104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB3349 Introduced , by Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act Creates the Powering Up Illinois Act. Defines terms. Sets forth findings. Requires an electric utility that operates within the State to (i) upgrade the State's electrical distribution systems as needed and in time to achieve the State's decarbonization goals, and implement federal, State, regional, and local air quality and decarbonization standards, plans, and regulations, (ii) conduct sufficient advance planning, engineering, and construction of increased distribution of system capacity by advance ordering transformers and other needed equipment so that customers can be energized without substantial delay, (iii) promptly energize new customers, including by ensuring that new housing, new businesses, and new charging for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles and off-road vehicles, vessels, trains, and equipment can be used without delay caused by a failure of the utility to implement energization projects, (iv) promptly upgrade service when needed by customers, (v) allow customers seeking energization to choose an optional flexible connection agreement, which shall provide a tariffed, voluntary utility offering that requires customers to agree to specified service levels as a requirement of energization or interconnection through the use of demand response technology that limits the net import and export of electricity at the point of common coupling to remain within the rated capacity limits of a customer's existing service connection or distribution circuit, either on a permanent basis or to allow for immediate project operations before service or distribution system upgrades are completed, and (vi) recruit, train, and retain an adequately sized and qualified workforce to carry out the planning, engineering, and construction of electrical distribution systems needed to promptly serve customers seeking energization and service upgrades without sacrificing other necessary activities of the workforce. Sets forth provisions concerning: the staffing of an electrification team; electric utility requirements; recovery of costs; and safety standards. Effective immediately. LRB104 10938 AAS 21020 b A BILL FOR 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB3349 Introduced , by Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED: New Act New Act Creates the Powering Up Illinois Act. Defines terms. Sets forth findings. Requires an electric utility that operates within the State to (i) upgrade the State's electrical distribution systems as needed and in time to achieve the State's decarbonization goals, and implement federal, State, regional, and local air quality and decarbonization standards, plans, and regulations, (ii) conduct sufficient advance planning, engineering, and construction of increased distribution of system capacity by advance ordering transformers and other needed equipment so that customers can be energized without substantial delay, (iii) promptly energize new customers, including by ensuring that new housing, new businesses, and new charging for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles and off-road vehicles, vessels, trains, and equipment can be used without delay caused by a failure of the utility to implement energization projects, (iv) promptly upgrade service when needed by customers, (v) allow customers seeking energization to choose an optional flexible connection agreement, which shall provide a tariffed, voluntary utility offering that requires customers to agree to specified service levels as a requirement of energization or interconnection through the use of demand response technology that limits the net import and export of electricity at the point of common coupling to remain within the rated capacity limits of a customer's existing service connection or distribution circuit, either on a permanent basis or to allow for immediate project operations before service or distribution system upgrades are completed, and (vi) recruit, train, and retain an adequately sized and qualified workforce to carry out the planning, engineering, and construction of electrical distribution systems needed to promptly serve customers seeking energization and service upgrades without sacrificing other necessary activities of the workforce. Sets forth provisions concerning: the staffing of an electrification team; electric utility requirements; recovery of costs; and safety standards. Effective immediately. LRB104 10938 AAS 21020 b LRB104 10938 AAS 21020 b A BILL FOR
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB3349 Introduced , by Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act New Act
New Act
Creates the Powering Up Illinois Act. Defines terms. Sets forth findings. Requires an electric utility that operates within the State to (i) upgrade the State's electrical distribution systems as needed and in time to achieve the State's decarbonization goals, and implement federal, State, regional, and local air quality and decarbonization standards, plans, and regulations, (ii) conduct sufficient advance planning, engineering, and construction of increased distribution of system capacity by advance ordering transformers and other needed equipment so that customers can be energized without substantial delay, (iii) promptly energize new customers, including by ensuring that new housing, new businesses, and new charging for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles and off-road vehicles, vessels, trains, and equipment can be used without delay caused by a failure of the utility to implement energization projects, (iv) promptly upgrade service when needed by customers, (v) allow customers seeking energization to choose an optional flexible connection agreement, which shall provide a tariffed, voluntary utility offering that requires customers to agree to specified service levels as a requirement of energization or interconnection through the use of demand response technology that limits the net import and export of electricity at the point of common coupling to remain within the rated capacity limits of a customer's existing service connection or distribution circuit, either on a permanent basis or to allow for immediate project operations before service or distribution system upgrades are completed, and (vi) recruit, train, and retain an adequately sized and qualified workforce to carry out the planning, engineering, and construction of electrical distribution systems needed to promptly serve customers seeking energization and service upgrades without sacrificing other necessary activities of the workforce. Sets forth provisions concerning: the staffing of an electrification team; electric utility requirements; recovery of costs; and safety standards. Effective immediately.
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A BILL FOR
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HB3349 LRB104 10938 AAS 21020 b
1 AN ACT concerning regulation.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Powering Up Illinois Act.
6 Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
7 "Commission" means the Illinois Commerce Commission.
8 "Electric utility" means an electric utility serving more
9 than 200,000 customers in this State.
10 "Electrification" means any new use of electricity,
11 expanded use of electricity, or change in use of electricity,
12 including, but not limited to, any change in the use of
13 electricity in the industrial, commercial, agricultural,
14 housing, or transportation sectors.
15 "Energization" and "energize" means the connection of new
16 customers to the electrical grid, the establishment of
17 adequate electrical capacity to provide service for a new
18 customer, or upgrading electrical capacity to provide adequate
19 service to an existing customer. "Energization" and "energize"
20 do not include activities related to connecting electricity
21 supply resources.
22 "Energization time period" means the period of time that
23 begins when the electric utility receives a substantially
104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026 HB3349 Introduced , by Rep. Curtis J. Tarver, II SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act New Act
New Act
Creates the Powering Up Illinois Act. Defines terms. Sets forth findings. Requires an electric utility that operates within the State to (i) upgrade the State's electrical distribution systems as needed and in time to achieve the State's decarbonization goals, and implement federal, State, regional, and local air quality and decarbonization standards, plans, and regulations, (ii) conduct sufficient advance planning, engineering, and construction of increased distribution of system capacity by advance ordering transformers and other needed equipment so that customers can be energized without substantial delay, (iii) promptly energize new customers, including by ensuring that new housing, new businesses, and new charging for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles and off-road vehicles, vessels, trains, and equipment can be used without delay caused by a failure of the utility to implement energization projects, (iv) promptly upgrade service when needed by customers, (v) allow customers seeking energization to choose an optional flexible connection agreement, which shall provide a tariffed, voluntary utility offering that requires customers to agree to specified service levels as a requirement of energization or interconnection through the use of demand response technology that limits the net import and export of electricity at the point of common coupling to remain within the rated capacity limits of a customer's existing service connection or distribution circuit, either on a permanent basis or to allow for immediate project operations before service or distribution system upgrades are completed, and (vi) recruit, train, and retain an adequately sized and qualified workforce to carry out the planning, engineering, and construction of electrical distribution systems needed to promptly serve customers seeking energization and service upgrades without sacrificing other necessary activities of the workforce. Sets forth provisions concerning: the staffing of an electrification team; electric utility requirements; recovery of costs; and safety standards. Effective immediately.
LRB104 10938 AAS 21020 b LRB104 10938 AAS 21020 b
LRB104 10938 AAS 21020 b
A BILL FOR
New Act
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1 complete energization project application and ends when the
2 electric service associated with the project is installed and
3 energized, consistent with the service obligations set forth
4 in the Section 8-101 of the Public Utilities Act.
5 Section 10. Findings. The General Assembly finds the
6 following:
7 (1) It is the policy of the State to increase the
8 amount of electric vehicles used in the State to 1,000,000
9 by 2030. That expanded infrastructure investment will help
10 Illinois more rapidly decarbonize the transportation
11 sector. Widespread use of electric vehicles and charging
12 equipment has the potential to provide customers with fuel
13 cost savings and provide electric utility customers with
14 cost-saving benefits. Widespread use of electric vehicles
15 stimulates innovation, competition, and increased choices
16 in charging equipment and networks, attracts private
17 capital investments to the State, and creates high-quality
18 jobs in the State. Accelerating the adoption of electric
19 vehicles will drive the decarbonization of the States'
20 transportation sector. To meet these goals and federal,
21 State, regional, and local air quality and decarbonization
22 standards, plans, and regulations, a large increase in
23 both the quantity of electricity used and the functions
24 for which electricity will be used is needed.
25 (2) To meet these decarbonization goals as well as
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1 federal, State, regional, and local air quality and
2 decarbonization standards, plans, and regulations, the
3 following must occur:
4 (A) the State's electrical distribution systems
5 must be substantially upgraded;
6 (B) new customers must promptly connect to the
7 electrical distribution system; and
8 (C) existing customers must have the customer's
9 service level promptly upgraded.
10 (3) There are many reports of large housing
11 developments that are unable to be energized promptly. The
12 State has an urgent need to increase its supply of
13 housing, requiring both new electrical distribution
14 capacity and the prompt energization of new housing.
15 (4) There are many reports of individual customers who
16 are unable to have their electrical service promptly
17 upgraded or energized and charging stations for
18 light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicles and
19 off-road vehicles, vessels, trains, and equipment that are
20 unable to be energized promptly. These delays may inhibit
21 the State's ability to meet its decarbonization goals and
22 federal, State, regional, and local air quality and
23 decarbonization standards, plans, and regulations.
24 (5) To improve the speed at which energization and
25 service upgrades are performed, electric utilities that
26 distribute electricity need to do both of the following:
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1 (A) accelerate the utility's advance planning,
2 engineering, and construction of increased
3 distribution and transmission system capacity; and
4 (B) advance order transformers, switchgear, and
5 other needed equipment to support acceleration of
6 activities in subparagraph (A).
7 (6) Electrifying transportation and buildings can put
8 downward pressure on rates by spreading fixed costs over
9 more kilowatt-hours of usage.
10 (7) Delays in energization, including service
11 upgrades, are costly both to the customers awaiting
12 service and to other customers who are deprived of the
13 downward pressure on rates.
14 (8) To carry out the planning, engineering, and
15 construction of electrical distribution systems needed to
16 promptly serve customers, electric utilities that
17 distribute electricity need to recruit, train, and retain
18 an adequately sized, qualified workforce.
19 (9) The Illinois Commerce Commission needs to
20 establish target deadlines for utilities that distribute
21 electricity to energize new customers and upgrade the
22 service of existing customers.
23 (10) The Illinois Commerce Commission needs to
24 establish reporting requirements for electric utilities
25 that distribute electricity to report the extent to which
26 they comply with the target deadlines and the reasons for
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1 any noncompliance.
2 Section 15. Electrical distribution system upgrades. To
3 fulfill the service obligations specified in Section 8-101 of
4 the Public Utilities Act, an electric utility that operates
5 within the State shall:
6 (1) upgrade the State's electrical distribution
7 systems as needed and in time to achieve the State's
8 decarbonization goals, and implement federal, State,
9 regional, and local air quality and decarbonization
10 standards, plans, and regulations;
11 (2) conduct sufficient advance planning, engineering,
12 and construction of increased distribution of system
13 capacity by advance ordering transformers and other needed
14 equipment so that customers can be energized without
15 substantial delay;
16 (3) promptly energize new customers, including by
17 ensuring that new housing, new businesses, and new
18 charging for light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty
19 vehicles and off-road vehicles, vessels, trains, and
20 equipment can be used without delay caused by a failure of
21 the utility to implement energization projects;
22 (4) promptly upgrade service when needed by customers;
23 (5) allow customers seeking energization to choose an
24 optional flexible connection agreement, which shall
25 provide a tariffed, voluntary utility offering that
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1 requires customers to agree to specified service levels as
2 a requirement of energization or interconnection through
3 the use of demand response technology that limits the net
4 import and export of electricity at the point of common
5 coupling to remain within the rated capacity limits of a
6 customer's existing service connection or distribution
7 circuit, either on a permanent basis or to allow for
8 immediate project operations before service or
9 distribution system upgrades are completed; and
10 (6) recruit, train, and retain an adequately sized and
11 qualified workforce to carry out the planning,
12 engineering, and construction of electrical distribution
13 systems needed to promptly serve customers seeking
14 energization and service upgrades without sacrificing
15 other necessary activities of the workforce.
16 Section 20. Commission requirements.
17 (a) Within 180 days after the effective date of this Act,
18 the Commission shall adopt rules that meet all of the
19 following requirements:
20 (1) Rules that establish reasonable average and
21 maximum target energization time periods. The targets
22 shall ensure that work is completed in a safe and reliable
23 manner that minimizes delay in meeting the date requested
24 by the customer for completion of the project to the
25 greatest extent possible and prioritizes work in a manner
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1 consistent with Sections 25 and 30. The targets may vary
2 depending on the complexity and magnitude of the work
3 required and uncertainties regarding the readiness of the
4 customer project needing energization. The targets may
5 also recognize any factors beyond the electric utility's
6 control.
7 (2) Rules that establish requirements for an electric
8 utility to report to the Commission, at least annually, in
9 order to track and improve electric utility performance.
10 The report shall include the average, median, and standard
11 deviation time between receiving an application for
12 electrical service and energizing the electrical service,
13 explanations for energization time periods that exceed the
14 target maximum for energization projects, constraints and
15 obstacles to each type of energization, including, but not
16 limited to, funding limitations, qualified staffing
17 availability, or equipment availability, and any other
18 information requested by the Commission.
19 (3) Rules that establish a procedure for customers to
20 report energization delays to the Illinois Commerce
21 Commission.
22 (b) If energization time periods exceed the Commission's
23 target averages or if the electric utility has a substantial
24 number of energization projects that exceed the Commission's
25 target maximums, the electric utility shall include in its
26 report pursuant to rules adopted under paragraph (2) of
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1 subsection (a) a strategy for meeting the targets in the
2 future. The Commission may request modification of the
3 electric utility's strategy to ensure that the electric
4 utility meets targets promptly and consistent with the
5 policies set forth in Section 25.
6 (c) Data reported by electric utilities shall be
7 anonymized or aggregated to the extent necessary to prevent
8 identifying individual customers. The Commission shall require
9 all reports to be publicly available.
10 (d) The Commission shall require the electric utility to
11 take any remedial actions necessary to achieve the
12 Commission's targets, including the use of incentives or
13 penalties.
14 Section 25. Electrification team; staffing.
15 (a) The Commission shall require each electric utility to
16 establish a dedicated electrification team that shall, at a
17 minimum, do the following:
18 (1) serve as a single point of contact for customers
19 throughout the entire energization process;
20 (2) proactively engage with customers to understand
21 and support electrification plans; and
22 (3) provide customers with consolidated and
23 coordinated access to all beneficial electrification
24 customer programs, accounts, and relevant information to
25 support electrification and the energization process.
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1 (b) The Commission shall require each electric utility to
2 have adequate qualified staffing needed for the
3 electrification team to achieve the policies and requirements
4 of this Act.
5 (c) For job classifications that have apprentice training
6 requirements, the Commission shall require each electric
7 utility to maintain a pipeline of apprentices sufficient to
8 meet future qualified staffing needs, subject to any
9 limitations based on safe staffing ratios.
10 (d) As part of each report required pursuant to rules
11 adopted under paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of Section 20,
12 and in each general rate case application, each electric
13 utility shall include a detailed analysis of its current
14 qualified staffing level and future required qualified
15 staffing level for each job classification needed to achieve
16 the policies and requirements of this Act.
17 Section 30. Electric utility requirements. The Commission
18 shall require an electric utility to do the following:
19 (1) consider, in its internal distribution planning
20 process and in the development of the Multi-Year
21 Integrated Grid Plans required by Section 16-105.17 of the
22 Public Utilities Act, all of the following:
23 (A) federal, State, regional, and local air
24 quality and decarbonization standards, plans, and
25 regulations;
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1 (B) the transportation and building
2 electrification policies of State law;
3 (C) State agency, local agency, and local
4 government plans and requirements related to housing,
5 economic development, critical facilities,
6 transportation, and building electrification; and
7 (D) load and electrification forecasts that
8 include the following:
9 (I) known load and projections of load
10 conducted by State agencies and projections of
11 load that exceed forecasts conducted by State
12 agencies;
13 (II) a minimum of 3 time horizons, including
14 short-term (one to 2 years), medium-term (3 to 5
15 years), and long-term (6 to 10 years) time
16 horizons;
17 (III) scenarios that are consistent with
18 implementing the laws, standards, plans, and
19 regulations described in subparagraphs (A), (B),
20 and (C) of paragraph (1);
21 (IV) forecasts of peak demand at the
22 federal-level; and
23 (V) a consideration of the impact of
24 distributed energy resource forecasts and,
25 specifically, local generation;
26 (2) consider all of the following in its site
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1 evaluation and design process:
2 (A) automated load management, managed charging,
3 and distributed energy resources to defer or mitigate
4 energization-related grid upgrades; and
5 (B) if the above solutions cannot defer or
6 mitigate an upgrade, the electric utility shall
7 evaluate traditional system upgrades;
8 (3) adopt and implement rules to satisfy the policies
9 set forth in Section 20 and to meet the energization time
10 periods established under paragraph (1) of subsection (a)
11 of Section 20; and
12 (4) submit supplemental applications between the
13 4-year cycles specified for the submission of the
14 Multi-Year Integrated Grid Plans required by Section
15 16-105.17 of the Public Utilities Act as needed to comply
16 with the energization time periods established under
17 paragraph (1) of subsection (a) of Section 20 and to
18 accommodate the load growth necessary to implement the
19 laws, standards, plans, and regulations described in
20 subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1).
21 Section 35. Recovery of costs. The Commission shall ensure
22 that electric utilities have sufficient and timely recovery of
23 costs to be consistent with the findings and achieve the
24 policies and requirements of this Act and Section 16-105.17 of
25 the Public Utilities Act.
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1 Section 40. Safety. To ensure the safety and reliability
2 of electrical infrastructure associated with charging electric
3 vehicles:
4 (1) The Commission, Environmental Protection Agency,
5 and Department of Transportation shall require that all
6 electric vehicle charging infrastructure and equipment
7 located on the customer side of the electrical meter that
8 is funded or authorized, in whole or in part, by those
9 State entities shall be installed by a licensed, bonded,
10 and insured electrical contractor registered in the
11 municipality where work is to be performed, and who has at
12 least one electrician on each crew, at any given time, who
13 holds an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program
14 certification.
15 (2) The Commission, Environmental Protection Agency,
16 and Department of Transportation shall require the
17 projects that are funded or authorized, in whole or in
18 part, by those State entities and that install a charging
19 port supplying 25 kilowatts or more to a vehicle to have at
20 least 25% of the total electricians working on the crew
21 for the project, at any given time, hold an Electric
22 Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program certification.
23 (3) One member of each crew may be both the contractor
24 and an electrician certified by Electric Vehicle
25 Infrastructure Training Program.
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1 (4) Paragraph (1) does not apply to the following:
2 (A) electric vehicle charging infrastructure
3 installed by employees of an electric utility or local
4 publicly owned electric utility; or
5 (B) single-family home residential electric
6 vehicle chargers.
7 (5) An electrical apprenticeship program registered
8 with United States Department of Labor that provides
9 training to apprentices and continuing education to
10 journey-level workers may provide Electric Vehicle
11 Infrastructure Training Program training with the
12 apprenticeship program's own instructors certified by an
13 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program. The
14 Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program
15 certification exam shall be administered by the Electric
16 Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program.
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