(220 ILCS 5/16-108.30)

Sec. 16-108.30. Energy Transition Assistance Fund.

(a) The Energy Transition Assistance Fund is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury. The Energy Transition Assistance Fund is authorized to receive moneys collected pursuant to this Section. Subject to appropriation, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall use moneys from the Energy Transition Assistance Fund consistent with the purposes of this Act.

(b) An electric utility serving more than 500,000 customers in the State shall assess an energy transition assistance charge on all its retail customers for the Energy Transition Assistance Fund. The utility's total charge shall be set based upon the value determined by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity pursuant to subsection (d) or (e), as applicable, of Section 605-1075 of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. For each utility, the charge shall be recovered through a single, uniform cents per kilowatt-hour charge applicable to all retail customers. For each utility, the charge shall not exceed 1.3% of the amount paid per kilowatthour by eligible retail customers during the year ending May 31, 2009.

(c) Within 75 days of the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, each electric utility serving more than 500,000 customers in the State shall file with the Illinois Commerce Commission tariffs incorporating the energy transition assistance charge in other charges stated in such tariffs, which energy transition assistance charges shall become effective no later than the beginning of the first billing cycle that begins on or after January 1, 2022. Each electric utility serving more than 500,000 customers in the State shall, prior to the beginning of each calendar year starting with calendar year 2023, file with the Illinois Commerce Commission tariff revisions to incorporate annual revisions to the energy transition assistance charge as prescribed by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity pursuant to Section 605-1075 of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois so that such revision becomes effective no later than the beginning of the first billing cycle in each respective year.

(d) The energy transition assistance charge shall be considered a charge for public utility service.

(e) By the 20th day of the month following the month in which the charges imposed by this Section were collected, each electric utility serving more than 500,000 customers in the State shall remit to Department of Revenue all moneys received as payment of the energy transition assistance charge on a return prescribed and furnished by the Department of Revenue showing such information as the Department of Revenue may reasonably require. If a customer makes a partial payment, a public utility may apply such partial payments first to amounts owed to the utility. No customer may be subjected to disconnection of his or her utility service for failure to pay the energy transition assistance charge.

If any payment provided for in this subsection exceeds the electric utility's liabilities under this Act, as shown on an original return, the Department may authorize the electric utility to credit such excess payment against liability subsequently to be remitted to the Department under this Act, in accordance with reasonable rules adopted by the Department.

All the provisions of Sections 4, 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5i, 5j, 6, 6a, 6b, 6c, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11a, 12, and 13 of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act that are not inconsistent with this Act apply, as far as practicable, to the charge imposed by this Act to the same extent as if those provisions were included in this Act. References in the incorporated Sections of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to retailers, to sellers, or to persons engaged in the business of selling tangible personal property mean persons required to remit the charge imposed under this Act.

(f) The Department of Revenue shall deposit into the Energy Transition Assistance Fund all moneys remitted to it in accordance with this Section.

(g) The Department of Revenue may establish such rules as it deems necessary to implement this Section.

(h) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may establish such rules as it deems necessary to implement this Section.

(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21; 102-1031, eff. 5-27-22.)