HB4382enr 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB4382 Enrolled LRB102 21886 SPS 31007 b

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing Sections 2-202, 8-406, and 8-406.1 as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/2-202) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 2-202)

Sec. 2-202. Policy; Public Utility Fund; tax.

(a) It is declared to be the public policy of this State that in order to maintain and foster the effective regulation of public utilities under this Act in the interests of the People of the State of Illinois and the public utilities as well, the public utilities subject to regulation under this Act and which enjoy the privilege of operating as public utilities in this State, shall bear the expense of administering this Act by means of a tax on such privilege measured by the annual gross revenue of such public utilities in the manner provided in this Section. For purposes of this Section, "expense of administering this Act" includes any costs incident to studies, whether made by the Commission or under contract entered into by the Commission, concerning environmental pollution problems caused or contributed to by public utilities and the means for eliminating or abating those problems. Such proceeds shall be deposited in the Public Utility Fund in the State treasury.

(b) All of the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Commission incident to the administration of this Act shall be paid out of the Public Utility Fund except the compensation of the members of the Commission which shall be paid from the General Revenue Fund. Notwithstanding other provisions of this Act to the contrary, the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Commission incident to the administration of the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law may be paid from appropriations from the Public Utility Fund through the end of fiscal year 1986.

(c) A tax is imposed upon each public utility subject to the provisions of this Act equal to .08% of its gross revenue for each calendar year commencing with the calendar year beginning January 1, 1982, except that the Commission may, by rule, establish a different rate no greater than 0.1%. For purposes of this Section, "gross revenue" shall not include revenue from the production, transmission, distribution, sale, delivery, or furnishing of electricity. "Gross revenue" shall not include amounts paid by telecommunications retailers under the Telecommunications Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Act.

(d) Annual gross revenue returns shall be filed in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection (d).

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection (d), on or before January 10 of each year each public utility subject to the provisions of this Act shall file with the Commission an estimated annual gross revenue return containing an estimate of the amount of its gross revenue for the calendar year commencing January 1 of said year and a statement of the amount of tax due for said calendar year on the basis of that estimate. Public utilities may also file revised returns containing updated estimates and updated amounts of tax due during the calendar year. These revised returns, if filed, shall form the basis for quarterly payments due during the remainder of the calendar year. In addition, on or before March 31 of each year, each public utility shall file an amended return showing the actual amount of gross revenues shown by the company's books and records as of December 31 of the previous year. Forms and instructions for such estimated, revised, and amended returns shall be devised and supplied by the Commission.

(2) Beginning with returns due after January 1, 2002, the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection (d) shall not apply to any public utility in any calendar year for which the total tax the public utility owes under this Section is less than $10,000. For such public utilities with respect to such years, the public utility shall file with the Commission, on or before March 31 of the following year, an annual gross revenue return for the year and a statement of the amount of tax due for that year on the basis of such a return. Forms and instructions for such returns and corrected returns shall be devised and supplied by the Commission.

(e) All returns submitted to the Commission by a public utility as provided in this subsection (e) or subsection (d) of this Section shall contain or be verified by a written declaration by an appropriate officer of the public utility that the return is made under the penalties of perjury. The Commission may audit each such return submitted and may, under the provisions of Section 5-101 of this Act, take such measures as are necessary to ascertain the correctness of the returns submitted. The Commission has the power to direct the filing of a corrected return by any utility which has filed an incorrect return and to direct the filing of a return by any utility which has failed to submit a return. A taxpayer's signing a fraudulent return under this Section is perjury, as defined in Section 32-2 of the Criminal Code of 2012.

(f) (1) For all public utilities subject to paragraph (1) of subsection (d), at least one quarter of the annual amount of tax due under subsection (c) shall be paid to the Commission on or before the tenth day of January, April, July, and October of the calendar year subject to tax. In the event that an adjustment in the amount of tax due should be necessary as a result of the filing of an amended or corrected return under subsection (d) or subsection (e) of this Section, the amount of any deficiency shall be paid by the public utility together with the amended or corrected return and the amount of any excess shall, after the filing of a claim for credit by the public utility, be returned to the public utility in the form of a credit memorandum in the amount of such excess or be refunded to the public utility in accordance with the provisions of subsection (k) of this Section. However, if such deficiency or excess is less than $1, then the public utility need not pay the deficiency and may not claim a credit.

(2) Any public utility subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (d) shall pay the amount of tax due under subsection (c) on or before March 31 next following the end of the calendar year subject to tax. In the event that an adjustment in the amount of tax due should be necessary as a result of the filing of a corrected return under subsection (e), the amount of any deficiency shall be paid by the public utility at the time the corrected return is filed. Any excess tax payment by the public utility shall be returned to it after the filing of a claim for credit, in the form of a credit memorandum in the amount of the excess. However, if such deficiency or excess is less than $1, the public utility need not pay the deficiency and may not claim a credit.

(g) Each installment or required payment of the tax imposed by subsection (c) becomes delinquent at midnight of the date that it is due. Failure to make a payment as required by this Section shall result in the imposition of a late payment penalty, an underestimation penalty, or both, as provided by this subsection. The late payment penalty shall be the greater of:

(1) $25 for each month or portion of a month that the installment or required payment is unpaid or

(2) an amount equal to the difference between what should have been paid on the due date, based upon the most recently filed estimated, annual, or amended return, and what was actually paid, times 1%, for each month or portion of a month that the installment or required payment goes unpaid. This penalty may be assessed as soon as the installment or required payment becomes delinquent.

The underestimation penalty shall apply to those public utilities subject to paragraph (1) of subsection (d) and shall be calculated after the filing of the amended return. It shall be imposed if the amount actually paid on any of the dates specified in subsection (f) is not equal to at least one-fourth of the amount actually due for the year, and shall equal the greater of:

(1) $25 for each month or portion of a month that the amount due is unpaid or

(2) an amount equal to the difference between what should have been paid, based on the amended return, and what was actually paid as of the date specified in subsection (f), times a percentage equal to 1/12 of the sum of 10% and the percentage most recently established by the Commission for interest to be paid on customer deposits under 83 Ill. Adm. Code 280.70(e)(1), for each month or portion of a month that the amount due goes unpaid, except that no underestimation penalty shall be assessed if the amount actually paid on or before each of the dates specified in subsection (f) was based on an estimate of gross revenues at least equal to the actual gross revenues for the previous year. The Commission may enforce the collection of any delinquent installment or payment, or portion thereof by legal action or in any other manner by which the collection of debts due the State of Illinois may be enforced under the laws of this State. The executive director or his designee may excuse the payment of an assessed penalty or a portion of an assessed penalty if he determines that enforced collection of the penalty as assessed would be unjust.

(h) All sums collected by the Commission under the provisions of this Section shall be paid promptly after the receipt of the same, accompanied by a detailed statement thereof, into the Public Utility Fund in the State treasury.

(i) During the month of October of each odd-numbered year the Commission shall:

(1) determine the amount of all moneys deposited in the Public Utility Fund during the preceding fiscal biennium plus the balance, if any, in that fund at the beginning of that biennium;

(2) determine the sum total of the following items: (A) all moneys expended or obligated against appropriations made from the Public Utility Fund during the preceding fiscal biennium, plus (B) the sum of the credit memoranda then outstanding against the Public Utility Fund, if any; and

(3) determine the amount, if any, by which the sum determined as provided in item (1) exceeds the amount determined as provided in item (2).

If the amount determined as provided in item (3) of this subsection exceeds 50% of the previous fiscal year's appropriation level, the Commission shall then compute the proportionate amount, if any, which (x) the tax paid hereunder by each utility during the preceding biennium, and (y) the amount paid into the Public Utility Fund during the preceding biennium by the Department of Revenue pursuant to Sections 2-9 and 2-11 of the Electricity Excise Tax Law, bears to the difference between the amount determined as provided in item (3) of this subsection (i) and 50% of the previous fiscal year's appropriation level. The Commission shall cause the proportionate amount determined with respect to payments made under the Electricity Excise Tax Law to be transferred into the General Revenue Fund in the State Treasury, and notify each public utility that it may file during the 3 month period after the date of notification a claim for credit for the proportionate amount determined with respect to payments made hereunder by the public utility. If the proportionate amount is less than $10, no notification will be sent by the Commission, and no right to a claim exists as to that amount. Upon the filing of a claim for credit within the period provided, the Commission shall issue a credit memorandum in such amount to such public utility. Any claim for credit filed after the period provided for in this Section is void.

(i-5) During the month of June October of each year the Commission shall:

(1) determine the amount of all moneys expected to be deposited in the Public Utility Fund during the next current fiscal year, plus the balance, if any, in that fund at the beginning of that year;

(2) determine the total of all moneys expected to be expended or obligated against appropriations made from the Public Utility Fund during the next current fiscal year; and

(3) determine the amount, if any, by which the amount determined in paragraph (2) exceeds the amount determined as provided in paragraph (1).

If the amount determined as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection (i-5) results in a deficit, the Commission may assess electric utilities and gas utilities for the difference between the amount appropriated for the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Commission and the amount derived under paragraph (1) of this subsection (i-5). Such proceeds shall be deposited in the Public Utility Fund in the State treasury. The Commission shall apportion that difference among those public utilities on the basis of each utility's share of the total intrastate gross revenues of the utilities subject to this subsection (i-5). Payments required under this subsection (i-5) shall be made in the time and manner directed by the Commission. The Commission shall permit utilities to recover Illinois Commerce Commission assessments effective pursuant to this subsection through an automatic adjustment mechanism that is incorporated into an existing tariff that recovers costs associated with this Section, or through a supplemental customer charge.

Within 6 months after the first time assessments are made under this subsection (i-5), the Commission shall initiate a docketed proceeding in which it shall consider, in addition to assessments from electric and gas utilities subject to this subsection, the raising of assessments from, or the payment of fees by, water and sewer utilities, entities possessing certificates of service authority as alternative retail electric suppliers under Section 16-115 of this Act, entities possessing certificates of service authority as alternative gas suppliers under Section 19-110 of this Act, and telecommunications carriers providing local exchange telecommunications service or interexchange telecommunications service under Sections 13-204 or 13-205 of this Act. The amounts so determined shall be based on the costs to the agency of the exercise of its regulatory and supervisory functions with regard to the different industries and service providers subject to the proceeding. No less often than every 3 years after the end of a proceeding under this subsection (i-5), the Commission shall initiate another proceeding for that purpose.

The Commission may use this apportionment method until the docketed proceeding in which the Commission considers the raising of assessments from other entities subject to its jurisdiction under this Act has concluded. No credit memoranda shall be issued pursuant to subsection (i) if the amount determined as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection (i-5) results in a deficit.

(j) Credit memoranda issued pursuant to subsection (f) and credit memoranda issued after notification and filing pursuant to subsection (i) may be applied for the 2 year period from the date of issuance, against the payment of any amount due during that period under the tax imposed by subsection (c), or, subject to reasonable rule of the Commission including requirement of notification, may be assigned to any other public utility subject to regulation under this Act. Any application of credit memoranda after the period provided for in this Section is void.

(k) The chairman or executive director may make refund of fees, taxes or other charges whenever he shall determine that the person or public utility will not be liable for payment of such fees, taxes or charges during the next 24 months and he determines that the issuance of a credit memorandum would be unjust.

(Source: P.A. 99-906, eff. 6-1-17.)

(220 ILCS 5/8-406) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 8-406)

Sec. 8-406. Certificate of public convenience and necessity.

(a) No public utility not owning any city or village franchise nor engaged in performing any public service or in furnishing any product or commodity within this State as of July 1, 1921 and not possessing a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Illinois Commerce Commission, the State Public Utilities Commission, or the Public Utilities Commission, at the time Public Act 84-617 this amendatory Act of 1985 goes into effect (January 1, 1986), shall transact any business in this State until it shall have obtained a certificate from the Commission that public convenience and necessity require the transaction of such business. A certificate of public convenience and necessity requiring the transaction of public utility business in any area of this State shall include authorization to the public utility receiving the certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct such plant, equipment, property, or facility as is provided for under the terms and conditions of its tariff and as is necessary to provide utility service and carry out the transaction of public utility business by the public utility in the designated area.

(b) No public utility shall begin the construction of any new plant, equipment, property, or facility which is not in substitution of any existing plant, equipment, property, or facility, or any extension or alteration thereof or in addition thereto, unless and until it shall have obtained from the Commission a certificate that public convenience and necessity require such construction. Whenever after a hearing the Commission determines that any new construction or the transaction of any business by a public utility will promote the public convenience and is necessary thereto, it shall have the power to issue certificates of public convenience and necessity. The Commission shall determine that proposed construction will promote the public convenience and necessity only if the utility demonstrates: (1) that the proposed construction is necessary to provide adequate, reliable, and efficient service to its customers and is the least-cost means of satisfying the service needs of its customers or that the proposed construction will promote the development of an effectively competitive electricity market that operates efficiently, is equitable to all customers, and is the least cost means of satisfying those objectives; (2) that the utility is capable of efficiently managing and supervising the construction process and has taken sufficient action to ensure adequate and efficient construction and supervision thereof; and (3) that the utility is capable of financing the proposed construction without significant adverse financial consequences for the utility or its customers.

(b-5) As used in this subsection (b-5):

"Qualifying direct current applicant" means an entity that seeks to provide direct current bulk transmission service for the purpose of transporting electric energy in interstate commerce.

"Qualifying direct current project" means a high voltage direct current electric service line that crosses at least one Illinois border, the Illinois portion of which is physically located within the region of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., or its successor organization, and runs through the counties of Pike, Scott, Greene, Macoupin, Montgomery, Christian, Shelby, Cumberland, and Clark, is capable of transmitting electricity at voltages of 345 kilovolts 345kv or above, and may also include associated interconnected alternating current interconnection facilities in this State that are part of the proposed project and reasonably necessary to connect the project with other portions of the grid.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, a qualifying direct current applicant that does not own, control, operate, or manage, within this State, any plant, equipment, or property used or to be used for the transmission of electricity at the time of its application or of the Commission's order may file an application on or before December 31, 2023 with the Commission pursuant to this Section or Section 8-406.1 for, and the Commission may grant, a certificate of public convenience and necessity to construct, operate, and maintain a qualifying direct current project. The qualifying direct current applicant may also include in the application requests for authority under Section 8-503. The Commission shall grant the application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity and requests for authority under Section 8-503 if it finds that the qualifying direct current applicant and the proposed qualifying direct current project satisfy the requirements of this subsection and otherwise satisfy the criteria of this Section or Section 8-406.1 and the criteria of Section 8-503, as applicable to the application and to the extent such criteria are not superseded by the provisions of this subsection. The Commission's order on the application for the certificate of public convenience and necessity shall also include the Commission's findings and determinations on the request or requests for authority pursuant to Section 8-503. Prior to filing its application under either this Section or Section 8-406.1, the qualifying direct current applicant shall conduct 3 public meetings in accordance with subsection (h) of this Section. If the qualifying direct current applicant demonstrates in its application that the proposed qualifying direct current project is designed to deliver electricity to a point or points on the electric transmission grid in either or both the PJM Interconnection, LLC or the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., or their respective successor organizations, the proposed qualifying direct current project shall be deemed to be, and the Commission shall find it to be, for public use. If the qualifying direct current applicant further demonstrates in its application that the proposed transmission project has a capacity of 1,000 megawatts or larger and a voltage level of 345 kilovolts or greater, the proposed transmission project shall be deemed to satisfy, and the Commission shall find that it satisfies, the criteria stated in item (1) of subsection (b) of this Section or in paragraph (1) of subsection (f) of Section 8-406.1, as applicable to the application, without the taking of additional evidence on these criteria. Prior to the transfer of functional control of any transmission assets to a regional transmission organization, a qualifying direct current applicant shall request Commission approval to join a regional transmission organization in an application filed pursuant to this subsection (b-5) or separately pursuant to Section 7-102 of this Act. The Commission may grant permission to a qualifying direct current applicant to join a regional transmission organization if it finds that the membership, and associated transfer of functional control of transmission assets, benefits Illinois customers in light of the attendant costs and is otherwise in the public interest. Nothing in this subsection (b-5) requires a qualifying direct current applicant to join a regional transmission organization. Nothing in this subsection (b-5) requires the owner or operator of a high voltage direct current transmission line that is not a qualifying direct current project to obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity to the extent it is not otherwise required by this Section 8-406 or any other provision of this Act.

(c) After September 11, 1987 (the effective date of Public Act 85-377) this amendatory Act of 1987, no construction shall commence on any new nuclear power plant to be located within this State, and no certificate of public convenience and necessity or other authorization shall be issued therefor by the Commission, until the Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency finds that the United States Government, through its authorized agency, has identified and approved a demonstrable technology or means for the disposal of high level nuclear waste, or until such construction has been specifically approved by a statute enacted by the General Assembly.

As used in this Section, "high level nuclear waste" means those aqueous wastes resulting from the operation of the first cycle of the solvent extraction system or equivalent and the concentrated wastes of the subsequent extraction cycles or equivalent in a facility for reprocessing irradiated reactor fuel and shall include spent fuel assemblies prior to fuel reprocessing.

(d) In making its determination under subsection (b) of this Section, the Commission shall attach primary weight to the cost or cost savings to the customers of the utility. The Commission may consider any or all factors which will or may affect such cost or cost savings, including the public utility's engineering judgment regarding the materials used for construction.

(e) The Commission may issue a temporary certificate which shall remain in force not to exceed one year in cases of emergency, to assure maintenance of adequate service or to serve particular customers, without notice or hearing, pending the determination of an application for a certificate, and may by regulation exempt from the requirements of this Section temporary acts or operations for which the issuance of a certificate will not be required in the public interest.

A public utility shall not be required to obtain but may apply for and obtain a certificate of public convenience and necessity pursuant to this Section with respect to any matter as to which it has received the authorization or order of the Commission under the Electric Supplier Act, and any such authorization or order granted a public utility by the Commission under that Act shall as between public utilities be deemed to be, and shall have except as provided in that Act the same force and effect as, a certificate of public convenience and necessity issued pursuant to this Section.

No electric cooperative shall be made or shall become a party to or shall be entitled to be heard or to otherwise appear or participate in any proceeding initiated under this Section for authorization of power plant construction and as to matters as to which a remedy is available under the Electric Supplier Act.

(f) Such certificates may be altered or modified by the Commission, upon its own motion or upon application by the person or corporation affected. Unless exercised within a period of 2 years from the grant thereof, authority conferred by a certificate of convenience and necessity issued by the Commission shall be null and void.

No certificate of public convenience and necessity shall be construed as granting a monopoly or an exclusive privilege, immunity or franchise.

(g) A public utility that undertakes any of the actions described in items (1) through (3) of this subsection (g) or that has obtained approval pursuant to Section 8-406.1 of this Act shall not be required to comply with the requirements of this Section to the extent such requirements otherwise would apply. For purposes of this Section and Section 8-406.1 of this Act, "high voltage electric service line" means an electric line having a design voltage of 100,000 or more. For purposes of this subsection (g), a public utility may do any of the following:

(1) replace or upgrade any existing high voltage electric service line and related facilities, notwithstanding its length;

(2) relocate any existing high voltage electric service line and related facilities, notwithstanding its length, to accommodate construction or expansion of a roadway or other transportation infrastructure; or

(3) construct a high voltage electric service line and related facilities that is constructed solely to serve a single customer's premises or to provide a generator interconnection to the public utility's transmission system and that will pass under or over the premises owned by the customer or generator to be served or under or over premises for which the customer or generator has secured the necessary right of way.

(h) A public utility seeking to construct a high-voltage electric service line and related facilities (Project) must show that the utility has held a minimum of 2 pre-filing public meetings to receive public comment concerning the Project in each county where the Project is to be located, no earlier than 6 months prior to filing an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the Commission. Notice of the public meeting shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the affected county once a week for 3 consecutive weeks, beginning no earlier than one month prior to the first public meeting. If the Project traverses 2 contiguous counties and where in one county the transmission line mileage and number of landowners over whose property the proposed route traverses is one-fifth or less of the transmission line mileage and number of such landowners of the other county, then the utility may combine the 2 pre-filing meetings in the county with the greater transmission line mileage and affected landowners. All other requirements regarding pre-filing meetings shall apply in both counties. Notice of the public meeting, including a description of the Project, must be provided in writing to the clerk of each county where the Project is to be located. A representative of the Commission shall be invited to each pre-filing public meeting.

(i) For applications filed after August 18, 2015 (the effective date of Public Act 99-399) this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly, the Commission shall, by certified mail, registered mail notify each owner of record of land, as identified in the records of the relevant county tax assessor, included in the right-of-way over which the utility seeks in its application to construct a high-voltage electric line of the time and place scheduled for the initial hearing on the public utility's application. The utility shall reimburse the Commission for the cost of the postage and supplies incurred for mailing the notice.

(Source: P.A. 102-609, eff. 8-27-21; 102-662, eff. 9-15-21; revised 10-21-21.)

(220 ILCS 5/8-406.1)

Sec. 8-406.1. Certificate of public convenience and necessity; expedited procedure.

(a) A public utility may apply for a certificate of public convenience and necessity pursuant to this Section for the construction of any new high voltage electric service line and related facilities (Project). To facilitate the expedited review process of an application filed pursuant to this Section, an application shall include all of the following:

(1) Information in support of the application that shall include the following:

(A) A detailed description of the Project, including location maps and plot plans to scale showing all major components.

(B) The following engineering data:

(i) a detailed Project description including:

(I) name and destination of the Project;

(II) design voltage rating (kV);

(III) operating voltage rating (kV); and

(IV) normal peak operating current rating;

(ii) a conductor, structures, and substations description including:

(I) conductor size and type;

(II) type of structures;

(III) height of typical structures;

(IV) an explanation why these structures were selected;

(V) dimensional drawings of the typical structures to be used in the Project; and

(VI) a list of the names of all new (and existing if applicable) substations or switching stations that will be associated with the proposed new high voltage electric service line;

(iii) the location of the site and right-of-way including:

(I) miles of right-of-way;

(II) miles of circuit;

(III) width of the right-of-way; and

(IV) a brief description of the area traversed by the proposed high voltage electric service line, including a description of the general land uses in the area and the type of terrain crossed by the proposed line;

(iv) assumptions, bases, formulae, and methods used in the development and preparation of the diagrams and accompanying data, and a technical description providing the following information:

(I) number of circuits, with identification as to whether the circuit is overhead or underground;

(II) the operating voltage and frequency; and

(III) conductor size and type and number of conductors per phase;

(v) if the proposed interconnection is an overhead line, the following additional information also must be provided:

(I) the wind and ice loading design parameters;

(II) a full description and drawing of a typical supporting structure, including strength specifications;

(III) structure spacing with typical ruling and maximum spans;

(IV) conductor (phase) spacing; and

(V) the designed line-to-ground and conductor-side clearances;

(vi) if an underground or underwater interconnection is proposed, the following additional information also must be provided:

(I) burial depth;

(II) type of cable and a description of any required supporting equipment, such as insulation medium pressurizing or forced cooling;

(III) cathodic protection scheme; and

(IV) type of dielectric fluid and safeguards used to limit potential spills in waterways;

(vii) technical diagrams that provide clarification of any item under this item (1) should be included; and

(viii) applicant shall provide and identify a primary right-of-way and one or more alternate rights-of-way for the Project as part of the filing. To the extent applicable, for each right-of-way, an applicant shall provide the information described in this subsection (a). Upon a showing of good cause in its filing, an applicant may be excused from providing and identifying alternate rights-of-way.

(2) An application fee of $100,000, which shall be paid into the Public Utility Fund at the time the Chief Clerk of the Commission deems it complete and accepts the filing.

(3) Information showing that the utility has held a minimum of 3 pre-filing public meetings to receive public comment concerning the Project in each county where the Project is to be located, no earlier than 6 months prior to the filing of the application. Notice of the public meeting shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within the affected county once a week for 3 consecutive weeks, beginning no earlier than one month prior to the first public meeting. If the Project traverses 2 contiguous counties and where in one county the transmission line mileage and number of landowners over whose property the proposed route traverses is 1/5 or less of the transmission line mileage and number of such landowners of the other county, then the utility may combine the 3 pre-filing meetings in the county with the greater transmission line mileage and affected landowners. All other requirements regarding pre-filing meetings shall apply in both counties. Notice of the public meeting, including a description of the Project, must be provided in writing to the clerk of each county where the Project is to be located. A representative of the Commission shall be invited to each pre-filing public meeting.

For applications filed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly, the Commission shall, by certified mail, registered mail notify each owner of record of the land, as identified in the records of the relevant county tax assessor, included in the primary or alternate rights-of-way identified in the utility's application of the time and place scheduled for the initial hearing upon the public utility's application. The utility shall reimburse the Commission for the cost of the postage and supplies incurred for mailing the notice.

(b) At the first status hearing the administrative law judge shall set a schedule for discovery that shall take into consideration the expedited nature of the proceeding.

(c) Nothing in this Section prohibits a utility from requesting, or the Commission from approving, protection of confidential or proprietary information under applicable law. The public utility may seek confidential protection of any of the information provided pursuant to this Section, subject to Commission approval.

(d) The public utility shall publish notice of its application in the official State newspaper within 10 days following the date of the application's filing.

(e) The public utility shall establish a dedicated website for the Project 3 weeks prior to the first public meeting and maintain the website until construction of the Project is complete. The website address shall be included in all public notices.

(f) The Commission shall, after notice and hearing, grant a certificate of public convenience and necessity filed in accordance with the requirements of this Section if, based upon the application filed with the Commission and the evidentiary record, it finds the Project will promote the public convenience and necessity and that all of the following criteria are satisfied:

(1) That the Project is necessary to provide adequate, reliable, and efficient service to the public utility's customers and is the least-cost means of satisfying the service needs of the public utility's customers or that the Project will promote the development of an effectively competitive electricity market that operates efficiently, is equitable to all customers, and is the least cost means of satisfying those objectives.

(2) That the public utility is capable of efficiently managing and supervising the construction process and has taken sufficient action to ensure adequate and efficient construction and supervision of the construction.

(3) That the public utility is capable of financing the proposed construction without significant adverse financial consequences for the utility or its customers.

(g) The Commission shall issue its decision with findings of fact and conclusions of law granting or denying the application no later than 150 days after the application is filed. The Commission may extend the 150-day deadline upon notice by an additional 75 days if, on or before the 30th day after the filing of the application, the Commission finds that good cause exists to extend the 150-day period.

(h) In the event the Commission grants a public utility's application for a certificate pursuant to this Section, the public utility shall pay a one-time construction fee to each county in which the Project is constructed within 30 days after the completion of construction. The construction fee shall be $20,000 per mile of high voltage electric service line constructed in that county, or a proportionate fraction of that fee. The fee shall be in lieu of any permitting fees that otherwise would be imposed by a county. Counties receiving a payment under this subsection (h) may distribute all or portions of the fee to local taxing districts in that county.

(i) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, a decision granting a certificate under this Section shall include an order pursuant to Section 8-503 of this Act authorizing or directing the construction of the high voltage electric service line and related facilities as approved by the Commission, in the manner and within the time specified in said order.

(Source: P.A. 99-399, eff. 8-18-15.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.