|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
1 | AN ACT concerning regulation.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
3 | represented in the General Assembly:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
4 | Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
5 | Section 16-107.5 as follows: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
6 | (220 ILCS 5/16-107.5)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
7 | Sec. 16-107.5. Net electricity metering. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
8 | (a) The Legislature finds and declares that a program to | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
9 | provide net electricity
metering, as defined in this Section,
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
10 | for eligible customers can encourage private investment in | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
11 | renewable energy
resources, stimulate
economic growth, enhance | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
12 | the continued diversification of Illinois' energy
resource | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
13 | mix, and protect
the Illinois environment.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
14 | (b) As used in this Section, (i) "eligible customer" means | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
15 | a retail
customer that owns or operates a
solar, wind, or other | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
16 | eligible renewable electrical generating facility with a rated | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
17 | capacity of not more than
2,000 kilowatts that is
located on | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
18 | the customer's premises and is intended primarily to offset the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
19 | customer's
own electrical requirements; (ii) "electricity | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
20 | provider" means an electric utility or alternative retail | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
21 | electric supplier; (iii) "eligible renewable electrical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
22 | generating facility" means a generator powered by solar | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
23 | electric energy, wind, dedicated crops grown for electricity |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | generation, anaerobic digestion of livestock or food | ||||||
2 | processing waste, fuel cells or microturbines powered by | ||||||
3 | renewable fuels, or hydroelectric energy; and (iv) "net | ||||||
4 | electricity metering" (or "net metering") means the
| ||||||
5 | measurement, during the
billing period applicable to an | ||||||
6 | eligible customer, of the net amount of
electricity supplied by | ||||||
7 | an
electricity provider to the customer's premises or provided | ||||||
8 | to the electricity provider by the customer.
| ||||||
9 | (c) A net metering facility shall be equipped with metering | ||||||
10 | equipment that can measure the flow of electricity in both | ||||||
11 | directions at the same rate. For eligible residential | ||||||
12 | customers, this shall typically be accomplished through use of | ||||||
13 | a single, bi-directional meter. If the eligible customer's | ||||||
14 | existing electric revenue meter does not meet this requirement, | ||||||
15 | the electricity provider shall arrange for the local electric | ||||||
16 | utility or a meter service provider to install and maintain a | ||||||
17 | new revenue meter at the electricity provider's expense. For | ||||||
18 | non-residential customers, the electricity provider may | ||||||
19 | arrange for the local electric utility or a meter service | ||||||
20 | provider to install and maintain metering equipment capable of | ||||||
21 | measuring the flow of electricity both into and out of the | ||||||
22 | customer's facility at the same rate and ratio, typically | ||||||
23 | through the use of a dual channel meter. For generators with a | ||||||
24 | nameplate rating of 40 kilowatts and below, the costs of | ||||||
25 | installing such equipment shall be paid for by the electricity | ||||||
26 | provider. For generators with a nameplate rating over 40 |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | kilowatts and up to 2,000 kilowatts capacity, the costs of | ||||||
2 | installing such equipment shall be paid for by the customer. | ||||||
3 | Any subsequent revenue meter change necessitated by any | ||||||
4 | eligible customer shall be paid for by the customer.
| ||||||
5 | (d) An electricity provider shall
measure and charge or | ||||||
6 | credit for the net
electricity supplied to eligible customers | ||||||
7 | or provided by eligible customers in
the following manner:
| ||||||
8 | (1) If the amount of electricity used by the customer | ||||||
9 | during the billing
period exceeds the
amount of electricity | ||||||
10 | produced by the customer, the electricity provider shall | ||||||
11 | charge the customer for the net electricity supplied to and | ||||||
12 | used
by the customer as provided in subsection (e) of this | ||||||
13 | Section.
| ||||||
14 | (2) If the amount of electricity produced by a customer | ||||||
15 | during the billing period exceeds the amount of electricity | ||||||
16 | used by the customer during that billing period, the | ||||||
17 | electricity provider supplying that customer shall apply a | ||||||
18 | 1:1 kilowatt-hour credit to a subsequent bill for service | ||||||
19 | to the customer for the net electricity supplied to the | ||||||
20 | electricity provider. The electricity provider shall | ||||||
21 | continue to carry over any excess kilowatt-hour credits | ||||||
22 | earned and apply those credits to subsequent billing | ||||||
23 | periods to offset any customer-generator consumption in | ||||||
24 | those billing periods until all credits are used or until | ||||||
25 | the end of the annualized period.
| ||||||
26 | (3) At the end of the year or annualized over the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | period that service is supplied by means of net metering, | ||||||
2 | or in the event that the retail customer terminates service | ||||||
3 | with the electricity provider prior to the end of the year | ||||||
4 | or the annualized period, any remaining credits in the | ||||||
5 | customer's account shall expire.
| ||||||
6 | (e) An electricity provider shall provide to net metering | ||||||
7 | customers electric service at non-discriminatory rates that | ||||||
8 | are identical, with respect to rate structure, retail rate | ||||||
9 | components, and any monthly charges, to the rates that the | ||||||
10 | customer would be charged if not a net metering customer. An | ||||||
11 | electricity provider shall not charge net metering customers | ||||||
12 | any fee or charge or require additional equipment, insurance, | ||||||
13 | or any other requirements not specifically authorized by | ||||||
14 | interconnection standards authorized by the Commission, unless | ||||||
15 | the fee, charge, or other requirement would apply to other | ||||||
16 | similarly situated customers who are not net metering | ||||||
17 | customers. The customer will remain responsible for all taxes, | ||||||
18 | fees, and utility delivery charges that would otherwise be | ||||||
19 | applicable to the net amount of electricity used by the | ||||||
20 | customer. Subsections (c) through (e) of this Section shall not | ||||||
21 | be construed to prevent an arms-length agreement between an | ||||||
22 | electricity provider and an eligible customer that sets forth | ||||||
23 | different prices, terms, and conditions for the provision of | ||||||
24 | net metering service, including, but not limited to, the | ||||||
25 | provision of the appropriate metering equipment for | ||||||
26 | non-residential customers.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (f) Notwithstanding the requirements of subsections (c) | ||||||
2 | through (e) of this Section, an electricity provider must | ||||||
3 | require dual-channel metering for non-residential customers | ||||||
4 | operating eligible renewable electrical generating facilities | ||||||
5 | with a nameplate rating over 40 kilowatts and up to 2,000 | ||||||
6 | kilowatts. In such cases, electricity charges and credits shall | ||||||
7 | be determined as follows:
| ||||||
8 | (1) The electricity provider shall assess and the | ||||||
9 | customer remains responsible for all taxes, fees, and | ||||||
10 | utility delivery charges that would otherwise be | ||||||
11 | applicable to the gross amount of kilowatt-hours supplied | ||||||
12 | to the eligible customer by the electricity provider. | ||||||
13 | (2) Each month that service is supplied by means of | ||||||
14 | dual-channel metering, the electricity provider shall | ||||||
15 | compensate the eligible customer for any excess | ||||||
16 | kilowatt-hour credits at the electricity provider's | ||||||
17 | avoided cost of electricity supply over the monthly period | ||||||
18 | or as otherwise specified by the terms of a power-purchase | ||||||
19 | agreement negotiated between the customer and electricity | ||||||
20 | provider. | ||||||
21 | (3) For all eligible net metering customers taking | ||||||
22 | service from an electricity provider under contracts or | ||||||
23 | tariffs employing time of use rates, any monthly | ||||||
24 | consumption of electricity shall be calculated according | ||||||
25 | to the terms of the contract or tariff to which the same | ||||||
26 | customer would be assigned to or be eligible for if the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | customer was not a net metering customer. When those same | ||||||
2 | customer-generators are net generators during any discrete | ||||||
3 | time of use period, the net kilowatt-hours produced shall | ||||||
4 | be valued at the same price per kilowatt-hour as the | ||||||
5 | electric service provider would charge for retail | ||||||
6 | kilowatt-hour sales during that same time of use period.
| ||||||
7 | (g) For purposes of federal and State laws providing | ||||||
8 | renewable energy credits or greenhouse gas credits, the | ||||||
9 | eligible customer shall be treated as owning and having title | ||||||
10 | to the renewable energy attributes, renewable energy credits, | ||||||
11 | and greenhouse gas emission credits related to any electricity | ||||||
12 | produced by the qualified generating unit. The electricity | ||||||
13 | provider may not condition participation in a net metering | ||||||
14 | program on the signing over of a customer's renewable energy | ||||||
15 | credits; provided, however, this subsection (g) shall not be | ||||||
16 | construed to prevent an arms-length agreement between an | ||||||
17 | electricity provider and an eligible customer that sets forth | ||||||
18 | the ownership or title of the credits.
| ||||||
19 | (h) Within 120 days after the effective date of this
| ||||||
20 | amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, the Commission | ||||||
21 | shall establish standards for net metering and, if the | ||||||
22 | Commission has not already acted on its own initiative, | ||||||
23 | standards for the interconnection of eligible renewable | ||||||
24 | generating equipment to the utility system. The | ||||||
25 | interconnection standards shall address any procedural | ||||||
26 | barriers, delays, and administrative costs associated with the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | interconnection of customer-generation while ensuring the | ||||||
2 | safety and reliability of the units and the electric utility | ||||||
3 | system. The Commission shall consider the Institute of | ||||||
4 | Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 1547 and | ||||||
5 | the issues of (i) reasonable and fair fees and costs, (ii) | ||||||
6 | clear timelines for major milestones in the interconnection | ||||||
7 | process, (iii) nondiscriminatory terms of agreement, and (iv) | ||||||
8 | any best practices for interconnection of distributed | ||||||
9 | generation.
| ||||||
10 | (i) All electricity providers shall begin to offer net | ||||||
11 | metering
no later than April 1,
2008.
| ||||||
12 | (j) An electricity provider shall provide net metering to | ||||||
13 | eligible
customers until the load of its net metering customers | ||||||
14 | equals 1% of
the total peak demand supplied by
that electricity | ||||||
15 | provider during the
previous year. Electricity providers are | ||||||
16 | authorized to offer net metering beyond
the 1% level if they so | ||||||
17 | choose. The number of new eligible customers with generators | ||||||
18 | that have a nameplate rating of 40 kilowatts and below will be | ||||||
19 | limited to 200 total new billing accounts for the utilities | ||||||
20 | (Ameren Companies, ComEd, and MidAmerican) for the period of | ||||||
21 | April 1, 2008 through March 31, 2009.
| ||||||
22 | (k) Each electricity provider shall maintain records and | ||||||
23 | report annually to the Commission the total number of net | ||||||
24 | metering customers served by the provider, as well as the type, | ||||||
25 | capacity, and energy sources of the generating systems used by | ||||||
26 | the net metering customers. Nothing in this Section shall limit |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the ability of an electricity provider to request the redaction | ||||||
2 | of information deemed by the Commission to be confidential | ||||||
3 | business information. Each electricity provider shall notify | ||||||
4 | the Commission when the total generating capacity of its net | ||||||
5 | metering customers is equal to or in excess of the 1% cap | ||||||
6 | specified in subsection (j) of this Section. | ||||||
7 | (l) Notwithstanding the definition of "eligible customer" | ||||||
8 | in item (i) of subsection (b) of this Section, each electricity | ||||||
9 | provider shall consider whether to allow meter aggregation for | ||||||
10 | the purposes of net metering on:
| ||||||
11 | (1) properties owned or leased by multiple customers | ||||||
12 | that contribute to the operation of an eligible renewable | ||||||
13 | electrical generating facility, such as a community-owned | ||||||
14 | wind project or a community methane digester processing | ||||||
15 | livestock waste from multiple sources; and
| ||||||
16 | (2) individual units, apartments, or properties owned | ||||||
17 | or leased by multiple customers and collectively served by | ||||||
18 | a common eligible renewable electrical generating | ||||||
19 | facility, such as an apartment building served by | ||||||
20 | photovoltaic panels on the roof.
| ||||||
21 | For the purposes of this subsection (l), "meter | ||||||
22 | aggregation" means the combination of reading and billing on a | ||||||
23 | pro rata basis for the types of eligible customers described in | ||||||
24 | this Section.
| ||||||
25 | (l-5) Notwithstanding the definition of "eligible | ||||||
26 | customer" in item (i) of subsection (b) of this Section, each |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | electricity provider shall allow meter aggregation for the | ||||||
2 | purposes of net metering eligible renewable electrical | ||||||
3 | generating facilities owned or operated by school districts, | ||||||
4 | community college districts, or units of local government | ||||||
5 | pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement. Electricity | ||||||
6 | providers shall provide net metering to all parties to the | ||||||
7 | intergovernmental agreement so that all energy produced by the | ||||||
8 | eligible renewable electrical generating facilities is applied | ||||||
9 | as a 1:1 kilowatt hour credit for each party to the | ||||||
10 | intergovernmental agreement. Electricity providers shall carry | ||||||
11 | over any excess kilowatt-hour credits earned and apply those | ||||||
12 | credits to subsequent billing periods to offset any | ||||||
13 | customer-generated consumption until all credits are used or | ||||||
14 | until the end of the annualized period. The electricity | ||||||
15 | provider shall not discontinue meter aggregation as long as the | ||||||
16 | intergovernmental agreement described in this subsection (l-5) | ||||||
17 | is in effect. | ||||||
18 | For the purposes of this subsection (l-5), "meter | ||||||
19 | aggregation" means the combination of reading and billing on a | ||||||
20 | pro rata basis for the types of eligible customers described in | ||||||
21 | this Section. | ||||||
22 | (m) Nothing in this Section shall affect the right of an | ||||||
23 | electricity provider to continue to provide, or the right of a | ||||||
24 | retail customer to continue to receive service pursuant to a | ||||||
25 | contract for electric service between the electricity provider | ||||||
26 | and the retail customer in accordance with the prices, terms, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | and conditions provided for in that contract. Either the | ||||||
2 | electricity provider or the customer may require compliance | ||||||
3 | with the prices, terms, and conditions of the contract.
| ||||||
4 | (Source: P.A. 95-420, eff. 8-24-07.)
| ||||||
5 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
6 | becoming law.
|