IPA to Host First Webinar on Elective Pay Tax Benefit
Elective Pay is a new mechanism that allows tax-exempt entities to file a tax return and receive a reimbursement for a portion of their project costs. The IPA is interested in ensuring that entities across Illinois leverage federal incentives for their solar and other clean energy projects, including by using Elective Pay to reimburse up to […]
Updates Following 2025-26 Program Year Re-Opening, Winter Mentorship Registration, Program Releases MES Year-End Report Implementation Report
The IPA announces new information related to the Illinois Shines program. This announcement includes: Coming Up in Illinois Shines, Stakeholder Support, Program News, and Reference and Reminders. The full announcement is available here. Topics include the following: Coming up in Illinois Shines Stakeholder Support Program News Reference and Reminders Thank you!Illinois Shines [email protected]
Reminders: Closure Date for 180-Day Prioritization Window for Public Schools Subcategory and Designee Renewal Deadline
As set forth in the Long-Term Plan and the Program Guidebook, the following items have December 1, 2025, deadlines: 180-Day Prioritization Window for Public Schools SubcategoriesAs stated in the Program Guidebook Section 1.E, Public Schools capacity is allocated by Group, tier, location, and project size subcategories. If any of the allocations are not filled within […]
Updates Following 2025-26 Program Year Re-Opening
Following the Order on the 2024 Long-Term Plan Re-Opening, a brief Program pause occurred to undertake data and reporting updates, and to allocate capacity to waitlisted applications. The pause concluded on October 31, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. CPT. The Portal and Program website were updated to reflect the Order’s instruction to expand capacity for the 2025-26 […]
MES Mid-Year Report Submissions, CDCS Scoring Cure Period, Public Schools Roundtable Update
The IPA announces new information related to the Illinois Shines program. This announcement includes: Coming Up in Illinois Shines, Stakeholder Support, Program News, and Reference and Reminders. The full announcement is available here. Topics include the following: Coming up in Illinois Shines Stakeholder Support Program News Reference and Reminders Thank you!Illinois Shines [email protected]
Minimum Equity Standard Mid-Year Report Due
As set forth in the Long-Term Plan and the Program Guidebook, in Program Year 2025-26, at least 14% of the project workforce for each Approved Vendor and Designee participating in the Illinois Shines program must be composed of Equity Eligible Persons. The Minimum Equity Standard (“MES”) applies to all Approved Vendors and Designees participating in […]
Program Pause, Re-Open, and Capacity and Waitlist Updates, November REC Invoicing, Annual Report Next Steps
The IPA announces new information related to the Illinois Shines program. This announcement includes: Coming Up in Illinois Shines, Stakeholder Support, Program News, and Reference and Reminders. The full announcement is available here. Topics include the following: Coming up in Illinois Shines Stakeholder Support Program News Reference and Reminders Thank you!Illinois Shines [email protected]
Illinois Shines Updates Following 2024 Long-Term Plan Re-Opening, Program Guidebook Addendum, Process and Details of Capacity Expansion
2024 Long-Term Plan Re-Opening On October 16, 2025, the Illinois Commerce Commission (“ICC”) issued an Order approving the Administrative Law Judge’s Proposed Order, with modifications, on the reopening of the 2024 Long-Term Plan. The Order is available in Docket 23-0714. The Agency will file a modified 2024 Long-Term Plan that conforms with the Order, no later than […]
Reminder: Program Pause for New Capacity
Per the 2024 Long-Term Plan Re-Opening, capacity for the 2025-26 Program Year will expand by 100% except for the EEC Category, which will be expanded by 64 MW for Group A and 169 MW for Group B. In order to expand the capacity, the Program will pause for one business day, from October 30, 2025, at […]
Program Pause for New Capacity, IPA Files 2026 Long-Term Plan with the ICC, IPA Launches Stranded Customer REC Adder
The IPA announces new information related to the Illinois Shines program. This announcement includes: Coming Up in Illinois Shines, Stakeholder Support, Program News, and Reference and Reminders. The full announcement is available here. Topics include the following: Coming up in Illinois Shines Stakeholder Support Program News Reference and Reminders Thank you!Illinois Shines [email protected]