The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners hosted its Annual Meeting and Education Conference in a virtual environment that saw a change in leadership, insights from federal regulators, discussions on critical issues and approval of resolutions across sectors.

Mississippi Commissioner Brandon Presley, who served as president since last November, set the tone for the meeting with his theme, Bridging the Divide — an attempt to highlight the serious deficits and chasms across all utility sectors, the prescience of which was shown by the pandemic. Presley noted in a farewell letter to fellow commissioners his appreciation for his colleagues and their collective mission.

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-December 2020

All across America, the Edison Electric Institute’s (EEI’s) member companies – the nation’s investor-owned electric companies – are leading a clean energy transformation. Collectively, they are committed to getting the energy they provide as clean as they can as fast as they can, and already have reduced their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions approximately 45 percent below 2005 levels while keeping electricity reliable and affordable for customers.

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-November 2020

 On Sept.21, the Illinois Commerce Commission announced the moratorium on disconnections has voluntarily been extended by several state regulated utilities through the Winter 2021 for eligible low-income residential customers, and those who self-report to utilities that they are experiencing financial or COVID-19 hardship. Previously, several of the utilities had voluntarily agreed to extend the moratorium on shutoffs for residential customers until September 30, 2020.

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-October 2020

On August 19, the Illinois Commerce Commission opened a Notice of Inquiry to explore electricity rate design options related to the adoption and deployment of all types of electric vehicles and supporting transportation electrification infrastructure such as charging stations. The Commission is also seeking information about the impact rate design will have on other forms of beneficial electrification, electric service and affordability.

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-September 2020

The Illinois Commerce Commission has announced that several of the state’s large and small regulated electric, natural gas, water and sewer utilities have voluntarily agreed to keep residential customers connected for an additional month due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns.

The moratorium on dis-connections expired on July 26, 2020, however, with the voluntary extension, disconnections for residential customers will not occur for most customers until September 2020. Several utilities have also extended similar relief to business customers and have agreed to continue waiving late fees. Ameren Illinois, Aqua Illinois, Consumer Gas, ComEd, Illinois American Water, Liberty, Nicor, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, Utility Services of Illinois are among the utilities with extended moratoriums on service disconnections.

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-August 2020

An extraordinary consumer protection effort, initiated by the Illinois Commerce Commission, helps ensure eligible residential and small business utility customers can continue to receive life-saving electric, gas, water and sewer services once the moratorium on disconnections for non-payment and late payment fees expires. On June 18, the ICC voted unanimously in favor of a stipulated agreement negotiated by Commission Staff, the Attorney General’s Office and other consumer advocate groups, and the state’s largest utilities, offering temporary, more flexible credit and collection procedures to customers financially hard hit by COVID-19. A separate agreement was also approved with smaller electricity, gas and water utilities that serve Illinois residents.

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-July 2020

On May 27, the Illinois Commerce Commission, on a vote of 3-2, ordered LifeEnergy, LLC, an alternative retail electric supplier, to pay $1 million in penalties and over $34,000 in customer refunds for admitted violations of state marketing and sales rules.

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-June 2020

On May 1, President Trump issued at Executive Order that he indicated was designed to secure the nation’s bulk-power system. The Order essentially allows the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) the work with companies involved in operating the bulk-power market to safe-guard their systems from possi-ble security breaches caused by equipment and services pur-chased from foreign sources.

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-May 2020

Illinois’ utilities are show-ing support for their customers and communities in this time of national crisis caused by spread of the COVID-19 virus. While continuing to provide essential utility services, these companies are also making significant do-nations and contributions to re-lief efforts by various nonprofit organizations.
The Exelon Foundation, along with ComEd and Exelon Generation, have announced a $2 million donation to the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund to help Illinois residents impacted by the pandemic. This donation adds to the more than $1.15 million Exelon Corporation and its family of companies previ-ously donated to national and local relief organizations in the communities they serve.

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-April 2020

  While actual legislation on major energy policy issues has not yet progressed in the Spring Session of the Illinois General Assembly, the number of legislative hearings and stakeholder meetings on key topics has certainly mushroomed.

In addition to hearings being held by key Senate and House committees, working group meetings organized by the Governor’s Office are also underway.  The common thread of all this activity is an attempt to chart a path toward the state’s “clean energy future.”

See the complete article in the Illinois Energy Forum-March 2020