HB 5610

Abstract

Creates the Powering Up Illinois Act. Provides that an electrical corporation which operates in the State shall upgrade the State's electrical distribution systems in order to achieve the State's decarbonization standards. Provides that an electrical corporation shall be adequately staffed and recruit, train, and retain further staff as needed. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission shall establish reasonable average and maximum target energization time periods. Provides that the Commission shall establish requirements for an electrical corporation to report to the Commission, at least annually, to track and improve electrical corporation performance. Provides that the Commission shall require an electrical corporation to establish a dedicated electrification team. Sets forth requirements for an electrical corporation to consider when engaging in the annual distribution planning process. Provides that, in its site evaluation and design process, the Commission shall require an electrical corporation to consider flexible interconnection to defer or mitigate energization-related grid upgrades, but, if the solutions cannot defer or mitigate an upgrade, the corporation may evaluate traditional system upgrades. Provides that an electrical corporation may recover costs. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the provisions of the introduced bill with the following changes. Changes all instances of "electric corporation" to "electric utility". Provides that an electric utility that operates within the State shall allow customers seeking energization to elect an optional flexible connection agreement, meaning a tariffed, voluntary utility offering that requires customers to agree to specified service levels as a requirement of energization or interconnection, through the use of load management technology that limits the net import and export of electricity at the point of common coupling to remain within the rated capacity limits of a customer's existing service connection or distribution circuit, either on a permanent basis or to allow for immediate project operations before service or distribution system upgrades are completed. Describes considerations the Illinois Commerce Commission shall require an electric utility to include in its internal distribution planning process and in the development of the Multi-Year Integrated Grid Plans required under the Public Utilities Act (rather than considerations the electric utility shall be required to include in its distribution planning process only). Requires the load and electrification forecasts of electric utilities to include scenarios that are consistent with achieving the various laws, standards, plans, and regulations referenced in the Act. Provides that, if the solutions set forth in the Act cannot defer or mitigate an upgrade, then the electric utility shall evaluate traditional system upgrades (rather than may evaluate traditional system upgrades). Sets forth requirements to ensure the safety and reliability of electrical infrastructure associated with charging electric vehicles. Effective immediately.