§ 6-5

(Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2030) Sec. 6-5. Renewable Energy Resources and Coal Technology Development Assistance Charge. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 16-111 of the Public Utilities Act but subject to subsection (e) of this Section, each public utility, electric cooperative, as defined in Section 3.4 of the Electric Supplier Act, and municipal utility, as referenced in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act, that is engaged in the delivery of electricity or the distribution of natural gas within the State of Illinois shall, effective January 1, 1998, assess each of its customer accounts a monthly Renewable Energy Resources and Coal Technology Development Assistance Charge. The delivering public utility, municipal electric or gas utility, or electric or gas cooperative for a self-assessing purchaser remains subject to the collection of the fee imposed by this Section. The monthly charge shall be as follows: (1) $0.05 per month on each account for residential electric service as defined in Section 13 of the Energy Assistance Act; (2) $0.05 per month on each account for residential gas service as defined in Section 13 of the Energy Assistance Act; (3) $0.50 per month on each account for nonresidential electric service, as defined in Section 13 of the Energy Assistance Act, which had less than 10 megawatts of peak demand during the previous calendar year; (4) $0.50 per month on each account for nonresidential gas service, as defined in Section 13 of the Energy Assistance Act, which had distributed to it less than 4,000,000 therms of gas during the previous calendar year; (5) $37.50 per month on each account for nonresidential electric service, as defined in Section 13 of the Energy Assistance Act, which had 10 megawatts or greater of peak demand during the previous calendar year; and (6) $37.50 per month on each account for nonresidential gas service, as defined in Section 13 of the Energy Assistance Act, which had 4,000,000 or more therms of gas distributed to it during the previous calendar year. (b) The Renewable Energy Resources and Coal Technology Development Assistance Charge assessed by electric and gas public utilities shall be considered a charge for public utility service. (c) Fifty percent of the moneys collected pursuant to this Section shall be deposited in the Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund by the Department of Revenue. From those funds, $2,000,000 may be used annually by the Environmental Protection Agency to provide grants to the Illinois Green Economy Network for the purposes of funding education and training for renewable energy and energy efficiency technology and for the operation and services of the Illinois Green Economy Network. The remaining 50 percent of the moneys collected pursuant to this Section shall be deposited in the Coal Technology Development Assistance Fund by the Department of Revenue for the exclusive purposes of (1) capturing or sequestering carbon emissions produced by coal combustion; (2) supporting research on the capture and sequestration of carbon emissions produced by coal combustion; and (3) improving coal miner safety. (d) By the 20th day of the month following the month in which the charges imposed by this Section were collected, each utility and alternative retail electric supplier collecting charges pursuant to this Section shall remit to the Department of Revenue for deposit in the Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund and the Coal Technology Development Assistance Fund all moneys received as payment of the charge provided for in this Section on a return prescribed and furnished by the Department of Revenue showing such information as the Department of Revenue may reasonably require. If any payment provided for in this Section exceeds the utility or alternative retail electric supplier's liabilities under this Act, as shown on an original return, the utility or alternative retail electric supplier may credit the excess payment against liability subsequently to be remitted to the Department of Revenue under this Act. (e) The charges imposed by this Section shall only apply to customers of municipal electric or gas utilities and electric or gas cooperatives if the municipal electric or gas utility or electric or gas cooperative makes an affirmative decision to impose the charge. If a municipal electric or gas utility or an electric or gas cooperative makes an affirmative decision to impose the charge provided by this Section, the municipal electric or gas utility or electric or gas cooperative shall inform the Department of Revenue in writing of such decision when it begins to impose the charge. If a municipal electric or gas utility or electric or gas cooperative does not assess this charge, its customers shall not be eligible for the Renewable Energy Resources Program. (f) The Department of Revenue may establish such rules as it deems necessary to implement this Section.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 102-444, eff. 8-20-21; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23 .)