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91_SR0436
LRB9114992JSpc
1 SENATE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The goals of the Electric Service Customer
3 Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 (the 1997 Law) are to
4 secure safe, reliable, and affordable electric power services
5 for the consumers and businesses of Illinois and to create a
6 framework for a fair and equitable transition to competitive
7 and efficient electric services markets; and
8 WHEREAS, Consumers and businesses are best served by
9 competitive markets which lower costs for users of
10 electricity and which also create opportunities for customer
11 choice among new products and services; and
12 WHEREAS, The quality and prices of electric and other
13 energy services supplied in competitive markets is likely to
14 be affected by the nature and extent of consumer and
15 community load aggregation; and
16 WHEREAS, Continued, rapid growth in demand for peak
17 electric service may jeopardize the reliability and
18 affordability of service in many communities, thereby making
19 the goals of the 1997 Law difficult to achieve; and
20 WHEREAS, Section 16-101A was added to the Public
21 Utilities Act by the 1997 Law and provides that the use of
22 renewable energy resources and energy efficiency resources
23 should be encouraged in competitive markets and that all
24 customers should continue to receive safe, reliable,
25 affordable, and environmentally safe electric services,
26 should benefit from the lower costs of electricity that
27 result from competition, and should receive sufficient
28 information to make informed choices among the variety of
29 suppliers and services expected to emerge through
30 competition; and
31 WHEREAS, Targeted community-oriented programs aimed at
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1 developing non-traditional and cost-effective means to
2 balance electric supply and demand, including responses that
3 rely on the use of renewable energy resources, new energy
4 technologies, load management, and energy efficiency
5 resources to meet energy service needs, can help to achieve
6 the goals of the 1997 Law by complementing traditional
7 approaches to providing electric service; and
8 WHEREAS, The Center for Neighborhood Technology and
9 Commonwealth Edison are now testing and evaluating such
10 targeted, community-based programs in Northeastern Illinois;
11 and
12 WHEREAS, Such programs also help consumers become better
13 informed about changes in the electric services market and
14 new ways to meet energy services needs and may afford
15 consumers the means to organize to more effectively
16 participate in competitive markets after the opportunity for
17 residential customer choice occurs in May 2002 according to
18 the schedule established in the 1997 Law; therefore be it
19 RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FIRST GENERAL
20 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Department of
21 Commerce and Community Affairs and the Illinois Commerce
22 Commission are hereby respectfully requested jointly to
23 prepare a report based on a study of the ways in which
24 renewable resources, new energy technologies, load
25 management, and energy efficiency improvements that enhance
26 electric service reliability or reduce energy service costs
27 might be encouraged in competitive markets for electricity
28 through targeted, community-oriented programs or other
29 similar initiatives that may further community load
30 aggregation and demand reduction; and be it further
31 RESOLVED, That the Department and the Commission submit
32 to the Governor and the General Assembly a preliminary report
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1 of findings from that study by March 15, 2001 and a final
2 report by June 30, 2001; and be it further
3 RESOLVED, That at least one public hearing be held by the
4 Electric Policy Committee of the Commission during the study
5 to receive information and recommendations from all
6 interested parties, including, in particular, energy services
7 providers and consumers, concerning the ways in which
8 renewable resources, new energy technologies, load
9 management, and energy efficiency improvements might be
10 encouraged in competitive markets for electricity and related
11 energy services; and be it further
12 RESOLVED, That the reports submitted by the Department
13 and the Commission include information on: (1) the cost-
14 effectiveness of using renewable resources, new energy
15 technologies, load management, and energy efficiency
16 improvements to address issues related to electric service
17 reliability and growth in peak demand for electricity, (2)
18 the potential effects of reductions in peak demand for
19 electricity, and of the aggregation of consumer demand, on
20 the development of competition in electricity markets, (3)
21 the extent of (a) potential consumer, community, economic
22 development, and environmental benefits from reductions in
23 peak demand for electricity which might be achieved through
24 renewable resources, new energy technologies, load
25 management, energy efficiency improvements, and other
26 available means and (b) potential consumer and other benefits
27 of the aggregation of consumer and community demand, and (4)
28 a description of the costs and benefits of ways in which the
29 State of Illinois might encourage and fund, either through
30 existing or new policies or programs, the use of renewable
31 resources, new energy technologies, and energy efficiency
32 improvements in competitive markets for electricity and
33 related energy services; and be it further
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1 RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
2 delivered to the Director of Commerce and Community Affairs
3 and to the Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission.