The Illinois Power Agency announces the publication of updated versions of the Program Guidebook, Consumer Protection Handbook, and Distributed Generation (DG) and Community Solar (CS) Contract Requirements. These documents reflect changes to conform with the Illinois Commerce Commission’s (ICC’s) Final Order on the IPA’s 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan, dated February 20, 2024, and other stakeholder feedback processes. These documents are published 45 days in advance of the start of the 2024-25 Program Year in order to provide transparency and time to review changes prior to the compliance period. Program participants are required to be in compliance with requirements outlined in these documents by June 3, 2024 and throughout the 2024-25 Program Year.
PROGRAM GUIDEBOOK
The updated version of the Program Guidebook will replace the April 17, 20231 version beginning June 3, 2024.
The high-level changes to the Program Guidebook are:
- Annual Program size increase to 800 MW
- Updated REC Prices
- New information regarding the Equity Eligible Contractor (EEC) requirements
- Application fee increase to $20 per kW, not to exceed $15,000 per project
- New information on the advance of capital process
- Description of both a forthcoming escrow process, and a restitution program for stranded Illinois Shines customers
- Group A and Group B distinctions removed for Distributed Generation categories
- New DG prioritizations in Public Schools and EEC categories
- New DC/AC ratio capacity of 200% for all systems that include a battery/storage component
CONSUMER PROTECTION DOCUMENTS
The updated Consumer Protection Handbook, and Distributed Generation and Community Solar Contract Requirements documents replace the versions released on April 17, 2023, and take effect beginning June 3, 2024.
The high-level changes to the Consumer Protection Handbook are:
- New requirements about what information community solar providers must provide to customers if the community solar provider manages the customer’s utility account
- Explanation of how the Program Administrator may apply formal discipline to affiliates who work closely with the entity that violated Program requirements
- Noting that the Agency will be developing an escrow process (to be used when there is a high risk that an Approved Vendor will not make promised direct pass-through REC incentive payments to customers) and a solar restitution program
- Various clarifications, including the addition of a new line for Notice of Potential Violation (NOPV) in the Consumer Protection Program Violation Response Matrix
There are no major changes to the Contract Requirements documents.
The February 27, 2024 version of the Program Guidebook, and the April 17, 2023 versions of the Consumer Protection Handbook, and Distributed Generation (DG) and Community Solar (CS) Contract Requirements remain the effective versions of the documents until the new Program Year commences on June 3, 2024. Compliance with all changes in the Program Year 2024-25 version of these documents is required by June 3, 2024.
Links to the updated document versions:
- Program Guidebook for 2024-25 Program Year – Published April 18, 2024
- Redline Between current 2024-25 Program Guidebook and 2023-24 Program Guidebook
- Consumer Protection Handbook for 2024-25 Program Year – Published April 18, 2024
- Redline Between April 18, 2024 and April 17, 2023 versions of Consumer Protection Handbook
- DG Contract Requirements for 2024-25 Program Year – Published April 18, 2024
- CS Contract Requirements for 2024-25 Program Year – Published April 18, 2024
- Redline Comparison between April 18, 2024 DG Contract Requirements and April 17, 2023 DG Contract Requirements
- Redline Comparison between April 18, 2024 CS Contract Requirements and April 17, 2023 CS Contract Requirements
Approved Vendors and Designees can find forthcoming, current, and past versions of the Program Guidebook, Consumer Protection Handbook, and other documents at the Program website’s Program Documents page: https://illinoisshines.com/program-documents/.
The Program Administrator and IPA thank all entities that took the time to review and comment on the draft Program Guidebook. Many comments received were related to requirements or processes that were outlined in the 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan. As this Plan was approved by the ICC on February 20, 2024 via their Final Order in Docket 23-0714, all edits to the Guidebook that were made in order to conform with the ICC’s Final Order are not able to be changed, regardless of comments received.
Thank you!
Illinois Shines Program
[email protected]
[1] A revised version was released on February 27, 2024 to reflect changes to Organized Labor Union Minimum Equity Standard Waiver Request Form.
