"Agency" means the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Beneficial electrification programs" means programs that lower carbon dioxide emissions, replace fossil fuel use, create cost savings, improve electric grid operations, reduce increases to peak demand, improve electric usage load shape, and align electric usage with times of renewable generation. All beneficial electrification programs shall provide for incentives such that customers are induced to use electricity at times of low overall system usage or at times when generation from renewable energy sources is high. "Beneficial electrification programs" include a portfolio of the following:
"Commission" means the Illinois Commerce Commission.
"Coordinator" means the Electric Vehicle Coordinator.
"Electric vehicle" means a vehicle that is exclusively powered by and refueled by electricity, must be plugged in to charge, and is licensed to drive on public roadways. "Electric vehicle" does not include electric mopeds, electric off-highway vehicles, or hybrid electric vehicles and extended-range electric vehicles that are also equipped with conventional fueled propulsion or auxiliary engines.
"Electric vehicle charging station" means a station that delivers electricity from a source outside an electric vehicle into one or more electric vehicles.
"Environmental justice communities" means the definition of that term based on existing methodologies and findings, used and as may be updated by the Illinois Power Agency and its program administrator in the Illinois Solar for All Program.
"Equity investment eligible community" or "eligible community" means the geographic areas throughout Illinois which would most benefit from equitable investments by the State designed to combat discrimination and foster sustainable economic growth. Specifically, "eligible community" means the following areas:
"Equity investment eligible person" or "eligible person" means the persons who would most benefit from equitable investments by the State designed to combat discrimination and foster sustainable economic growth. Specifically, "eligible person" means the following people:
"Low-income" means persons and families whose income does not exceed 80% of the state median income for the current State fiscal year as established by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"Make-ready infrastructure" means the electrical and construction work necessary between the distribution circuit to the connection point of charging equipment.
"Optimized charging programs" mean programs whereby owners of electric vehicles can set their vehicles to be charged based on the electric system's current demand, retail or wholesale market rates, incentives, the carbon or other pollution intensity of the electric generation mix, the provision of grid services, efficient use of the electric grid, or the availability of clean energy generation. Optimized charging programs may be operated by utilities as well as third parties.
The stakeholder workshop process shall take into consideration the benefits of electric vehicle adoption and barriers to adoption, including:
The workshops shall consider barriers, incentives, enabling rate structures, and other opportunities for the bill reduction and environmental benefits described in this subsection.
The workshop process shall conclude no later than February 28, 2022. Following the workshop, the Staff of the Commission, or the facilitator retained by the Staff, shall prepare and submit a report, no later than March 31, 2022, to the Commission that includes, but is not limited to, recommendations for transportation electrification investment or incentives in the following areas:
The report must also identify the participants in the process, program designs proposed during the process, estimates of the costs and benefits of proposed programs, any material issues that remained unresolved at the conclusions of such process, and any recommendations for workshop process improvements. The report shall be used by the Commission to inform and evaluate the cost effectiveness and achievement of goals within the submitted Beneficial Electrification Plans.
The plan shall be determined to be cost-beneficial if the total cost of beneficial electrification expenditures is less than the net present value of increased electricity costs (defined as marginal avoided energy, avoided capacity, and avoided transmission and distribution system costs) avoided by programs under the plan, the net present value of reductions in other customer energy costs, net revenue from all electric charging in the service territory, and the societal value of reduced carbon emissions and surface-level pollutants, particularly in environmental justice communities. The calculation of costs and benefits should be based on net impacts, including the impact on customer rates.
The Commission shall approve, approve with modifications, or reject the plan within 270 days from the date of filing. The Commission may approve the plan if it finds that the plan will achieve the goals described in this Section and contains the information described in this Section. Proceedings under this Section shall proceed according to the rules provided by Article IX of the Public Utilities Act. Information contained in the approved plan shall be considered part of the record in any Commission proceeding under Section 16-107.6 of the Public Utilities Act, provided that a final order has not been entered prior to the initial filing date. The Beneficial Electrification Plan shall specifically address, at a minimum, the following:
Utilities shall establish reporting procedures for vendors that ensure compliance with this subsection, but are structured to avoid, wherever possible, placing an undue administrative burden on vendors.
20 ILCS 627/45