Illinois Commerce Commission Approves IPA Plan for Purchase of Default Service Requirements
December 19,2014
The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved the Illinois Power Agency's default service procurement plan. A written order was not immediately available.
As previously reported, a draft order not only would have denied the use of full requirements contracts for 2015-16, but questioned whether there would ever be record evidence to resolve the full requirements question (see story on EnergyChoiceMatters.com).
A press release regarding the ICC's approval of the IPA plan is below. RetailEnergyX.com disclaims any responsibility for the content of the release below, and makes no averment as to its accuracy or statements.
ICC Approves IPA Plan for Purchase of Electricity in 2015-2016
The Illinois Commerce Commission (“ICC”) today issued an order approving the Illinois Power Agency's (IPA) plan to purchase electricity and associated transmission services for ComEd and Ameren customers in 2015-2016.
The new plan provides for energy procurements in April and September next year, to more closely match customer demand for electricity and will include purchase of renewable energy in the form of solar energy credits as well as distributed generation.
The IPA called for procuring energy efficiency as a supply resource in 2016, particularly to meet “super-peak” demand in summer weekdays; however, the Commission determined that the proposed products should not be procured as the IPA suggested. Instead, the Commission directed the parties to conduct workshops with interested parties to investigate how it may be possible to find programs that would reduce demand during peak hours and provide additional incentives for those programs while remaining cost effective in manner that is consistent with State law.
In 2014 the IPA conducted two procurements for the first time to address fluctuations in demand for electricity as customers switched from the utility service to an alternative electricity supplier or back to the utility. That process worked well and will continue in 2015-2016.
The spring 2015 procurement will include solar renewable energy credits allowing the utilities to meet the Renewable Energy Standard photovoltaic requirement. The September 2015 procurement will include distributed generation renewable energy credits, paid from the Alternative Compliance Payment funds, now provided for in law.