Partial Portal Closure and Project Application Unavailability May 27 – June 2, 2025, Solar Restitution Program Launched, Small DG Soft Close Concluded
The IPA announces new information related to the Illinois Shines program. This announcement includes: Coming Up in Illinois Shines, Stakeholder Support, Program News, Ongoing Operations Updates, Application Processing Updates, Ongoing Program Portal Updates, and other Requirements and Reminders. The full announcement is available here. Topics covered include the following: Coming up in Illinois Shines Stakeholder […]
Partial Portal Closure and Project Application Unavailability May 27 – June 2, 2025
The 2024–25 Illinois Shines Program Year will close on the evening of Tuesday, May 27, 2025 at 8:00 p.m. CDT. At that time the ability for Approved Vendors to create, revise, submit, and batch project applications will be paused within the Portal until the launch of the 2025–26 Program Year on June 2, 2025 at […]
Small Distributed Generation Soft Close Period Concludes; Waitlist in Effect
As previously communicated, on May 2, 2025, the annual block of capacity for the Small Distributed Generation block has been filled. Section 1.G of the Program Guidebook provides for a soft close period which allows the block to remain open for seven calendar days or when the next project application submitted to the block would exceed […]
Illinois Power Agency and Illinois Shines Launch Solar Restitution Program to Support Customers
The Illinois Power Agency and Illinois Shines Program Administrator are excited to announce the launch of the Solar Restitution Program (“SRP”). The SRP, which is designed to provide economic compensation to customers harmed through their participation in Illinois Shines or Illinois Solar for All, was first outlined in the 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan […]
Corrections to Program Year 2025-26 Program Guidebook Released on April 18, 2025
On May 5, the Program made the following updates to the Program Year 2025-26 Program Guidebook that was released on April 18, 2025. Please note that there are no new requirements introduced in this update but rather clarifications to items already published in other documents as well as corrections of formatting issues in order to […]
MES 2025-26 Compliance Plan Open for Submissions, EEC Subcategory Merging, Solar Restitution Program Rationale Document, Small DG Block Reaches Capacity and Soft Close Initiated
The IPA announces new information related to the Illinois Shines program. This announcement includes: Coming Up in Illinois Shines, Stakeholder Support, Program News, Ongoing Operations Updates, Application Processing Updates, Ongoing Program Portal Updates, and other Requirements and Reminders. The full announcement is available here. Topics covered include the following: Coming up in Illinois Shines Stakeholder Support […]
Small Distributed Generation Block Reaches Capacity, Soft Close Period Initiated
The annual block of capacity for the Small Distributed Generation block has been filled. Section 1.G of the Program Guidebook provides for a soft close period which allows the block to remain open for seven calendar days or when the next project applications submitted to the block would exceed capacity by 10 megawatts. For Program Year […]
EEC Capacity Merging Completed; Block Capacity Dashboard Updated
As provided in the 2024 Long-Term Plan Section7.4.6.4, on May 1, 2025 the Program and Agency opened EEC subcategory capacity to the entire category 11 months into the Program Year, and thereafter will reallocate any uncontracted capacity in the category at the close of the Program Year following the process outlined in Section 7.3.4. On May 1 […]
Minimum Equity Standard Program Year 2025-26: Compliance Plan Open for Submissions
Illinois Shines is committed to expanding access to Illinois’ clean energy economy for communities who have historically been excluded and advances this objective through the Minimum Equity Standard (MES). This requirement asks that the project workforce of each participating Approved Vendor and Designee must comprise a required minimum percentage of Equity Eligible Persons (EEPs). For […]
Reminder: Illinois Power Agency Invites Stakeholders to 2026 Long-Term Plan Workshops – Today and Tomorrow
The Illinois Power Agency (IPA) is hosting two virtual workshops to receive stakeholder feedback as the Agency prepares to develop its 2026 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan (Long-Term Plan). Registration is required to attend these workshops, being held today and tomorrow: 2026 Long-Term Plan Stakeholder Workshop #1: Chapter 8—Illinois Solar for AllDate: April 30, 2025Time: 1 […]
