§ 1-102 — Findings and Intent

The General Assembly finds that the health, welfare and prosperity of all Illinois citizens require the provision of adequate, efficient, reliable, environmentally safe and least-cost public utility services at prices which accurately reflect the long-term cost of such services and which are equitable to all citizens. It is therefore declared to be the policy of the State that public utilities shall continue to be regulated effectively and comprehensively. It is further declared that the goals and objectives of such regulation shall be to ensure (a) Efficiency: the provision of reliable energy services at the least possible cost to the citizens of the State; in such manner that: (i) physical, human and financial resources are allocated efficiently; (ii) all supply and demand options are considered and evaluated using comparable terms and methods in order to determine how utilities shall meet their customers' demands for public utility services at the least cost; (iii) utilities are allowed a sufficient return on investment so as to enable them to attract capital in financial markets at competitive rates; (iv) tariff rates for the sale of various public utility services are authorized such that they accurately reflect the cost of delivering those services and allow utilities to recover the total costs prudently and reasonably incurred; (v) variation in costs by customer class and time of use is taken into consideration in authorizing rates for each class. (b) Environmental Quality: the protection of the environment from the adverse external costs of public utility services so that (i) environmental costs of proposed actions having a significant impact on the environment and the environmental impact of the alternatives are identified, documented and considered in the regulatory process; (ii) the prudently and reasonably incurred costs of environmental controls are recovered. (c) Reliability: the ability of utilities to provide consumers with public utility services under varying demand conditions in such manner that suppliers of public utility services are able to provide service at varying levels of economic reliability giving appropriate consideration to the costs likely to be incurred as a result of service interruptions, and to the costs of increasing or maintaining current levels of reliability consistent with commitments to consumers. (d) Equity: the fair treatment of consumers and investors in order that (i) the public health, safety and welfare shall be protected; (ii) the application of rates is based on public understandability and acceptance of the reasonableness of the rate structure and level; (iii) the cost of supplying public utility services is allocated to those who cause the costs to be incurred; (iv) if factors other than cost of service are considered in regulatory decisions, the rationale for these actions is set forth; (v) regulation allows for orderly transition periods to accommodate changes in public utility service markets; (vi) regulation does not result in undue or sustained adverse impact on utility earnings; (vii) the impacts of regulatory actions on all sectors of the State are carefully weighed; (viii) the rates for utility services are affordable and therefore preserve the availability of such services to all citizens. It is further declared to be the policy of the State that this Act shall not apply in relation to motor carriers and rail carriers as defined in the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law, or to the Commission in the regulation of such carriers. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to limit, restrict, or mitigate in any way the power and authority of the State's Attorneys or the Attorney General under the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01.)