(105 ILCS 240/55)

Sec. 55. Powers and duties generally. An agency shall have all the powers and duties enumerated in this Section in furtherance of the purposes of this Act. In the exercise thereof it shall be deemed to be performing an essential governmental function and exercising a part of the sovereign powers of the State of Illinois, separate and distinct from member school districts, and shall have the privileges, immunities, and rights of a public body politic and corporate, municipal corporation, and unit of local government, but shall not have taxing power. All powers of the agency shall be exercised by its board unless otherwise provided by the bylaws.

(1) An agency may plan, finance, acquire, construct, reconstruct, own, lease, operate, maintain, repair, improve, extend, or otherwise participate in, individually or jointly with other persons or other entities of any type, one or more eligible projects, proposed, existing, or under construction, within or without the State of Illinois, acquire any interest in or any right to products and services of an eligible project, purchase, own, sell, dispose of, or otherwise participate in securities issued in connection with the financing of an eligible project or any portion thereof, create such subsidiary entity or entities of any type as may be necessary or desirable, and may act as agent, or designate one or more persons, public agencies, or other entities of any type, whether or not participating in an eligible project, to act as its agent, in connection with the planning, financing, acquisition, construction, reconstruction, ownership, lease, operation, maintenance, repair, extension, or improvement of the eligible project.

(2) An agency may investigate the desirability of and necessity for additional means of providing electrical energy from wind sources of any kind for such purpose and make studies, surveys, and estimates as may be necessary to determine its feasibility and cost.

(3) An agency may cooperate with other persons, public agencies, or other entities of any type in the development of means of providing electrical energy from wind sources of any kind for those purposes and give assistance with personnel and equipment in any eligible project.

(4) An agency may structure the ownership and investment in an eligible project in such a way as to maximize the use of any available United States federal incentives for such projects, including, but not limited to, New Markets Tax Credits under Section 45D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor provision.

(5) An agency may apply for consents, authorizations, or approvals required for any eligible project within its powers and take all actions necessary to comply with the conditions thereof.

(6) An agency may perform any act authorized by this Act through, or by means of, its officers, agents, or employees or by contract with others, including without limitation the employment of engineers, architects, attorneys, appraisers, financial advisors, and such other consultants and employees as may be required in the judgment of the agency, and fix and pay their compensation from funds available to the agency.

(7) An agency may, individually or jointly with other persons, public agencies, or other entities of any type, acquire, hold, use, and dispose of income, revenues, funds, and money.

(8) An agency may, individually or jointly with other persons, public agencies, or other entities of any type, acquire, own, hire, use, operate and dispose of personal property and any interest therein.

(9) An agency may, individually or jointly with other persons, public agencies, or other entities of any type, acquire, own, use, lease as lessor or lessee, operate, and dispose of real property and interests in real property, including eligible projects existing, proposed, or under construction, and make improvements thereon.

(10) An agency may grant the use by franchise, lease, or otherwise and make charges for the use of any property or facility owned or controlled by it.

(11) An agency may borrow money and issue negotiable bonds, secured or unsecured, in accordance with this Act.

(12) An agency may invest money of the agency not required for immediate use, including proceeds from the sale of any bonds, in such obligations, securities, and other investments as authorized by the provisions of the Public Funds Investment Act.

(13) An agency may determine the location and character of, and all other matters in connection with, any and all eligible projects it is authorized to acquire, hold, establish, effectuate, operate, or control.

(14) An agency may contract with any persons, public agencies, or other entities of any type for the planning, development, construction, or operation of any eligible project or for the sale, transmission, or distribution of the products and services of any eligible project, or for any interest therein or any right to the products and services thereof, on such terms and for such period not in excess of 50 years of time as its board shall determine.

(15) An agency may enter into any contract or agreement necessary, appropriate, or incidental to the effectuation of its lawful purposes and the exercise of the powers granted by this Act for a period not in excess of 50 years in time, including without limitation contracts or agreements for the purchase, sale, exchange, interchange, wheeling, pooling, transmission, distribution, or storage of electrical energy and fuel of any kind for any such purposes, within and without the State of Illinois, in such amounts as it shall determine to be necessary and appropriate to make the most effective use of its powers and to meet its responsibilities, on such terms and for such period of time as its board determines. Any such contract or agreement may include provisions for requirements purchases, restraints on resale or other dealings, exclusive dealing, pricing, territorial division, and other conduct or arrangements that do not have an anti-competitive effect. Provided, however, that the production, interconnection, transmission, distribution, and sale at wholesale or retail of electric energy generated by the eligible project must be in accordance with all laws, regulations, and rules applicable to generators of electricity, alternative retail electric suppliers, municipal utilities, or electric cooperatives, as applicable, but further provided that this provision does not affect any exemption otherwise available under the Public Utilities Act.

(16) An agency may procure insurance against any losses in connection with its property, operations, or assets in such amounts and from such insurers as it deems desirable or may self-insure or enter into pooled insurance arrangements with other school districts against such losses.

(17) An agency may contract for and accept any gifts or grants or loans of funds or property or financial or other aid in any form from any source and may comply, subject to the provisions of this Act, with the terms and conditions thereof.

(18) An agency may mortgage, pledge, or grant a security interest in any or all of its real and personal property to secure the payment of its bonds or contracts.

(19) That part of an eligible project owned by an agency shall be exempt from property taxes.

(20) An agency shall not be subject to any taxes of the State of Illinois based on or measured by income or receipts or revenue.

(21) An agency may adopt a corporate seal and may sue and be sued.

(22) An agency may exercise all other powers not inconsistent with the Constitution of the State of Illinois or the United States Constitution, which powers may be reasonably necessary or appropriate for or incidental to effectuate its authorized purposes or to the exercise of any of the powers enumerated in this Act.

(Source: P.A. 96-946, eff. 6-25-10.)