Illinois Adopts Requirements for Efficiency, Renewable Energy

July 27, 2005

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) announced on July 20th that it has adopted new standards for the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency by the state's electric utilities. Under the new Renewable Portfolio Standard, or RPS, the state's electric utilities will draw on renewable energy sources for 2 percent of their electricity needs by the end of 2006. After that, the requirement will increase by 1 percent per year until 2012, when it tops out at 8 percent. Under the Energy Efficiency Portfolio Standard, utility companies will create new programs to help their customers invest in energy saving equipment and technologies, causing a 10 percent decrease in the growth in electricity demand by 2007 and a 25 percent lower growth in demand by 2015. The ICC expects the state's electric utilities to file plans to implement the new portfolio standards within 30 days. See the ICC press release (PDF 15 KB). Download Adobe Reader.

With the new renewable requirements in place in Illinois, 19 states and the District of Columbia have adopted a Renewable Portfolio Standard. See the ICC's Renewable Portfolio Standard Fact Sheet (PDF 23 KB).