsection (c), subsection (d), or subsection
19  (d-5) of this Section, respectively. A renewable energy
20  credit, carbon emission credit, zero emission credit, or
21  carbon mitigation credit cannot be used to satisfy the
22  requirements of more than one standard. If more than one type
23  of credit is issued for the same megawatt hour of energy, only
24  one credit can be used to satisfy the requirements of a single
25  standard. After such use, the credit must be retired together
26  with any other credits issued for the same megawatt hour of

 

 

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