On July 14, 2022, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved the Illinois Power Agency’s (IPA) 2022 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan (2022 Long-Term Plan). The Final 2022 Long-Term Plan will be published by the IPA on its website in accordance with the ICC’s Order within 60 days, or by September 12, 2022. In conjunction with the ICC’s approval of the 2022 Long-Term Plan, the ICC also approved consumer protection documents filed with the 2022 Long-Term Plan, with minor modifications.
The IPA has updated the Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) Consumer Protection Handbook and Contract Requirements consistent with the ICC’s Order. Approved Vendors and Designees must be in full compliance with the new requirements in these documents by August 28, 2022. The new disclosures will be updated in the portal and ready for use beginning on August 28.
Please carefully review these important documents that have been published:
- Cover Letter – Consumer Protections Handbook and Contract Requirements
- Consumer Protections Handbook
- Contract Requirements – Community Solar
- Contract Requirements – Distributed Generation
- Power Purchase Agreement (Residential Solar) Disclosure Form
- Purchase (Residential Solar) Disclosure Form
- Lease (Residential Solar) Disclosure Form
The Consumer Protection Handbook replaces the prior Community Solar Consumer Protection Requirements and the Residential Solar Consumer Protection Requirements. The Consumer Protection Handbook consolidates the requirements from these documents, as well as updates, clarifies, and adds new requirements. Compared to the draft version of the Consumer Protection Handbook filed with the 2022 Long-Term Plan, the final Consumer Protection Handbook includes:
- Clarification regarding the use of the utility name in marketing (verbal statements and written materials).
- Language explaining that notices of potential program violations must include information on possible penalties.
The Residential Solar Contract Requirements and the relevant Disclosure Forms now reflect that ILSFA participants have a 14-day window, rather than a 7-day window, to cancel an installation contract without penalty. There is no longer the required waiting period between signing the Disclosure Forms and the contract. The content of the remainder of the Contract Requirements documents remains the same as in the versions filed with the 2022 Long-Term Plan in March 2022.