HB 644 — UTILITIES-ELECTRICITY RATES

Summary

Amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 in the Public Utilities Act. Changes the definition of "mandatory transition period" to include the period from the effective date through the date on which the Illinois Commerce Commission has approved declarations of competitive service for all classes of service offered in the service areas of all electric utilities that, on December 31, 2005, served at least 100,000 customers. Requires the Commission to order certain utilities to file and implement tariffs to reinstate all 2006 rates within 10 days after the effective date. Prohibits the Commission from taking certain actions prior to 2010 with respect to (i) initiating, authorizing, or ordering any change by way of increase or (ii) in approving an application for a merger, imposing a condition requiring any filing for an increase, decrease, or change in or other review of a utility's rates or enforcing such a condition. Requires the Commission to hold a hearing on a petition by a utility requesting the Commission to declare a service to be competitive (now, the Commission shall hold a hearing if the Commission deems it necessary). Provides that the Commission shall only declare the class of service to be competitive according to certain criteria (now, the Commission is required to declare the service to be competitive if the service or a reasonably equivalent substitute is available at a reasonable price from other providers other than the utility or an affiliate and the utility has lost or is reasonably likely to lose business for service to other providers). Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Bill Text

• Introduced View text Current html

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The bill amends the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law to extend the definition of the mandatory transition period and modify the criteria for declaring a competitive service.

• 220 ILCS 5/16-102

  December 16, 1997 (the effective date of Public Act 90-561) this amendatory Act of 1997 through January 1, 2007 → this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly through the date on which the Commission has approved declarations of competitive service, pursuant to Section 16-113, for all classes of service offered in the service areas of all electric utilities that, on December 31, 2005, served at least 100,000 customers.

  The mandatory transition period now extends beyond January 1, 2007 until competitive service declarations are approved.

• 220 ILCS 5/16-111

  if the Commission deems it necessary → on a petition by a utility requesting the Commission to declare a service to be competitive.

  The Commission is now required to hold a hearing only if a utility petitions for a competitive service declaration.

• 220 ILCS 5/16-113

  the service is or a reasonably equivalent substitute is available at a reasonable price from other providers other than the utility or an affiliate and the utility has lost or is reasonably likely to lose business for service to other providers. → according to certain criteria.

  The criteria for declaring a service competitive are now more specific than previously.

• 220 ILCS 5/16-111

  the Commission shall hold a hearing if → the Commission shall only declare the class of service to be competitive

  The conditions for declaring classes of service as competitive are changed to be more restrictive.

Action History

1. January 13, 2009

   Session Sine Die

2. March 23, 2007

   Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee

3. February 08, 2007

   Assigned to Electric Utility Oversight Committee

4. February 06, 2007

   Referred to Rules Committee

5. February 06, 2007

   First Reading

6. February 06, 2007

   Filed with the Clerk by Rep. Rich Brauer

Sponsors

• Rich Brauer · Cosponsor

Subjects