For those who have been following the IPA Draft Procurement Plan 2012 to include a distributed SREC plan, this blog provides next steps.

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) issued a Proposed Order in Case 11-0660, the Petition for Approval of the Illinois Power Agency’s Procurement Plan.  The Proposed Order says:
 
“The Commission believes it is best to defer consideration of a distributed solar generation procurement event until a more specific proposal is submitted by the IPA in the 2013 Procurement Plan that is consistent with the IPA Act. The Commission, however, accepts the IPA's commitment to hold workshops to thoroughly develop a distributed solar generation procurement and hereby directs it to do so.”  Page 124.
 
All things considered, this language is encouraging.  It is a clear directive from the ICC to the IPA to hold workshops to develop a distributed solar program and to include that program in the 2013 Procurement Plan.  None of the intervening parties objected to this language in Briefs on Exception (Filed 12/1) or Reply Briefs (Filed 12/5).
 
The Commission is currently reviewing the entire case file and will issue a Final Order before the end of the year. There is a Public Comment opportunity available in this docket, and we encourage you to use it to express your support for a Distributed Solar Procurement Program.   Most ICC cases are insider baseball - interested parties represented by lawyers participate in the formal legal proceedings, but it is rare that the Commissioners hear from the public.  In this case, it could be very valuable for the Commissioners to know that people outside of the formal parties actually care about the outcome.
 
The ELPC encourages you to submit brief comments that:

• (1) Tell the Commission who you are or who you represent.  Are you a solar business seeking to grow in Illinois, a prospective solar investor, an architect, an Illinois electricity rate payer?  Describe your interest in the case.
• (2) Express support for the ICC directing the IPA to hold workshops to thoroughly develop a distributed solar generation program to be included in the 2013 IPA Procurement Plan.  Consider suggesting features of the workshops, e.g. they should be transparent, inclusive…
• (3) Encourage the ICC to also direct the IPA to develop a study identifying and quantifying the grid benefits of distributed solar in Illinois.
• (4) Share your thoughts about how this program will benefit Illinois.

 
To submit comments :

• (1) Go to the ICC’s comment page:  http://www.icc.illinois.gov/docket/comment/
• (2)  In the pull down boxes at the top of the page, select “P” “11” “0660” then hit “Select.”
• (3) Make sure you get to a comment form for Case 11-0660 – Illinois Power Agency Petition for Approval of the 220 ILCS 5/16-111.5(d) Procurement Plan.
• (4) Fill out the form and hit “Submit.”

 
Since the Commission must issue the Final Order by December 28th, the Commissioners are reviewing the case file right now.  Please submit your comments as soon as possible, but definitely within the next week (before December 21st).  That way the Commission will have plenty of time to review comments before they sign off on the Final Order.
 
If you have any questions, please contact Madeleine Weil, mweil@elpc.org or Ashley Craig, acraig@elpc.org.
 
Thank you!
 
P.S. ComEd’s omnibus energy bill that was approved by the Illinois General Assembly during veto session in October-November contains several provisions with significant implications for Illinois solar stakeholders.  It fundamentally changes the net metering statute, includes a distributed generation carve-out, and introduces certification requirements for solar installers.  We will follow-up with another email within the next week to provide information about these changes.