State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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90_SB1228

      220 ILCS 5/16-107.5 new
          Amends  the  Public  Utilities  Act.   Requires  electric
      utilities  and  alternative  retail  electric  suppliers   to
      provide  net  energy  metering  capabilities  for  its retail
      customers that own  and  operate  solar  or  wind  electrical
      generating  facilities.   Provides  that  net production by a
      customer shall be credited to its bill at the same  rate  the
      electric  utility  or  alternative retail electrical supplier
      charges for electricity provided to the customer.   Effective
      immediately.
                                                    SRS90SB0053JJch
                                              SRS90SB0053JJch
 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Public  Utilities  Act by adding
 2    Section 16-107.5.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 5.  The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding
 6    Section 16-107.5 as follows:
 7        (220 ILCS 5/16-107.5 new)
 8        Sec. 16-107.5.  Legislative findings and declarations.
 9        (a)  The Legislature finds and declares that a program to
10    provide  net  energy  metering  for  eligible  customers  can
11    encourage  private  investment in renewable energy resources,
12    stimulate   economic      growth,   enhance   the   continued
13    diversification of Illinois' energy resource mix, and protect
14    the Illinois environment.
15        (b)  As used in this Section: (i) an "eligible  customer"
16    means  a  retail  customer  that owns and operates a solar or
17    wind electrical generating facility with a  capacity  of  not
18    more  than  40  kilowatts  that  is located on the customer's
19    premises and is intended primarily to offset part or  all  of
20    the  customer's  own  electrical  requirements  and (ii) "net
21    energy metering" means the use  of  a  net  energy  meter  to
22    measure,  during the billing period applicable to an eligible
23    customer, the net  amount  of  electricity  delivered  by  an
24    electric  utility  or provided to the electric utility by the
25    customer.
26        (c)  An  electric   utility   shall   provide   for   the
27    interconnection of eligible customer generating equipment and
28    for net energy metering.
29        (d)  An   electric  utility  and  an  alternative  retail
30    electric supplier shall use net energy  metering  to  measure
31    and  charge  or  credit  for  the net electricity supplied to
                            -2-               SRS90SB0053JJch
 1    eligible  customers  or  provided   by   eligible   customers
 2    according to the following requirements:
 3             (1)  If  the  amount  of  electricity  used  by  the
 4        customer  during the billing period exceeds the amount of
 5        electricity  produced  by  the  customer,  the   electric
 6        utility  or  alternative  retail  electric supplier shall
 7        charge the customer for the net electricity  supplied  to
 8        and  used  by the customer at the same rate applicable to
 9        electricity  provided  by   the   electric   utility   or
10        alternative retail electric supplier to other residential
11        customers and small commercial retail customers.
12             (2)  If  the  amount  of  electricity  produced by a
13        customer during the billing period exceeds the amount  of
14        electricity used by the customer, the electric utility or
15        alternative   retail  electric  supplier  supplying  that
16        customer shall apply  a  credit  to  the  next  bill  for
17        service  to the customer for the net electricity produced
18        at the same rate applicable to  electricity  provided  to
19        other  residential  customers and small commercial retail
20        customers.
21             (3)  At the end of the year or annualized  over  the
22        period  that  service  is supplied by means of net energy
23        metering, the  electric  utility  or  alternative  retail
24        electric  supplier  supplying  a  customer shall promptly
25        issue payment at its avoided cost to the customer for the
26        value of any remaining credit for the excess  electricity
27        provided  by  the  customer  during  the year or over the
28        annualized period.
29        (e)  Within 3 months after the  effective  date  of  this
30    amendatory  Act  of  1998,  the  Illinois Commerce Commission
31    shall establish standards for net  energy  metering  and  the
32    interconnection   of   solar  and  wind  electric  generating
33    equipment to the utility system if the Commission  determines
34    that  such  standards  are  necessary  for  safe and adequate
                            -3-               SRS90SB0053JJch
 1    service and further the  public  policy  set  forth  in  this
 2    Section.  The standards may include, but shall not be limited
 3    to, standards designating:
 4             (1)  equipment  necessary  to  automatically isolate
 5        the residential solar and wind generating system from the
 6        utility system for voltage and frequency deviations; and
 7             (2)  a manual lockable disconnect switch provided by
 8        the customer which shall be located on the outside of the
 9        residence and externally accessible for  the  purpose  of
10        isolating   the   solar   and  wind  electric  generating
11        equipment.
12        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
13    becoming law.

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