The Illinois Power Agency proposed the creation of an escrow process in Section 9.4.2.1.2 of the 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan (“2024 Long-Term Plan”). The escrow process will be used to ensure that customers who participate in IPA solar incentive programs and who have been promised a pass-through of the REC incentive payment in fact receive the payment. Specifically, the escrow process will require that utility REC incentive payments to certain Approved Vendors be placed in escrow if the Program Administrator determines that the Approved Vendor is not passing through promised REC payments to customers. Promised payments will then be made to customers from the escrow fund, with the remainder of the REC incentive payment for each project paid out to the Approved Vendor. The Agency requested feedback from stakeholders on September 16, 2024, and subsequently received comments from eight individuals and groups on October 7, 2024.
On June 13, 2025, the Agency issued a Rationale Document outlining the final decisions of the Agency with respect to various aspects of the policy and explaining whether and how certain stakeholder feedback was incorporated. The Agency and Program Administrator intend to launch the escrow process later this month.
