ICC Rejects ComEd and Ameren Illinois’ Multi-Year Integrated Grid Plans
ICC Rejects ComEd and Ameren Illinois’ Multi-Year Integrated Grid Plans (Chicago, IL) — Today, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) rejected Ameren Illinois and ComEd’s integrated grid plans by a 4-1 vote, finding that both companies failed to comply with several components of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). The ICC’s decisions require both utilities to file an updated grid plan within three months of the final order.
“The Commission’s decisions today protect Illinois ratepayers and the goals CEJA created. Illinois’ utilities are specifically required to consider affordability and cost-effectiveness so that customers are not unfairly asked to shoulder undue costs tied to the state’s energy transition,” said ICC Chairman Doug Scott. “While we are not yet at the finish line, compliant plans from the state’s largest utilities will help lead us to an energy transition that works for all Illinoisans.”
Specifically, the Commission’s decisions found that both utilities failed to sufficiently incorporate customer affordability into their proposals and their grid plans did not outline how 40 percent of plan benefits will be directed to low-income and environmental justice communities, among other shortcomings.
Changes under CEJA require the state’s largest investor-owned electric utilities to file multi-year integrated grid plans, which are designed to accelerate progress on Illinois’ clean energy and environmental goals while holding electric companies accountable for their performance. The ICC has issued these decisions after closely scrutinizing Ameren and ComEd’s grid plans and additional materials submitted by the utility, Commission Staff, and various intervenors over an 11-month legal proceeding, as well as previous stakeholder workshops.
These proceedings are consolidated with the utilities’ respective multi-year rate plans (2024-2027), and while the Commission has the authority to reject the multi-year integrated grid plan, it must approve or amend the utilities’ rate plans. As a result of the rejected grid plans, the utilities cannot immediately move forward with various grid investments proposed, and therefore, they were necessarily removed from the rate plans.
The Commission decisions approve an 8.72 and 8.905 percent return on equity (ROE) for Ameren and ComEd respectively, a reduction from the utilities’ requested 10.50 percent ROEs.
More information regarding Ameren’s multi-year integrated grid and rate plans can be found in Docket Nos. 23-0082/23-0487, and more information regarding ComEd’s multi-year integrated grid and rate plans can be found in Docket Nos. 23-0055/23-0486.
ICC Rejects ComEd and Ameren Illinois’ Multi-Year Integrated Grid Plans
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