220 ILCS 5/16-111
2021 Illinois Compiled Statutes|Chapter 220 - UTILITIES|220 ILCS 5/ - Public Utilities Act.|Article XVI - Electric Service Customer Choice And Rate Relief Law Of 1997

Sec. 16-111. Rates and restructuring transactions during  mandatory transition period; restructuring and other transactions.(a) During the mandatory transition period,  notwithstanding any provision of Article IX of this Act, and  except as provided in subsections (b) and (f)  of this Section, the Commission shall not (i) initiate,  authorize or order any change by way of increase (other than in connection with  a request for rate increase which was filed after September 1, 1997 but prior  to October 15, 1997, by an electric utility serving less than 12,500 customers  in this State), (ii)  initiate or, unless requested by the electric utility,  authorize or order any change by way of decrease,  restructuring or unbundling (except as provided in Section 16-109A), in the  rates of any electric  utility that were in effect on October 1, 1996, or (iii) in any order approving  any application for a merger pursuant to Section 7-204 that was pending as of  May 16, 1997, impose any condition requiring any filing for an increase,  decrease, or change in, or other review of, an electric utility's rates or  enforce any such condition of any such order;  provided,  however, that this subsection shall not prohibit the  Commission from:(1) approving the application of an electric utility     to implement an alternative to rate of return regulation or a regulatory mechanism that rewards or penalizes the electric utility through adjustment of rates based on utility performance, pursuant to Section 9-244;(2) authorizing an electric utility to eliminate its     fuel adjustment clause and adjust its base rate tariffs in accordance with subsection (b), (d), or (f) of Section 9-220 of this Act, to fix its fuel adjustment factor in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 9-220 of this Act, or to eliminate its fuel adjustment clause in accordance with subsection (e) of Section 9-220 of this Act;(3) ordering into effect tariffs for delivery     services and transition charges in accordance with Sections 16-104 and 16-108, for real-time pricing in accordance with Section 16-107, or the options required by Section 16-110 and subsection  (n) of 16-112, allowing a billing experiment in accordance with Section 16-106, or modifying delivery services tariffs in accordance with Section 16-109; or(4) ordering or allowing into effect any tariff to     recover charges pursuant to Sections 9-201.5, 9-220.1, 9-221, 9-222 (except as provided in Section 9-222.1), 16-108, and 16-114 of this Act, Section 5-5 of the Electricity Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Law, Section 6-5 of the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Coal Resources Development Law of 1997, and Section 13 of the Energy Assistance Act.After December 31, 2004, the provisions of this subsection (a) shall not  apply to an electric utility whose average residential retail rate was less  than or equal to 90% of the average residential retail rate for the "Midwest  Utilities", as that term is defined in subsection (b) of this Section, based on  data reported on Form 1 to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for  calendar year 1995, and which served between 150,000 and 250,000 retail  customers in this State on January 1, 1995  unless the electric utility or its holding company has been acquired by or  merged with an affiliate of another electric utility subsequent to January 1,  2002.  This exemption shall be limited to  this subsection (a) and shall not extend to any other provisions of this Act.(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), each Illinois electric  utility serving more than 12,500 customers in Illinois shall file tariffs (i)  reducing, effective August 1, 1998, each component of its base rates to  residential retail  customers by 15% from the base rates in effect immediately prior to January 1,  1998 and (ii) if the public utility provides electric service to (A) more  than  500,000  customers but less than 1,000,000 customers in this State on January 1,  1999,  reducing, effective May 1, 2002, each component of its  base rates to residential retail customers by an additional 5% from the base  rates in effect immediately prior to January 1, 1998, or (B) at least  1,000,000 customers in this State on January 1, 1999,  reducing, effective October 1, 2001, each component of its  base rates to residential retail customers by an additional  5% from the base rates in effect immediately prior to  January 1, 1998.  Provided, however, that (A) if an electric utility's average residential  retail  rate is less than or equal to the average residential retail  rate for a group  of Midwest Utilities (consisting of all investor-owned electric utilities with  annual system peaks in excess of 1000 megawatts in the States of Illinois,  Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin), based on  data  reported on Form 1 to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for calendar  year 1995,  then it shall only be required to file tariffs (i) reducing, effective August  1, 1998, each component of its base rates to residential  retail customers by  5% from the base rates in effect immediately prior to January 1, 1998, (ii)  reducing, effective October 1, 2000, each component of its base  rates to residential retail customers by the lesser of 5% of the base rates in  effect immediately prior to January 1, 1998 or the  percentage by which the electric utility's average residential retail rate  exceeds the average residential retail rate of the Midwest Utilities,  based on data  reported on Form 1 to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for calendar  year 1999, and (iii) reducing, effective October 1, 2002, each component of its  base rates to  residential retail customers by an  additional amount equal to the lesser of 5% of the base rates in effect  immediately prior to January 1, 1998 or the percentage by which  the electric utility's average residential retail rate exceeds the average  residential retail rate of the Midwest Utilities,  based on data reported on Form  1 to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for calendar year 2001; and (B)  if the average residential retail rate of an electric utility serving between  150,000  and 250,000 retail customers in this State on January 1, 1995 is less than or  equal to 90% of  the average residential retail rate for the Midwest Utilities, based on data  reported  on Form 1 to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for calendar year 1995,  then it shall only be required to file tariffs (i) reducing, effective August  1,  1998, each component of its base rates to residential retail customers by 2%  from the base rates in effect immediately prior to January 1, 1998; (ii)  reducing, effective October 1, 2000, each component of its base rates to  residential retail customers by 2% from the base rate in effect immediately  prior to January 1, 1998; and (iii) reducing, effective October 1, 2002, each  component of its base rates to residential retail customers by 1% from the base  rates in effect immediately prior to January 1, 1998.  Provided,  further, that any electric utility for which a decrease in base rates has been  or is placed into effect between October 1, 1996 and the dates specified in the  preceding sentences of this subsection, other than pursuant to the requirements  of this subsection,  shall be entitled to reduce the amount of any reduction or reductions in its  base rates required by this subsection by the amount of such other decrease.  The tariffs required under this  subsection shall be filed 45 days in advance of  the effective date.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 9-220 of this Act, no  restatement of base rates in conjunction with the elimination of a fuel  adjustment clause under that Section shall result in a lesser decrease in base  rates than customers would otherwise receive under this subsection had the  electric utility's fuel adjustment clause not been eliminated.(c) Any utility reducing its base rates by 15% on August 1, 1998 pursuant  to  subsection  (b)  shall include the following statement on its bills for residential customers  from August 1 through December 31, 1998: "Effective August 1, 1998, your rates  have been  reduced by 15% by the Electric Service  Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 passed by the Illinois General  Assembly.".  Any utility reducing its base rates by 5% on August 1, 1998,  pursuant to subsection (b) shall include the following statement on its bills  for residential customers from August 1 through December 31, 1998:  "Effective  August 1,  1998, your rates have been reduced by 5% by the Electric Service Customer  Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 passed by the Illinois General Assembly.".Any utility reducing its base rates by 2% on August 1, 1998 pursuant to  subsection (b) shall include the following statement on its bills for  residential customers from August 1 through December 31, 1998: "Effective  August 1, 1998, your rates have been reduced by 2% by the Electric Service  Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 passed by the Illinois General  Assembly.".(d) (Blank.)(e) (Blank.)(f) During the mandatory transition period, an electric  utility may file revised tariffs reducing the price of any  tariffed service offered by the electric utility for all  customers taking that tariffed service, which shall be  effective 7 days after filing.(g) Until all classes of tariffed services are declared competitive, an electric  utility may, without obtaining any approval of the Commission other than that  provided for in this subsection and  notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or any rule or  regulation of the Commission that would require such approval:(1) implement a reorganization, other than a merger     of 2 or more public utilities as defined in Section 3-105 or their holding companies;(2) retire generating plants from service;(3) sell, assign, lease or otherwise transfer assets     to an affiliated or unaffiliated entity and as part of such transaction enter into service agreements, power purchase agreements, or other agreements with the transferee; provided, however, that the prices, terms and conditions of any power purchase agreement must be approved or allowed into effect by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; or(4) use any accelerated cost recovery method     including accelerated depreciation, accelerated amortization or other capital recovery methods, or record reductions to the original cost of its assets.In order to implement a reorganization, retire  generating plants from service, or sell, assign, lease or  otherwise transfer assets pursuant to this Section, the  electric utility shall comply with subsections (c) and (d) of Section  16-128, if applicable, and subsection (k) of this Section, if applicable,  and provide the Commission with at  least 30 days notice of the proposed reorganization or  transaction, which notice shall include the following  information:(i) a complete statement of the entries that the     electric utility will make on its books and records of account to implement the proposed reorganization or transaction together with a certification from an independent certified public accountant that such entries are in accord with generally accepted accounting principles and, if the Commission has previously approved guidelines for cost allocations between the utility and its affiliates, a certification from the chief accounting officer of the utility that such entries are in accord with those cost allocation guidelines;(ii) a description of how the electric utility will     use proceeds of any sale, assignment, lease or transfer to retire debt or otherwise reduce or recover the costs of services provided by such electric utility;(iii) a list of all federal approvals or approvals     required from departments and agencies of this State, other than the Commission, that the electric utility has or will obtain before implementing the reorganization or transaction;(iv) an irrevocable commitment by the electric     utility that it will not, as a result of the transaction, impose any stranded cost charges that it might otherwise be allowed to charge retail customers under federal law or increase the transition charges that it is otherwise entitled to collect under this Article XVI;(v) if the electric utility proposes to sell, assign,     lease or otherwise transfer a generating plant that brings the amount of net dependable generating capacity transferred pursuant to this subsection to an amount equal to or greater than 15% of the electric utility's net dependable capacity as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997, and enters into a power purchase agreement with the entity to which such generating plant is sold, assigned, leased, or otherwise transferred, the electric utility also agrees, if  its fuel adjustment clause has not already been eliminated, to eliminate its fuel adjustment clause in accordance with subsection (b) of Section 9-220 for a period of time equal to the length of any such power purchase agreement or successor agreement, or until January 1, 2005, whichever is longer; if the capacity of the generating plant so transferred and related power purchase agreement does not result in the elimination of the fuel adjustment clause under this subsection, and the fuel adjustment clause has not already been eliminated, the electric utility shall agree that the costs associated with the transferred plant that are included in the calculation of the rate per kilowatt-hour to be applied pursuant to the electric utility's fuel adjustment clause during such period shall not exceed the per kilowatt-hour cost associated with such generating plant included in the electric utility's fuel adjustment clause during the full calendar year preceding the transfer, with such limit to be  adjusted each year thereafter by the Gross Domestic Product Implicit Price Deflator; and(vi) in  addition, if the electric utility proposes     to sell, assign, or lease, (A) either (1) an amount of generating plant that brings the amount of net dependable generating capacity transferred pursuant to this subsection to an amount equal to or greater than 15% of its net dependable capacity on the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997, or (2) one or more generating plants with a total net dependable capacity of 1100 megawatts, or (B) transmission and distribution facilities that either (1) bring the amount of transmission and distribution facilities transferred pursuant to this subsection to an amount equal to or greater than 15% of the electric utility's total depreciated original cost investment in such facilities, or (2) represent an investment of $25,000,000 in terms of total depreciated original cost, the electric utility shall provide, in addition to the information listed in subparagraphs (i) through (v), the following information: (A) a description of how the electric utility will meet its service obligations under this Act in a safe and reliable manner and (B) the electric utility's projected earned rate of return on common equity for each year from the date of the notice through December 31, 2006 both with and without the proposed transaction.  If the Commission has not issued an order initiating a hearing on the proposed transaction within 30 days after the date the electric utility's notice is filed, the transaction shall be deemed approved.  The Commission may, after notice and hearing, prohibit the proposed transaction if it makes either or both of the following findings: (1) that the proposed transaction will render the electric utility unable to provide its tariffed services in a safe and reliable manner, or (2) that there is a strong likelihood that consummation of the proposed transaction will result in the electric utility being entitled to request an increase in its base rates.  Any hearing initiated by the Commission into the proposed transaction shall be completed, and the Commission's final order approving or prohibiting the proposed transaction shall be entered, within 90 days after the date the electric utility's notice was filed. Provided, however, that a sale, assignment, or lease of transmission facilities to an independent system operator that meets the requirements of Section 16-126 shall not be subject to Commission approval under this Section.In any proceeding conducted by the Commission     pursuant to this subparagraph (vi), intervention shall be limited to parties with a direct interest in the transaction which is the subject of the hearing and any statutory consumer protection agency as defined in subsection (d) of Section 9-102.1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 10-113 of this Act, any application seeking rehearing of an order issued under this subparagraph (vi), whether filed by the electric utility or by an intervening party, shall be filed within 10 days after service of the order.The Commission shall not in any subsequent proceeding or  otherwise, review such a reorganization or other transaction  authorized by this Section, but shall retain the authority to allocate costs as  stated in Section 16-111(i). An entity to which an electric  utility sells, assigns, leases or transfers assets pursuant to  this subsection (g) shall not, as a result of the transactions  specified in this subsection (g), be deemed a public utility  as defined in Section 3-105.  Nothing in this subsection (g)  shall change any requirement under the jurisdiction of the  Illinois Department of Nuclear Safety including, but not  limited to, the payment of fees. Nothing in this subsection  (g) shall exempt a utility from obtaining a certificate  pursuant to Section 8-406 of this Act for the construction of  a new electric generating facility.  Nothing in this  subsection (g) is intended to exempt the transactions hereunder from the  operation of the federal or State antitrust  laws. Nothing in this subsection (g) shall require an electric  utility to use the procedures specified in this subsection for  any of the transactions specified herein.  Any other procedure  available under this Act may, at the electric utility's  election, be used for any such transaction.(h) During the mandatory transition period, the  Commission shall not establish or use any rates of  depreciation, which for purposes of this subsection shall  include amortization, for any electric utility other than  those established pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 5-104  of this Act or utilized pursuant to subsection (g) of this  Section.  Provided, however, that in any proceeding to review an electric  utility's rates for tariffed services pursuant to Section 9-201, 9-202, 9-250  or  16-111(d) of this Act, the Commission may establish new rates  of depreciation for the electric utility in the same manner provided in  subsection (d) of Section 5-104 of this Act.  An electric utility implementing an accelerated cost  recovery method including accelerated depreciation,  accelerated amortization or other capital recovery methods, or  recording reductions to the original cost of its assets,  pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, shall file a  statement with the Commission describing the accelerated cost  recovery method to be implemented or the reduction in the  original cost of its assets to be recorded.  Upon the filing  of such statement, the accelerated cost recovery method or the  reduction in the original cost of assets shall be deemed to be  approved by the Commission as though an order had been entered  by the Commission.(i) Subsequent to the mandatory transition period, the  Commission, in any proceeding to establish rates and charges  for tariffed services offered by an electric utility, shall  consider only (1) the then current or projected revenues,  costs, investments and cost of capital directly or  indirectly associated with the provision of such tariffed  services; (2) collection of transition charges in accordance  with Sections 16-102 and 16-108 of this Act; (3) recovery of  any employee transition costs as described in Section 16-128  which the electric utility is continuing to incur, including  recovery of any unamortized portion of such costs previously  incurred or committed, with such costs to be equitably  allocated among bundled services, delivery services, and  contracts with alternative retail electric suppliers; and (4)  recovery of the costs associated with the electric utility's  compliance with decommissioning funding requirements; and  shall not consider any other revenues, costs, investments  or cost of capital of either the electric utility or of any  affiliate of the electric utility that are not associated with the provision of  tariffed services.  In setting rates for tariffed services, the Commission  shall equitably allocate joint and common costs and investments between the  electric utility's competitive and tariffed services.  In determining the  justness and  reasonableness of the electric power and energy component of  an electric utility's rates for tariffed services subsequent  to the mandatory transition period and prior to the time that  the provision of such electric power and energy is declared  competitive, the Commission shall consider the extent to which  the electric utility's tariffed rates for such component for  each customer class exceed the market value determined  pursuant to Section 16-112, and, if the electric power and  energy component of such tariffed rate exceeds the market  value by more than 10% for any customer class, may  establish such electric power and energy component at a rate  equal to the market value plus 10%.(j) During the mandatory transition period, an electric  utility may elect to transfer to a non-operating income  account under the Commission's Uniform System of Accounts  either or both of (i) an amount of unamortized investment tax  credit that is in addition to the ratable amount which is  credited to the electric utility's operating income account  for the year in accordance with Section 46(f)(2) of the  federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as in effect prior to P.L. 101-508, or  (ii) "excess tax reserves",  as that term is defined in Section 203(e)(2)(A) of the federal  Tax Reform Act of 1986, provided that (A) the amount  transferred may not exceed the amount of the electric  utility's assets that were created pursuant to Statement of  Financial Accounting Standards No. 71 which the electric  utility has written off during the mandatory transition  period, and (B) the transfer shall not be effective until  approved by the Internal Revenue Service.  An electric utility  electing to make such a transfer shall file a statement with  the Commission stating the amount and timing of the transfer  for which it intends to request approval of the Internal  Revenue Service, along with a copy of its proposed request to  the Internal Revenue Service for a ruling.  The Commission  shall issue an order within 14 days after the electric  utility's filing approving, subject to receipt of approval  from the Internal Revenue Service, the proposed transfer.(k) If an electric utility is selling or transferring  to a single buyer 5 or more generating plants located in this State with a  total net dependable capacity of 5000 megawatts or more  pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section and has obtained  a sale price or consideration that exceeds 200% of  the book value of such plants, the electric utility must  provide to the Governor, the President of the Illinois  Senate, the Minority Leader of the Illinois Senate, the  Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, and the  Minority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives no  later than 15 days after filing its notice under subsection  (g) of this Section or 5 days after the date on which this  subsection (k) becomes law, whichever is later, a written  commitment in which such electric utility agrees to expend  $2 billion outside the corporate limits of any municipality  with 1,000,000 or more inhabitants within such electric  utility's service area, over a 6-year period beginning  with the calendar year in which the notice is filed, on  projects, programs, and improvements within its service area  relating to transmission and distribution including, without  limitation, infrastructure expansion, repair and  replacement, capital investments, operations and  maintenance, and vegetation management.(l) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or any rule, regulation, or prior order of the Commission, a public utility providing electric and gas service may do any one or more of the following: transfer assets to, reorganize with, or merge with one or more public utilities under common holding company ownership or control in the manner prescribed in subsection (g) of this Section. No merger transaction costs, such as fees paid to attorneys, investment bankers, and other consultants, incurred in connection with a merger pursuant to this subsection (l) shall be recoverable in any subsequent rate proceeding. Approval of a merger pursuant to this subsection (l) shall not constitute approval of, or otherwise require, rate recovery of other costs incurred in connection with, or to implement the merger, such as the cost of restructuring, combining, or integrating debt, assets, or systems. Such other costs may be recovered only to the extent that the surviving utility can demonstrate that the cost savings produced by such restructuring, combination, or integration exceed the associated costs. Nothing in this subsection (l) shall impair the terms or conditions of employment or the collective bargaining rights of any employees of the utilities that are transferring assets, reorganizing, or merging.(m) If an electric utility that on December 31, 2005 provided electric service to at least 100,000 customers in Illinois transfers assets, reorganizes, or merges under this Section, then the same provisions apply that applied during the mandatory transition period under Section 16-128.  (Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07; 95-481, eff. 8-28-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)