Equity Accountability System

The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act amended the Illinois Power Agency Act to expand the “priority access to the clean energy economy for businesses and workers from communities that have been excluded from economic opportunities in the energy sector, have been subject to disproportionate levels of pollution, and have disproportionately experienced negative public health outcomes.”

On January 31, 2023, the Illinois Power Agency announced the launch of the Energy Workforce Equity Portal at energyequity.illinois.gov.

The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (Public Act 102-0662 or “CEJA”) enacted in September 2021, directed the Illinois Power Agency and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (“DCEO”) to help historically underserved communities participate in and benefit from the growing clean energy economy. One of the tools to reach that goal is to have the IPA and DCEO create a public-facing portal that helps develop a diverse pipeline of skilled and trained clean energy workforce. The portal may be used by employers to connect to job seekers, register as a clean energy company, and post jobs, and by job seekers to connect to employers, explore jobs, and apply to become Equity Eligible Persons.

The IPA has created a webpage dedicated to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). The page represents the Agency’s commitment to DEI, which plays a central role in its mission to create an equitable clean energy future in Illinois. The page includes information on DEI targets and mandates for Illinois Shines, IPA outreach resources, and links to equity webinars. To learn more, visit https://ipa.illinois.gov/diversity-equity-and-inclusion.html.

To advance that objective, the Act directed the Agency to establish an Equity Accountability System (EAS), which includes the following:

Minimum equity standards applicable to all applicants to the Agency’s renewable energy procurements, both through the Adjustable Block Program (Illinois Shines) and competitive procurements
Establishes the Equity Eligible Contractor category with Illinois Shines
Requirements for competitive procurement processes that advance the equity goals of the Act

The Act further establishes several required monitoring, reporting, and facilitation requirements to support the assessment of the equity accountability system. Section 1-75(c-10)(4) of the IPA Act directs the Agency to include the following in each revision to the Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan:

Current number of Equity Eligible Contractors certified by the Agency
A mechanism for measuring and reporting project workforce profiles at the Approved Vendor or Designee level
Training, guidance, and other support for Approved Vendors, Designees, Equity Eligible Contractors, and other stakeholders for meeting the requirements of the EEC category within Adjustable Block Program and the minimum equity standards laid out in this section
A process for certifying Equity Eligible Contractors and persons (please see Chapter 7 of the Long-Term Plan for more details)
A waiver application process for rare cases of inability to meet the minimum equity standard

Chapters 7 and 10 of the Long-Term Plan fulfill the requirements of Public Act 102-0662 with regard to the Equity Accountability System.

The Act also empowers the Agency to assess and attempt to ameliorate existing racial discrimination or disparities in rates of participation in the clean energy economy:

Section 1-75(c-15)(2) directs the Agency to commission and publish a racial disparity study to “measure the presence and impact of discrimination on minority businesses and workers in Illinois’ clean energy economy”
Section 1-75(c-20) directs the Agency to “collect data from program applicants in order to track and improve equitable distribution of benefits across Illinois communities for all procurements the Agency conducts”
Section 1-75(c-25) directs the Agency to work with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to create an Energy Workforce Equity Database in order to facilitate the engagement of Equity Eligible Contractors and persons on clean energy projects

On October 4, 2022, the Agency and Program Administrator presented an “Equity Accountability System and Illinois Shines” webinar, and on November 15, 2022, hosted Part 2 of the EAS introduction. A recording of both webinars and the presentation slides are available here, as well as questions and answers from the webinars. All AVs and Designees are strongly encouraged to attend the webinar series or to view the recording to ensure comprehension and compliance with forthcoming Program requirements. Upon viewing the presentation, Approved Vendors and Designees are asked to complete Attestation Forms linked at this page, to indicate indicating their viewing and provide information about how they will incorporate EAS plans into their organization.

October 4, 2022 Webinar Resources:

View the recording here

View the slides here

Access the Attestation Form here

View the webinar Q&A here

November 15, 2022 Webinar Resources:

View the recording here

View the slides here

View the webinar Q&A here

March 13, 2023 Webinar Resources:

View the recording here

View the slides here

February 2022 Stakeholder Feedback – Waiver for Minimum Equity Standard

The Illinois Power Agency seeks public comment on the waiver for Minimum Equity Standard requirements for entities that have received a REC contract award under the Adjustable Block/Illinois Shines Program or through the IPA’s utility-scale REC procurements for a given Program/delivery year.

Following the review and consideration of public comments on the wavier, the Agency intends to finalize the waiver and process for the 2023-2024 Program year/Delivery year beginning June 1, 2023.

Comments on the proposal are due on February 22, 2023 and should be submitted to [email protected] with the subject line “[Responding Entity Name] – Stakeholder Feedback on MES Waiver.”

More information on the waiver for Minimum Equity Standard requirements can be found in Section 10.1.3.1 of the Agency’s Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan.

Minimum Equity Standard Proposal Name	Public Comment Deadline
MES Waiver Request and Scoring	22-Feb-23
Public Responses: Catalyze CGA CGA – Proposed MES Waiver Scoring Table Joint Solar Parties Members of ICJC Vistra Climate Jobs Climate Jobs — Scoring Suggestions IL IBEW Renewable Energy Fund IL IBEW Renewable Energy Fund — Support Letter

Stakeholders can view the final MES waiver, published March 10 (and updated March 22), here. On March 17, 2023, the Illinois Power Agency published a Minimum Equity Standard Waiver Rationale document, available here.