On June 2, 2025, the 90-day project application window opened for Community-Driven Community Solar (“CDCS”) for the 2025-2026 Program Year, allowing Approved Vendors (“AVs”) to submit CDCS applications until 11:59 p.m. CPT on September 2, 2025. Capacity available for the CDCS category was 34.07 MW for Group A and 56.99 MW for Group B. 2024-25 Waitlisted projects were allocated 16.32 MW of Group A and 26.93 MW of Group B capacity. On October 31, 2025, with the Re-Opening of the Long-Term Plan, 11 MW of additional capacity was allocated for Group A and 25 MW for Group B. Therefore, the available capacity for CDCS projects submitted during the 90-day application window is 28.75 MW for Group A and 55.06 MW for Group B.
Capacity at 2025-26 Program Opening
| Group A | Group B | |
| Capacity available on Day 1 of the 2025-26 Program Year | 34.07 MW | 56.99 MW |
| Capacity allocated to waitlisted projects | 23.07 MW | 31.99 MW |
| Remaining available capacity: | 11.01 MW* | 25.00 MW |
* Total impacted by rounding.
Capacity at 2025-26 Program Expansion
| Group A | Group B | |
| Available capacity* | 17.75 MW | 30.06 MW |
| Additional capacity due to the Program Re-Opening | 11.00 MW | 25.00 MW |
| Remaining available capacity: | 28.75 MW | 55.06 MW |
* There were projects withdrawn after being allocated capacity.
A total of 84 applications were received during the application window, including 14 project applications totaling 41.46 MW AC for Group A, and 70 project applications totaling 113.36 MW AC for Group B. One Group B application was withdrawn during application review, resulting in a total scored capacity of 109.52 MW for Group B. In accordance with the CDCS scoring guidelines previously published in both the 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan (pg. 173) and the Program Guidebook (pg. 166), the Program Administrator has scored all CDCS projects submitted during the 90-day application window. These scores will be used to determine which projects will be placed on a waitlist once the random selection takes place. The scores have been posted on the Program website at the Community-Driven Community Solar page within the Project Category Hub.
Next Steps
While the Program Administrator has carefully reviewed project applications to determine scores and applied scoring criteria consistently across all project applications, an AV may appeal decisions made by the Program Administrator on the scoring of their projects. Any appeal of CDCS scores will need to be in accordance with the appeal process outlined in the Program Guidebook (pg. 28). An AV has two weeks from November 21, 2025, to file an appeal. Submitted appeals must be received by the Program Administrator at [email protected], by 11:59 p.m. CPT on December 5, 2025. As the determination of appeals may influence a project’s final score, and thus possibly the final selection of projects, all appeals must be reviewed by the Agency within a distinct timeframe. The Agency intends to have all submitted appeals determined by December 12, 2025, subject to the quantity and substance of appeals submitted.
Following the resolution of scoring appeals, if any, final scores will be posted. At that time, the Agency will announce if a random selection process is necessary to break ties between projects that received the same scores and where those scores would impact project selection, or waitlist placement. The Agency expects that random selection of projects within tied score brackets will be necessary based on the current scoring, but this process cannot occur until the appeal process is complete and all scores are confirmed. The Agency intends to hold the random selection reordering event December 17, 2025, again dependent on appeal determinations and final scores. Projects that have a minimum score of 10 points will be placed on a waitlist for the 2026-27 Program Year.
Projects that received a score less than the required 10 minimum points to be placed on the waitlist may reapply during 45-day application window opening on January 16, 2026, or the 2026-27 Program Year 90-day application window expected to open June 2026. The AV will need to submit a new application, thus new application fees will be applied.
Please see the Community-Driven Community Solar page within the Project Category Hub for more information about the CDCS category.
Schedule of Next Steps
- Appeals due to Program by December 5, 2025
- Determinations on appeals from Agency to AV expected to be closed out by December 12, 2025
- Random selection event is expected to be on December 17, 2025, at 11am CPT. Register for the event here.
Please note: The Program will open an additional 45-day application window on January 16, 2026, regardless of capacity availability as of that date.
Thank you!
Illinois Shines Program
[email protected]