Public Act 90-0561 of the 90th General Assembly

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Public Act 90-0561

HB0362 Enrolled                                LRB9002496JScc

    AN ACT  in  relation  to  the  competitive  provision  of
utility services, amending named Acts.

    Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:

                          ARTICLE I

    Section 5.  The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding
Articles XVI, XVII, and XVIII as follows:

    (220 ILCS 5/Art. XVI heading new)
   ARTICLE XVI. ELECTRIC SERVICE CUSTOMER CHOICE AND RATE
                     RELIEF LAW OF 1997

    (220 ILCS 5/16-101 new)
    Sec. 16-101.  Short title and applicability.
    (a)  This Article may be cited as  the  Electric  Service
Customer  Choice  and Rate Relief Law of 1997 and shall apply
to  electric  utilities  and  alternative   retail   electric
suppliers  as  defined in this Article.  Except to the extent
modified or supplemented by the provisions of  this  Article,
or   where   the  context  clearly  renders  such  provisions
inapplicable, the other Articles of the Public Utilities  Act
pertaining  to  public  utilities,  public  utility rates and
services and the regulation thereof, are  fully  and  equally
applicable   to  the  tariffed  services  electric  utilities
provide.
    (b)  The provisions of subsections  (a)  through  (h)  of
Section  16-111  of  this  Act shall not be applicable to any
electric  utility  which  elects  to   file   biennial   rate
proceedings before the Commission in the years 1998, 2000 and
2002.   An  electric utility electing this option shall do so
by filing a notice  of  such  election  with  the  Commission
within  60  days  after the effective date of this amendatory
Act of 1997, or its right to  make  such  election  shall  be
irrevocably  waived.  An electric utility electing the option
specified in this paragraph shall file  its  rate  proceeding
with the Commission no later than August 1 of the years 1998,
2000,  and  2002.  The electric utility's filing shall comply
with all requirements  of  83  Illinois  Administrative  Code
Parts  255 and 285 as though the electric utility were filing
for an increase in its rates, without regard to whether  such
filing  would produce an increase, a decrease or no change in
the electric utility's rates and the Commission shall  review
the  electric  utility's  filing and shall issue its order in
accordance with the provisions of Section 9-201 of this Act.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-101A new)
    Sec. 16-101A. Legislative findings.
    (a)  The citizens and businesses of the State of Illinois
have been well-served by a comprehensive  electrical  utility
system  which  has  provided  safe,  reliable, and affordable
service.  The electrical  utility  system  in  the  State  of
Illinois  has  historically been subject to State and federal
regulation, aimed at assuring the citizens and businesses  of
the State of safe, reliable, and affordable service, while at
the  same time assuring the utility system of a return on its
investment.
    (b)  Competitive forces  are  affecting  the  market  for
electricity  as  a  result  of  recent federal regulatory and
statutory  changes  and  the  activities  of  other   states.
Competition  in  the  electric  services  market  may  create
opportunities for new products and services for customers and
lower   costs   for   users   of  electricity.  Long-standing
regulatory relationships need to be  altered  to  accommodate
the  competition that could fundamentally alter the structure
of the electric services market.
    (c)  With the advent of increasing  competition  in  this
industry, the State has a continued interest in assuring that
the  safety,  reliability,  and  affordability  of electrical
power is not sacrificed to competitive pressures, and to that
end, intends to  implement  safeguards  to  assure  that  the
industry  continues  to  operate  the  electrical system in a
manner that will  serve  the  public's  interest.  Under  the
existing   regulatory   framework,   the  industry  has  been
encouraged to undertake certain investments in  its  physical
plant  and  personnel to enhance its efficient operation, the
cost of which it has been permitted to pass on to  consumers.
The State has an interest in providing the existing utilities
a  reasonable  opportunity  to  obtain  a  return  on certain
investments on  which  they  depended  in  undertaking  those
commitments  in  the  first instance while, at the same time,
not  permitting  new  entrants  into  the  industry  to  take
unreasonable  advantage  of  the  investments  made  by   the
formerly regulated industry.
    (d)  A  competitive  wholesale  and  retail  market  must
benefit   all   Illinois   citizens.  The  Illinois  Commerce
Commission should  act  to  promote  the  development  of  an
effectively  competitive  electricity  market  that  operates
efficiently  and  is  equitable  to  all  consumers. Consumer
protections must be in place to  ensure  that  all  customers
continue   to   receive   safe,   reliable,  affordable,  and
environmentally safe electric service.
    (e)  All consumers  must  benefit  in  an  equitable  and
timely  fashion  from  the  lower  costs for electricity that
result from retail  and  wholesale  competition  and  receive
sufficient   information   to  make  informed  choices  among
suppliers and services. The use of  renewable  resources  and
energy   efficiency   resources   should   be  encouraged  in
competitive markets.
    (220 ILCS 5/16-102 new)
    Sec. 16-102.  Definitions.   For  the  purposes  of  this
Article  the following terms shall be defined as set forth in
this Section.
    "Alternative  retail  electric  supplier"   means   every
person,   cooperative,  corporation,  municipal  corporation,
company, association, joint  stock  company  or  association,
firm,   partnership,   individual,  or  other  entity,  their
lessees,  trustees,  or  receivers  appointed  by  any  court
whatsoever, that offers electric power or  energy  for  sale,
lease  or in exchange for other value received to one or more
retail  customers,  or  that  engages  in  the  delivery   or
furnishing  of  electric  power  or  energy  to  such  retail
customers,  and shall include, without limitation, resellers,
aggregators and power marketers, but shall  not  include  (i)
electric  utilities  (or any agent of the electric utility to
the extent the electric utility provides tariffed services to
retail customers  through  that  agent),  (ii)  any  electric
cooperative  or municipal system as defined in Section 17-100
to the extent that  the  electric  cooperative  or  municipal
system  is  serving retail customers within any area in which
it is or would be entitled to provide service under  the  law
in  effect  immediately  prior  to the effective date of this
amendatory Act of 1997, (iii) a public utility that is  owned
and operated by any public institution of higher education of
this  State, or a public utility that is owned by such public
institution of higher education and operated by  any  of  its
lessees  or  operating agents, within any area in which it is
or would be entitled to provide  service  under  the  law  in
effect  immediately  prior  to  the  effective  date  of this
amendatory Act of 1997,  (iv)  any  retail  customer  to  the
extent  that  customer  obtains its electric power and energy
from its own cogeneration or self-generation facilities,  (v)
any  entity  that  sells  or arranges for the installation of
cogeneration or self-generation facilities to be owned  by  a
retail  customer  described in subparagraph (iv), but only to
the extent the entity is engaged in selling or arranging  for
such  installation,  or  (vi)  an industrial or manufacturing
customer that owns its own distribution  facilities,  to  the
extent   that   the   customer  provides  service  from  that
distribution system to a third-party  contractor  located  on
the  customer's premises that is integrally and predominantly
engaged  in  the  customer's  industrial   or   manufacturing
process;  provided,  that  if the industrial or manufacturing
customer has elected delivery services,  the  customer  shall
pay  transition  charges applicable to the electric power and
energy consumed by the  third-party  contractor  unless  such
charges  are  otherwise  paid  by the third party contractor,
which shall be calculated based on the usage of, and the base
rates or the contract rates applicable  to,  the  third-party
contractor in accordance with Section 16-102.
    "Base  rates" means the rates for those tariffed services
that the electric utility is required to  offer  pursuant  to
subsection  (a) of Section 16-103 and that were identified in
a rate order for collection of the  electric  utility's  base
rate  revenue  requirement,  excluding (i) separate automatic
rate adjustment  riders  then  in  effect,  (ii)  special  or
negotiated  contract  rates,  (iii) delivery services tariffs
filed pursuant to Section 16-108, (iv) real-time pricing,  or
(v)  tariffs that were in effect prior to October 1, 1996 and
that based charges for services on an  index  or  average  of
other  utilities'  charges, but including (vi) any subsequent
redesign  of  such  rates  for  tariffed  services  that   is
authorized by the Commission after notice and hearing.
    "Competitive  service"  includes (i) any service that has
been declared to be competitive pursuant to Section 16-113 of
this Act, (ii) contract service, and  (iii)  services,  other
than   tariffed  services,  that  are  related  to,  but  not
necessary for, the provision of electric power and energy  or
delivery services.
    "Contract  service"  means  (1)  services,  including the
provision of electric power and  energy  or  other  services,
that  are  provided  by  mutual agreement between an electric
utility and a retail customer that is located in the electric
utility's service  area,  provided  that,  delivery  services
shall  not  be  a  contract  service  until such services are
declared competitive pursuant to  Section  16-113;  and  also
means  (2)  the  provision of electric power and energy by an
electric utility to retail  customers  outside  the  electric
utility's service area pursuant to Section 16-116.  Provided,
however,  contract  service does not include electric utility
services provided  pursuant  to  (i)  contracts  that  retail
customers are required to execute as a condition of receiving
tariffed   services,  or  (ii)  special  or  negotiated  rate
contracts for electric utility  services  that  were  entered
into  between an electric utility and a retail customer prior
to the effective date of this  amendatory  Act  of  1997  and
filed with the Commission.
    "Delivery  services" means those services provided by the
electric  utility  that  are  necessary  in  order  for   the
transmission  and  distribution  systems  to function so that
retail customers located in the  electric  utility's  service
area  can  receive  electric  power and energy from suppliers
other than the electric utility, and shall  include,  without
limitation, standard metering and billing services.
    "Electric  utility" means a public utility, as defined in
Section 3-105 of this Act, that  has  a  franchise,  license,
permit  or  right  to  furnish  or sell electricity to retail
customers within a service area.
    "Mandatory transition period" means the period  from  the
effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 through January
1, 2005.
    "Municipal  system"  shall  have the meaning set forth in
Section 17-100.
    "Real-time pricing" means charges for delivered  electric
power  and  energy  that  vary  on  an hour-to-hour basis for
nonresidential retail customers and that vary on  a  periodic
basis during the day for residential retail customers.
    "Retail  customer"  means  a single entity using electric
power or energy at a single premises and that (A) either  (i)
is receiving or is eligible to receive tariffed services from
an  electric  utility,  or (ii) that is served by a municipal
system or electric cooperative within any area in  which  the
municipal  system  or  electric  cooperative  is  or would be
entitled  to  provide  service  under  the  law   in   effect
immediately  prior  to  the effective date of this amendatory
Act of 1997, or (B) an entity which on the effective date  of
this Act was receiving electric service from a public utility
and   (i)   was  engaged  in  the   practice  of  resale  and
redistribution of such electricity within a building prior to
January 2, 1957, or (ii) was providing lighting  services  to
tenants in a multi-occupancy building, but only to the extent
such resale, redistribution or lighting service is authorized
by  the electric utility's tariffs that were on file with the
Commission on the effective date of this Act.
    "Service area" means (i) the geographic area within which
an electric utility was lawfully entitled to provide electric
power and energy to retail customers as of the effective date
of this  amendatory  Act  of  1997,  and  includes  (ii)  the
location of any retail customer to which the electric utility
was  lawfully  providing  electric  utility  services on such
effective date.
    "Small   commercial   retail   customer"   means    those
nonresidential   retail  customers  of  an  electric  utility
consuming  15,000  kilowatt-hours  or  less  of   electricity
annually in its service area.
    "Tariffed  service"  means  services  provided  to retail
customers by an electric utility as defined by its  rates  on
file  with  the  Commission  pursuant  to  the  provisions of
Article IX of this Act, but  shall  not  include  competitive
services.
    "Transition charge" means a charge expressed in cents per
kilowatt-hour  that  is calculated for a customer or class of
customers as follows for  each  year  in  which  an  electric
utility is entitled to recover transition charges as provided
in Section 16-108:
         (1)  the  amount of revenue that an electric utility
    would receive from the retail customer or customers if it
    were serving such customers' electric  power  and  energy
    requirements  as  a  tariffed service based on (A) all of
    the customers' actual usage during the 3 years ending  90
    days prior to the date on which such customers were first
    eligible   for  delivery  services  pursuant  to  Section
    16-104, and (B) on  (i)  the  base  rates  in  effect  on
    October  1, 1996 (adjusted for the reductions required by
    subsection (b)  of  Section  16-111,  for  any  reduction
    resulting  from  a rate decrease under Section 16-101(b),
    for any restatement of base  rates  made  in  conjunction
    with   an  elimination  of  the  fuel  adjustment  clause
    pursuant to subsection (b), (d), or (f) of Section  9-220
    and  for  any  removal of decommissioning costs from base
    rates  pursuant  to  Section  16-114)  and  any  separate
    automatic  rate   adjustment   riders   (other   than   a
    decommissioning  rate as defined in Section 16-114) under
    which the customers were  receiving  or,  had  they  been
    customers,  would have received electric power and energy
    from the electric utility  during  the  year  immediately
    preceding  the  date  on  which such customers were first
    eligible for delivery service pursuant to Section 16-104,
    or (ii) to the extent  applicable,  any  contract  rates,
    including   contracts   or   rates  for  consolidated  or
    aggregated  billing,  under  which  such  customers  were
    receiving electric power and  energy  from  the  electric
    utility during such year;
         (2)  less  the amount of revenue, other than revenue
    from transition charges and decommissioning  rates,  that
    the  electric  utility  would  receive  from  such retail
    customers for delivery services provided by the  electric
    utility,  assuming  such  customers  were taking delivery
    services for all of their usage, based  on  the  delivery
    services  tariffs in effect during the year for which the
    transition charge is being calculated and  on  the  usage
    identified in paragraph (1);
         (3)  less  the  market  value for the electric power
    and energy that the electric utility would have  used  to
    supply  all  of such customers' electric power and energy
    requirements, as a tariffed service, based on  the  usage
    identified  in  paragraph  (1),  with  such  market value
    determined in accordance with Section 16-112 of this Act;
         (4)  less the following amount which represents  the
    amount  to  be attributed to new revenue sources and cost
    reductions by the electric utility through the end of the
    period for which transition costs are recovered  pursuant
    to  Section  16-108, referred to in this Article XVI as a
    "mitigation factor":
              (A)  for nonresidential  retail  customers,  an
         amount  equal  to  the  greater of (i) 0.5 cents per
         kilowatt-hour during  the  period  October  1,  1999
         through   December   31,   2004,   0.6   cents   per
         kilowatt-hour  in  calendar year 2005, and 0.9 cents
         per kilowatt-hour in calendar year 2006,  multiplied
         in  each  year  by the usage identified in paragraph
         (1), or  (ii)  an  amount  equal  to  the  following
         percentages  of  the amount produced by applying the
         applicable base  rates  (adjusted  as  described  in
         subparagraph  (1)(B))  or contract rate to the usage
         identified in  paragraph  (1):  8%  for  the  period
         October  1,  1999  through December 31, 2002, 10% in
         calendar years 2003 and 2004, 11% in  calendar  year
         2005 and 12% in calendar year 2006; and
              (B)  for   residential   retail  customers,  an
         amount equal to the  following  percentages  of  the
         amount produced by applying the base rates in effect
         on   October  1,  1996  (adjusted  as  described  in
         subparagraph (1)(B))  to  the  usage  identified  in
         paragraph  (1):  (i)  6%  from  May  1, 2002 through
         December 31, 2002, (ii) 7% in  calendar  years  2003
         and  2004,  (iii) 8% in calendar year 2005, and (iv)
         10% in calendar year 2006;
         (5)  divided  by  the  usage   of   such   customers
    identified in paragraph (1),
provided  that the transition charge shall never be less than
zero.
    "Unbundled service" means a component or constituent part
of a tariffed service which the electric utility subsequently
offers separately to its customers.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-103 new)
    Sec. 16-103. Service obligations of electric utilities.
    (a)  An  electric  utility  shall  continue  offering  to
retail customers each tariffed service that it offered  as  a
distinct  and  identifiable  service on the effective date of
this amendatory  Act  of  1997  until  the   service  is  (i)
declared  competitive  pursuant  to  Section  16-113, or (ii)
abandoned  pursuant  to  Section  8-508.  Nothing   in   this
subsection   shall  be  construed  as  limiting  an  electric
utility's right to propose,  or  the  Commission's  power  to
approve, allow or order modifications in the rates, terms and
conditions  for  such  services  pursuant  to  Article  IX or
Section 16-111 of this Act.
    (b)  An electric utility shall also  offer,  as  tariffed
services,  delivery services in accordance with this Article,
the power purchase options described in  Section  16-110  and
real-time pricing as provided in Section 16-107.
    (c)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Article,
each   electric   utility  shall  continue  offering  to  all
residential customers and  to  all  small  commercial  retail
customers in its service area, as a tariffed service, bundled
electric   power  and  energy  delivered  to  the  customer's
premises consistent with the bundled utility service provided
by the  electric  utility  on  the  effective  date  of  this
amendatory  Act of 1997. Upon declaration of the provision of
electric  power  and  energy  as  competitive,  the  electric
utility shall continue to  offer  to  such  customers,  as  a
tariffed  service,  bundled  service  options  at rates which
reflect recovery of all cost  components  for  providing  the
service.  For those components of the service which have been
declared competitive, cost shall be the market based  prices.
Market  based  prices  as  referred to herein shall mean, for
electric power  and  energy,  either  (i)  those  prices  for
electric  power  and energy determined as provided in Section
16-112, or (ii) the electric utility's cost of obtaining  the
electric  power and energy at wholesale through a competitive
bidding or other arms-length acquisition process.
    (d)  Any residential or small commercial retail  customer
which  elects  delivery services is entitled to return to the
electric utility's bundled utility tariffed service  offering
provided  in  accordance  with subsection (c) of this Section
upon payment of a reasonable administrative fee  which  shall
be  set  forth  in  the  tariff,  provided, however, that the
electric utility shall be entitled to  impose  the  condition
that  such customer may not elect delivery services for up to
24 months thereafter.
    (e)  The Commission shall not require an electric utility
to  offer  any  tariffed  service  other  than  the  services
required by this Section, and shall not require  an  electric
utility to offer any competitive service.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-104 new)
    Sec.  16-104.   Delivery  services  transition  plan.  An
electric  utility  shall  provide delivery services to retail
customers in accordance with the provisions of this Section.
    (a)  Each electric utility shall offer delivery  services
to retail customers located in its service area in accordance
with the following provisions:
         (1)  On  or  before  October  1,  1999, the electric
    utility  shall  offer  delivery  services  (i)   to   any
    non-residential  retail  customer  whose  average monthly
    maximum  electrical  demand  on  the  electric  utility's
    system during the 6 months with  the  customer's  highest
    monthly  maximum demands in the 12 months ending June 30,
    1999  equals  or  exceeds  4  megawatts;  (ii)   to   any
    non-governmental,   non-residential,   commercial  retail
    customers under common ownership doing business at 10  or
    more  separate  locations  within  the electric utility's
    service area, if the aggregate coincident average monthly
    maximum electrical demand of all  such  locations  during
    the  6 months with the customer's highest monthly maximum
    electrical demands during the 12 months ending  June  30,
    1999  equals or exceeds 9.5 megawatts, provided, however,
    that an electric utility's obligation to  offer  delivery
    services  under this clause (ii) shall not exceed 3.5% of
    the maximum electric demand  on  the  electric  utility's
    system  in  the 12 months ending June 30, 1999; and (iii)
    to non-residential retail customers whose annual electric
    energy use comprises  33%  of  the  kilowatt-hour  sales,
    excluding  the kilowatt-hour sales to customers described
    in clauses (i) and (ii), to each  non-residential  retail
    customer class of the electric utility.
         (2)  On  or  before  October  1,  2000, the electric
    utility shall offer delivery  services  to  the  eligible
    governmental  customers  described in subsections (a) and
    (b)  of  Section  16-125A  if  the  aggregate  coincident
    average  monthly  maximum  electrical  demand   of   such
    customers during the 6 months with the customers' highest
    monthly  maximum  electrical demands during the 12 months
    ending June 30, 2000 equals or exceeds 9.5 megawatts.
         (3)  On or before December 31,  2000,  the  electric
    utility  shall  offer  delivery services to all remaining
    nonresidential retail customers in its service area.
         (4)  On or before May 1, 2002, the electric  utility
    shall  offer  delivery services to all residential retail
    customers in its service area.
    The loads and kilowatt-hour sales used  for  purposes  of
this  subsection shall be those for the 12 months ending June
30, 1999 for nonresidential retail  customers.  The  electric
utility shall identify those customers to be offered delivery
service  pursuant to clause (1)(iii) pursuant to a lottery or
other random nondiscriminatory selection process set forth in
the electric utility's delivery services implementation  plan
pursuant  to  Section 16-105.  Provided, that non-residential
retail customers under common ownership at separate locations
within the electric utility's service area may  elect,  prior
to  the  date  the  electric  utility conducts the lottery or
other  random  selection  process  for  purposes  of   clause
(1)(iii),  to  designate  themselves  as  a  common ownership
group, to be  excluded  from  such  lottery  and  to  instead
participate  in  a separate lottery for such common ownership
group pursuant to which delivery services will be offered  to
non-residential  retail customers comprising 33% of the total
kilowatt-hour sales to  the  common  ownership  group  on  or
before October 1, 1999.  For purposes of this subsection (a),
an  electric utility may define "common ownership" to exclude
sites which are not part of the same business, provided, that
auxiliary  establishments  as   defined   in   the   Standard
Industrial  Classification  Manual  published  by  the United
States Office of Management and Budget shall not be excluded.
    (b)  The electric utility shall allow the aggregation  of
loads that are eligible for delivery services so long as such
aggregation meets the criteria for delivery of electric power
and  energy applicable to the electric utility established by
the  regional  reliability  council  to  which  the  electric
utility  belongs,  by   an   independent   system   operating
organization  to  which  the  electric utility belongs, or by
another organization responsible for overseeing the integrity
and reliability of the transmission system, as such  criteria
are  in  effect  from  time to time. The Commission may adopt
rules and regulations governing the criteria for  aggregation
of  the loads utilizing delivery services, but its failure to
do so shall not preclude any eligible customer from  electing
delivery  services.   The  electric  utility shall allow such
aggregation  for  any  voluntary   grouping   of   customers,
including without limitation those having a common agent with
contractual  authority  to purchase electric power and energy
and delivery services on  behalf  of  all  customers  in  the
grouping.
    (c)  An  electric  utility  shall allow a retail customer
that  generates  power  for  its  own  use  to  include   the
electrical  demand  obtained from the customer's cogeneration
or self-generation facilities that  is  coincident  with  the
retail  customer's  maximum  monthly electrical demand on the
electric  utility's  system  in  any  determination  of   the
customer's  maximum monthly electrical demand for purposes of
determining  when  such  retail  customer  shall  be  offered
delivery services pursuant to clause (i) of subparagraph  (1)
of subsection (a) of this Section.
    (d)  The  Commission  shall  establish charges, terms and
conditions for delivery services in accordance  with  Section
16-108.
    (e)  Subject  to  the  terms  and  conditions  which  the
electric  utility  is  entitled  to impose in accordance with
Section 16-108, a retail customer that is eligible  to  elect
delivery services pursuant to subsection (a) may place all or
a  portion  of  its electric power and energy requirements on
delivery services.
    (f)  An electric utility may require  a  retail  customer
who elects to (i) use an alternative retail electric supplier
or  another  electric  utility  for  some  but not all of its
electric power or  energy  requirements,  and  (ii)  use  the
electric  utility  for  any portion of its remaining electric
power and energy requirements,  to place the portion  of  the
customer's electric power or energy requirement that is to be
served by the electric utility on a tariff containing charges
that  are set to recover the lowest reasonably available cost
to the electric  utility  of  acquiring  electric  power  and
energy  on  the  wholesale  electric  market  to  serve  such
remaining portion of the customer's electric power and energy
requirement,  reasonable  compensation  for arranging for and
providing such electric power or  energy,  and  the  electric
utility's  other costs of providing service to such remaining
electric power and energy requirement.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-105 new)
    Sec. 16-105.  Delivery services implementation  plan.  To
ensure  the  safe  and  orderly  implementation  of  delivery
services,   each   electric   utility  shall  submit  to  the
Commission no later than March 1, 1999, a  delivery  services
implementation  plan  for  non-residential  customers  and no
later than August 1, 2001, a delivery services implementation
plan  for  residential  customers.  The   delivery   services
implementation  plan  shall detail the process and procedures
by which each electric utility will offer  delivery  services
to  each  customer  class  and shall be designed to insure an
orderly transition and the maintenance of  reliable  service.
The  Commission  shall enter an order approving, or approving
as modified, the delivery  services  implementation  plan  of
each electric utility no later than 60 days prior to the date
on  which  the  electric  utility must commence offering such
services.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-106 new)
    Sec. 16-106.  Billing experiments.  During the  mandatory
transition  period, an electric utility may at its discretion
conduct one or more experiments for the provision or  billing
of  services  on  a consolidated or aggregated basis, for the
provision of real-time pricing, or other billing  or  pricing
experiments, and may include experimental programs offered to
groups  of  retail  customers possessing common attributes as
defined by the electric utility, such as the  members  of  an
organization  that  was  established  to serve a well-defined
industry group, companies having multiple sites,  or  closely
located  or  affiliated  buildings, provided that such groups
exist for a purpose other than obtaining energy services  and
have  been  in existence for at least 10 years.  The offering
of such a program by an electric utility to retail  customers
participating  in the program, and the participation by those
customers in the program, shall not create any right  in  any
other retail customer or group of customers to participate in
the  same  or  a similar program.  The Commission shall allow
such experiments to go into effect upon  the  filing  by  the
electric  utility  of  a  statement  describing  the program.
Nothing contained in this Section shall be deemed to prohibit
the electric utility from offering, or  the  Commission  from
approving,   experimental  rates,  tariffs  and  services  in
addition to those allowed under this Section.  The Commission
shall review and report annually the progress,  participation
and  effects  of  such  experiments  to the General Assembly.
Based upon its review, recommendations  for  modification  of
such  experiments  may  be  made  by  the  Commission  to the
Illinois General Assembly.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-107 new)
    Sec. 16-107.  Real-time pricing.
    (a)  Each electric utility shall file, on or  before  May
1,  1998,  a  tariff  or  tariffs  which allow nonresidential
retail customers in the electric utility's  service  area  to
elect real-time pricing beginning October 1, 1998.
    (b)  Each  electric  utility shall file, on or before May
1, 2000, a tariff or tariffs which allow  residential  retail
customers  in  the  electric  utility's service area to elect
real-time pricing beginning October 1, 2000.
    (c)  The  electric  utility's  tariff  or  tariffs  filed
pursuant to this Section shall be subject to Article IX.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-108 new)
    Sec.  16-108.  Recovery  of  costs  associated  with  the
provision of delivery services.
    (a)  An electric utility shall file a  delivery  services
tariff  with  the  Commission  at least 210 days prior to the
date that it is required  to  begin  offering  such  services
pursuant  to this Act.  An electric utility shall provide the
components of delivery  services  that  are  subject  to  the
jurisdiction  of  the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at
the same prices,  terms  and  conditions  set  forth  in  its
applicable  tariff as approved or allowed into effect by that
Commission. The Commission shall otherwise have the authority
pursuant to Article IX to review,  approve,  and  modify  the
prices,  terms and conditions of those components of delivery
services not subject  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Federal
Energy  Regulatory  Commission,  including  the  authority to
determine the extent to which such delivery  services  should
be  offered  on  an  unbundled  basis.   In  making  any such
determination the Commission shall consider,  at  a  minimum,
the  effect  of additional unbundling on (i) the objective of
just and reasonable rates, (ii) electric  utility  employees,
and (iii) the development of competitive markets for electric
energy services in Illinois.
    (b)  The  Commission  shall  enter an order approving, or
approving as modified, the delivery services tariff no  later
than  30 days prior to the date on which the electric utility
must commence offering such  services.   The  Commission  may
subsequently modify such tariff pursuant to this Act.
    (c)    The  electric  utility's  tariffs shall define the
classes of its customers for purposes  of  delivery  services
charges.    Delivery   services  shall  be  priced  and  made
available to all retail customers electing delivery  services
in each such class on a nondiscriminatory basis regardless of
whether  the retail customer chooses the electric utility, an
affiliate of the electric utility, or another entity  as  its
supplier  of electric power and energy.  Charges for delivery
services shall be cost based, and shall  allow  the  electric
utility  to  recover the costs of providing delivery services
through its charges to its delivery  service  customers  that
use  the  facilities and services associated with such costs.
Such costs shall include the costs of owning,  operating  and
maintaining  transmission  and  distribution  facilities. The
Commission shall also be authorized to consider whether,  and
if  so  to what extent, the following costs are appropriately
included in the electric utility's delivery  services  rates:
(i)  the  costs of that portion of generation facilities used
for the production and absorption of reactive power in  order
that  retail  customers  located  in  the  electric utility's
service area can  receive  electric  power  and  energy  from
suppliers other than the electric utility, and (ii) the costs
associated   with   the  use  and  redispatch  of  generation
facilities to mitigate constraints  on  the  transmission  or
distribution system in order that retail customers located in
the  electric  utility's  service  area  can receive electric
power and energy  from  suppliers  other  than  the  electric
utility.   Nothing  in  this subsection shall be construed as
directing  the  Commission  to  allocate  any  of  the  costs
described in (i) or (ii) that are found to  be  appropriately
included in the electric utility's delivery services rates to
any  particular  customer group or geographic area in setting
delivery services rates.
    (d)  The Commission shall establish  charges,  terms  and
conditions for delivery services that are just and reasonable
and   shall   take   into   account   customer  impacts  when
establishing such charges. In establishing charges, terms and
conditions for delivery services, the Commission  shall  take
into  account  voltage level differences.   A retail customer
shall have the option to request to purchase electric service
at any delivery service voltage  reasonably  and  technically
feasible from the electric facilities serving that customer's
premises  provided  that  there  are  no  significant adverse
impacts upon system  reliability  or  system  efficiency.   A
retail  customer  shall  also  have  the option to request to
purchase electric service at any point of  delivery  that  is
reasonably  and  technically feasible provided that there are
no significant  adverse  impacts  on  system  reliability  or
efficiency. Such requests shall not be unreasonably denied.
    (e)  Electric   utilities  shall  recover  the  costs  of
installing,  operating  or  maintaining  facilities  for  the
particular  benefit  of  one  or   more   delivery   services
customers, including without limitation any costs incurred in
complying  with  a  customer's  request  to  be  served  at a
different voltage level, directly from the retail customer or
customers for whose benefit the costs were incurred,  to  the
extent  such  costs  are  not  recovered  through the charges
referred to in subsections (c) and (d) of this Section.
    (f)  An  electric  utility  shall  be  entitled  but  not
required to implement transition charges in conjunction  with
the offering of delivery services pursuant to Section 16-104.
If  an  electric  utility  implements  transition charges, it
shall  implement  such  charges  for  all  delivery  services
customers and for all customers described in subsection  (h).
Such  charges  shall  be  calculated  as  provided in Section
16-102,  and  shall  be  collected  on   each   kilowatt-hour
delivered  under  a  delivery  services  tariff  to  a retail
customer from the date  the  customer  first  takes  delivery
services  until  December  31,  2006  except  as  provided in
subsection (h) of this Section. Provided,  however,  that  an
electric  utility  shall be entitled to petition for entry of
an order by the Commission authorizing the  electric  utility
to  implement  transition  charges  for  an additional period
ending no later than December 31, 2008.  The electric utility
shall file its petition with supporting evidence  no  earlier
than  16  months,  and  no  later  than  12  months, prior to
December 31, 2006.  The Commission shall hold  a  hearing  on
the  electric utility's petition and shall enter its order no
later than  8  months  after  the  petition  is  filed.   The
Commission  shall  determine  whether  and to what extent the
electric utility shall be authorized to implement  transition
charges   for  an  additional  period.   The  Commission  may
authorize  the  electric  utility  to  implement   transition
charges  for  some or all of the additional period, and shall
determine the mitigation factors to be used  in  implementing
such  transition charges; provided, that the Commission shall
not authorize mitigation factors less than 110% of  those  in
effect  during  the  12  months  ended December 31, 2006.  In
making its determination, the Commission shall  consider  the
following  factors:   the  necessity  to implement transition
charges for an additional period in  order  to  maintain  the
financial  integrity of the electric utility; the prudence of
the electric utility's actions in reducing  its  costs  since
the  effective  date  of  this  amendatory  Act  of 1997; the
ability of the electric utility to provide safe, adequate and
reliable service to retail customers in its service area; and
the impact on competition of allowing the electric utility to
implement transition charges for the additional period.
    (g)  The  electric  utility  shall  file   tariffs   that
establish  the transition charges to be paid by each class of
customers to the electric utility  in  conjunction  with  the
provision   of  delivery  services.  The  electric  utility's
tariffs  shall  define  the  classes  of  its  customers  for
purposes of  calculating  transition  charges.  The  electric
utility's  tariffs  shall  provide  for  the  calculation  of
transition  charges  on  a  customer-specific  basis  for any
retail customer  whose  average  monthly  maximum  electrical
demand  on  the electric utility's system during the 6 months
with  the  customer's  highest  monthly  maximum   electrical
demands   equals   or  exceeds  3.0  megawatts  for  electric
utilities having more than 1,000,000 customers, and for other
electric utilities for  any  customer  that  has  an  average
monthly  maximum  electrical demand on the electric utility's
system of one megawatt or  more,  and  (A)  for  which  there
exists  data  on  the  customer's  usage  during  the 3 years
preceding the date that the customer became eligible to  take
delivery services, or (B) for which there does not exist data
on the customer's usage during the 3 years preceding the date
that  the customer became eligible to take delivery services,
if in the electric utility's reasonable judgment there exists
comparable usage information or a sufficient basis to develop
such information, and  further  provided  that  the  electric
utility   can  require  customers  for  which  an  individual
calculation is made to sign  contracts  that  set  forth  the
transition charges to be paid by the customer to the electric
utility pursuant to the tariff.
    (h)  An  electric  utility shall also be entitled to file
tariffs that allow it  to  collect  transition  charges  from
retail  customers in the electric utility's service area that
do not take delivery services but that take electric power or
energy from an alternative retail electric supplier  or  from
an  electric utility other than the electric utility in whose
service area the customer is located.  Such charges shall  be
calculated,  in  accordance with the definition of transition
charges in Section 16-102, for the period of  time  that  the
customer  would  be obligated to pay transition charges if it
were taking delivery services, except that no  deduction  for
delivery services revenues shall be made in such calculation,
and  usage data from the customer's class shall be used where
historical usage data is not  available  for  the  individual
customer.   The  customer  shall  be  obligated  to  pay such
charges on a lump sum basis on or before the  date  on  which
the  customer  commences to take service from the alternative
retail electric supplier or other electric utility, provided,
that the electric utility in whose service area the  customer
is  located  shall offer the customer the option of signing a
contract pursuant to which the  customer  pays  such  charges
ratably  over the period in which the charges would otherwise
have applied.
    (i)  An electric utility shall be entitled to add to  the
bills  of  delivery  services  customers  charges pursuant to
Sections  9-221,  9-222  (except  as  provided   in   Section
9-222.1),  and Section 16-114 of this Act, Section 5-5 of the
Electricity Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Law,  Section  6-5
of   the   Renewable  Energy,  Energy  Efficiency,  and  Coal
Resources Development Law of 1997,  and  Section  13  of  the
Energy Assistance Act of 1989.
    (j)  If a retail customer that obtains electric power and
energy   from   cogeneration  or  self-generation  facilities
installed for its own use  on  or  before  January  1,  1997,
subsequently   takes   service  from  an  alternative  retail
electric supplier or  an  electric  utility  other  than  the
electric  utility  in  whose  service  area  the  customer is
located for any portion of the customer's electric power  and
energy  requirements  formerly obtained from those facilities
(including that amount purchased from the utility in lieu  of
such  generation  and not as standby power purchases, under a
cogeneration  displacement  tariff  in  effect  as   of   the
effective   date   of  this  amendatory  Act  of  1997),  the
transition   charges   otherwise   applicable   pursuant   to
subsections (f), (g), or (h) of this  Section  shall  not  be
applicable  in  any  year  to  that portion of the customer's
electric power and energy requirements formerly obtained from
those  facilities,  provided,  that  for  purposes  of   this
subsection  (j),  such  portion  shall not exceed the average
number  of  kilowatt-hours  per  year   obtained   from   the
cogeneration or self-generation facilities during the 3 years
prior  to  the date on which the customer became eligible for
delivery services, except as provided in  subsection  (f)  of
Section 16-110.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-109 new)
    Sec.  16-109. Unbundling of delivery services; Commission
review. The General  Assembly  finds  that  the  offering  of
delivery  services  will,  and is intended to, facilitate the
development of competition for generation services, and  that
competition  may develop for other services currently offered
on a tariffed basis by the electric utility.  The  Commission
shall  open  a  proceeding  to  investigate  the need for and
desirability  of  different  or  additional   unbundling   of
delivery  services for some or all electric utilities 3 years
from the date that a tariff for delivery  services  is  first
approved  or  allowed  into  effect pursuant to this Section.
The Commission shall open an additional proceeding  to  again
investigate  the  need  for  and desirability of different or
additional unbundling of delivery services for  some  or  all
electric  utilities,  3  years  after  the entry of its final
order in the first investigation proceeding.  The  Commission
shall  issue its final order in each investigation proceeding
no later than 6 months after the proceeding is initiated.  In
each such proceeding the  Commission  shall  consider,  at  a
minimum,  the  effect  of  additional  unbundling  on (i) the
objective of just and reasonable rates, (ii) electric utility
employees, and (iii) the development of  competitive  markets
for  electric  energy services in Illinois.  Specific changes
to the  delivery  services  tariffs  of  individual  electric
utilities  to  implement findings and directives stated in an
order in an investigation  proceeding  initiated  under  this
Section   shall  be  addressed  through  individual  electric
utility  tariff  filings.  The  Commission   may   also,   in
accordance  with  Section  16-108, upon complaint or upon its
own initiative without  complaint,  upon  reasonable  notice,
enter  upon a hearing concerning the need and desirability of
requiring additional or other unbundling of delivery services
offered by electric utilities.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-109A new)
    Sec.  16-109A.   Unbundling  of   prices   for   tariffed
services;  Commission  investigation.   In  addition  to  the
unbundling  authorized  under Sections 16-108 and 16-109, the
Commission shall have the authority to investigate  the  need
for,  and  to  require,  the  restructuring  or unbundling of
prices for tariffed services, other than  delivery  services,
offered  by  an electric utility; provided, however, that the
Commission  shall  not   enter   an   order   requiring   the
restructuring  or  unbundling of prices for any such tariffed
services for a customer class of an electric utility prior to
the date that the class first becomes eligible  for  delivery
services pursuant to Section 16-104.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-110 new)
    Sec.  16-110.  Delivery  services customer power purchase
options.
    (a)  Each electric utility shall offer a tariffed service
or services in accordance with the terms and  conditions  set
forth  in  this Section pursuant to which its non-residential
delivery services customers may purchase  from  the  electric
utility  an amount of electric power and energy that is equal
to or less than  the  amounts  that  are  delivered  by  such
electric utility.
    (b)  Except  as  provided  in  subsection  (o) of Section
16-112, a non-residential delivery services customer that  is
paying  transition  charges  to the electric utility shall be
permitted to purchase electric  power  and  energy  from  the
electric utility at a price or prices equal to the sum of (i)
the  market  values  that  are  determined  for  the electric
utility in accordance with Section 16-112  and  used  by  the
electric  utility  to  calculate  the  customer's  transition
charges  and (ii) a fee that compensates the electric utility
for any administrative costs it incurs in arranging to supply
such electric power and energy.   The  electric  utility  may
require  that  the  customer purchase such electric power and
energy for periods of not less than one  year  and  may  also
require  that  the  customer  give up to 30 days notice for a
purchase of one year's duration, and 90  days  notice  for  a
purchase of more than one year's duration.  A non-residential
delivery  service customer exercising the option described in
this subsection may sell  or  assign  its  interests  in  the
electric  power or energy that the customer has purchased. At
least twice per year, each electric utility shall notify  its
small  commercial  retail customers, through bill inserts and
other similar means, of their option to obtain electric power
and energy through purchases at market value pursuant to this
subsection.
    (c)  After the transition charge period applicable  to  a
non-residential  delivery  services  customer,  and until the
provision  of  electric  power   and   energy   is   declared
competitive  for  the  customer  group  to which the customer
belongs, a non-residential delivery  services  customer  that
paid  any  transition charges it was legally obligated to pay
to  an  electric  utility  shall  be  permitted  to  purchase
electric power and  energy  from  the  electric  utility  for
contract  periods  of  one year at a price or prices equal to
the  sum  of  (i)  the  market  value  determined  for   that
customer's  class  pursuant to Section 16-112 and (ii) to the
extent it is not included in such  market  value,  a  fee  to
compensate  the electric utility for the service of arranging
the supply or purchase of such  electric  power  and  energy.
The  electric  utility  may  require that a delivery services
customer give the following notice for such a  purchase:  (i)
for  a  small  commercial  retail  customer, not more than 30
days; (ii) for a nonresidential customer which is not a small
commercial retail customer but which has  maximum  electrical
demand  of  less  than 500 kilowatts, not more than 6 months;
(iii) for a nonresidential customer with  maximum  electrical
demand  of  500 kilowatts or more but less than one megawatt,
not more  than  9  months;  and  (iv)  for  a  nonresidential
customer  with  maximum  electrical demand of one megawatt or
more, not more than one year. At least twice per  year,  each
electric  utility  shall  notify  its small commercial retail
customers, through bill inserts or other  similar  means,  of
their  option  to  obtain  electric  power and energy through
purchases at market value pursuant to this subsection.
    (d)  After the transition charge period applicable  to  a
non-residential  delivery  services  customer,  and until the
provision  of  electric  power   and   energy   is   declared
competitive  for  the  customer  group  to which the customer
belongs, a non-residential delivery services customer,  other
than  a  small  commercial  retail  customer,  that  paid any
transition charges it was legally  obligated  to  pay  to  an
electric  utility  shall  be  permitted  to purchase electric
power and energy  from  the  electric  utility  for  contract
periods of one year at a price or prices equal to (A) the sum
of  (i)  the electric utility's actual cost of procuring such
electric  power  and  energy  and  (ii)  a  broker's  fee  to
compensate the electric utility for arranging the supply, or,
if the utility so elects, (B) the market  value  of  electric
power  or  energy provided by the electric utility determined
as set forth  in  the  electric  utility's  tariff  for  that
customer's  class.  The electric utility may require that the
delivery services customer give up to 30 days notice for such
a purchase.
    (e)  Each delivery services customer purchasing  electric
power  and  energy  from  the  electric utility pursuant to a
tariff filed in accordance with this Section shall  also  pay
all  of  the  applicable  charges  set  forth in the electric
utility's delivery services tariffs  and  any  other  tariffs
applicable  to  the services provided to that customer by the
electric utility.
    (f)  An electric utility can require  a  retail  customer
taking  delivery  services  that  formerly generated electric
power and energy for its own use and that would not otherwise
pay transition charges on a portion of its electric power and
energy  requirements  served  on  delivery  services  to  pay
transition charges on that portion of the customer's electric
power and energy requirements as a  condition  of  exercising
the  delivery  services  customer  power purchase options set
forth in this Section.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-111 new)
    Sec. 16-111. Rates and restructuring transactions  during
mandatory transition period.
    (a)  During     the    mandatory    transition    period,
notwithstanding any provision of Article IX of this Act,  and
except  as  provided in subsections (b), (d), (e), and (f) of
this  Section,  the  Commission  shall  not   (i)   initiate,
authorize  or order any change by way of increase (other than
in connection with a request  for  rate  increase  which  was
filed  after September 1, 1997 but prior to October 15, 1997,
by an electric utility serving less than 12,500 customers  in
this  state),  (ii)  initiate  or,  unless  requested  by the
electric utility, authorize or order any  change  by  way  of
decrease,  restructuring or unbundling (except as provided in
Section 16-109A), in the rates of any electric  utility  that
were  in  effect  on  October  1, 1996, or (iii) in any order
approving any application for a merger  pursuant  to  Section
7-204  that  was  pending  as  of  May  16,  1997, impose any
condition requiring any filing for an increase, decrease,  or
change in, or other review of, an electric utility's rates or
enforce  any  such  condition  of  any  such order; provided,
however,  that  this  subsection  shall  not   prohibit   the
Commission from:
         (1)  approving   the   application  of  an  electric
    utility to implement an alternative  to  rate  of  return
    regulation  or  a  regulatory  mechanism  that rewards or
    penalizes the  electric  utility  through  adjustment  of
    rates  based  on utility performance, pursuant to Section
    9-244;
         (2)  authorizing an electric  utility  to  eliminate
    its  fuel  adjustment  clause  and  adjust  its base rate
    tariffs in accordance with subsection (b), (d), or (f) of
    Section 9-220 of this Act, to  fix  its  fuel  adjustment
    factor in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 9-220
    of  this  Act, or to eliminate its fuel adjustment clause
    in accordance with subsection (e)  of  Section  9-220  of
    this Act;
         (3)  ordering   into  effect  tariffs  for  delivery
    services  and  transition  charges  in  accordance   with
    Sections  16-104  and  16-108,  for  real-time pricing in
    accordance with Section 16-107, or the  options  required
    by Section 16-110 and subsection  (n) of 16-112, allowing
    a  billing  experiment in accordance with Section 16-106,
    or modifying delivery services tariffs in accordance with
    Section 16-109; or
         (4)  ordering or allowing into effect any tariff  to
    recover  charges  pursuant  to Sections 9-201.5, 9-220.1,
    9-221, 9-222 (except as  provided  in  Section  9-222.1),
    16-108,  and  16-114  of  this  Act,  Section  5-5 of the
    Electricity Infrastructure Maintenance Fee  Law,  Section
    6-5  of the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Coal
    Resources Development Law of 1997, and Section 13 of  the
    Energy Assistance Act of 1989.
    (b)  Notwithstanding  the  provisions  of subsection (a),
each Illinois  electric  utility  serving  more  than  12,500
customers  in  Illinois  shall  file  tariffs  (i)  reducing,
effective August 1, 1998, each component of its base rates to
residential  retail  customers  by 15% from the base rates in
effect immediately prior to January 1, 1998 and (ii)  if  the
public utility provides electric service to more than 500,000
customers  in  this  State  on  the  effective  date  of this
amendatory Act of 1997, reducing, effective May 1, 2002, each
component of its base rates to residential  retail  customers
by an additional 5% from the base rates in effect immediately
prior  to  January  1,  1998.  Provided,  however, that if an
electric utility's average residential retail  rate  is  less
than  or  equal  to the average residential retail rate for a
group of Midwest Utilities (consisting of all  investor-owned
electric utilities with annual system peaks in excess of 1000
megawatts in the States of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,
Michigan,  Missouri,  Ohio,  and  Wisconsin),  based  on data
reported  on  Form  1  to  the  Federal   Energy   Regulatory
Commission  for  calendar  year  1995,  then it shall only be
required to file tariffs (i) reducing,  effective  August  1,
1998,  each component of its base rates to residential retail
customers by 5% from the base  rates  in  effect  immediately
prior to January 1, 1998, (ii) reducing, effective October 1,
2000,  its  base rates to residential retail customers by the
lesser of 5% of the base rates in effect immediately prior to
January 1, 1998 or  the  percentage  by  which  the  electric
utility's average residential retail rate exceeds the average
residential  retail  rate  of the Midwest Utilities, based on
data reported on Form 1  to  the  Federal  Energy  Regulatory
Commission  for  calendar  year  1999,  and  (iii)  reducing,
effective  October  1, 2002, each component of its base rates
to residential retail customers by an additional amount equal
to the lesser of 5% of the base rates in  effect  immediately
prior  to  January  1,  1998  or  the percentage by which the
electric utility's average residential  retail  rate  exceeds
the average residential retail rate of the Midwest Utilities,
based  on  data  reported  on  Form  1  to the Federal Energy
Regulatory  Commission  for  calendar  year  2001.  Provided,
further, that any electric utility for which  a  decrease  in
base  rates has been or is placed into effect between October
1, 1996 and the dates specified in the preceding sentences of
this subsection, other than pursuant to the  requirements  of
this  subsection,  shall  be entitled to reduce the amount of
any reduction or reductions in its  base  rates  required  by
this  subsection  by  the  amount of such other decrease. The
tariffs required under this subsection shall be filed 45 days
in advance of the effective date. Notwithstanding anything to
the contrary in Section 9-220 of this Act, no restatement  of
base  rates  in  conjunction  with  the elimination of a fuel
adjustment clause under that Section shall result in a lesser
decrease in base rates than customers would otherwise receive
under  this  subsection  had  the  electric  utility's   fuel
adjustment clause not been eliminated.
    (c)  Any utility reducing its base rates by 15% on August
1,   1998  pursuant  to  subsection  (b)  shall  include  the
following statement on its bills  for  residential  customers
from August 1 through December 31, 1998: "Effective August 1,
1998,  your  rates  have  been reduced by 15% by the Electric
Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 passed by
the Illinois General Assembly.".  Any  utility  reducing  its
base  rates  by  5% on August 1, 1998, pursuant to subsection
(b) shall include the following statement on  its  bills  for
residential  customers  from  August  1  through December 31,
1998:  "Effective  August  1,  1998,  your  rates  have  been
reduced  by  5%  by  the Electric Service Customer Choice and
Rate Relief Law  of  1997  passed  by  the  Illinois  General
Assembly.".
    (d)  During  the  mandatory  transition  period,  but not
before January 1, 2000, and notwithstanding   the  provisions
of  subsection  (a),  an  electric  utility  may  request  an
increase   in   its   base  rates  if  the  electric  utility
demonstrates that the 2-year average of its  earned  rate  of
return  on  common  equity,  calculated  as  its  net  income
applicable  to  common  stock  divided  by the average of its
beginning and ending balances of  common  equity  using  data
reported  in  the  electric  utility's  Form  1 report to the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission but adjusted  to  remove
the  effects  of  accelerated depreciation or amortization or
other transition or mitigation measures  implemented  by  the
electric  utility  pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section
and the effect of any refund paid pursuant to subsection  (e)
of  this  Section, is below the 2-year average for the same 2
years of the monthly average yields of 30-year  U.S. Treasury
bonds published by the Board of Governors  of  the    Federal
Reserve  System  in  its  weekly  H.15 Statistical Release or
successor  publication.  The  Commission  shall  review   the
electric  utility's  request, and may review the justness and
reasonableness  of  all  rates  for  tariffed  services,   in
accordance  with  the  provisions  of Article IX of this Act,
provided that the Commission shall consider  any  special  or
negotiated  adjustments  to the revenue requirement agreed to
between the electric utility and the  other  parties  to  the
proceeding.    In  setting  rates  under  this  Section,  the
Commission shall exclude the  costs  and  revenues  that  are
associated  with  competitive  services  and  any  billing or
pricing experiments conducted under Section 16-106.
    (e)  For  the  purposes  of  this  subsection   (e)   all
calculations  and  comparisons  shall  be  performed  for the
Illinois operations of multijurisdictional utilities.  During
the  mandatory   transition   period,   notwithstanding   the
provisions  of  subsection  (a),  if the 2-year average of an
electric utility's earned rate of return  on  common  equity,
calculated  as  its  net  income  applicable  to common stock
divided by the average of its beginning and  ending  balances
of   common  equity  using  data  reported  in  the  electric
utility's Form 1 report  to  the  Federal  Energy  Regulatory
Commission  but  adjusted  to remove the effect of any refund
paid under this  subsection  (e),  and  further  adjusted  to
include the annual amortization of any difference between the
consideration  received  by  an  affiliated  interest  of the
electric utility in the sale of an asset which had been  sold
or  transferred  by  the  electric  utility to the affiliated
interest subsequent to the effective date of this  amendatory
Act  of  1997  and the consideration for which such asset had
been sold or transferred to  the  affiliated  interest,  with
such  difference to be amortized ratably from the date of the
sale by the affiliated interest to December 31, 2006, exceeds
the 2-year average of the Index for the same 2 years  by  1.5
or  more  percentage  points, the electric utility shall make
refunds to customers beginning the first billing day of April
in the following year in the manner  described  in  paragraph
(3)  of this subsection. For purposes of this subsection (e),
the "Index" shall be the sum of (A) the average  for  the  12
months  ended  September  30 of the monthly average yields of
30-year  U.S.  Treasury  bonds  published  by  the  Board  of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System in  its  weekly  H.15
Statistical  Release  or  successor publication for each year
1998 through 2004, and (B) (i)  4.00  percentage  points  for
each  of  the  12-month  periods  ending  September  30, 1998
through September 30, 1999 or (ii) 5.00 percentage points for
each of  the  12-month  periods  ending  September  30,  2000
through September 30, 2004.
         (1)  For  purposes  of  this subsection (e), "excess
    earnings" means the difference  between  (A)  the  2-year
    average  of  the electric utility's earned rate of return
    on common equity, less (B) the 2-year average of the  sum
    of  (i)  the  Index applicable to each of the 2 years and
    (ii)  1.5  percentage  points;  provided,  that   "excess
    earnings" shall never be less than zero.
         (2)  On or before March 31 of each year 2000 through
    2005  each  electric utility shall file a report with the
    Commission showing its earned rate of  return  on  common
    equity,  calculated  in  accordance with this subsection,
    for the preceding calendar year and the average  for  the
    preceding 2 calendar years.
         (3)  If  an  electric  utility  has excess earnings,
    determined in accordance with paragraphs (1) and  (2)  of
    this  subsection,  the refunds which the electric utility
    shall pay  to its customers beginning the  first  billing
    day  of  April  in the following year shall be calculated
    and applied as follows:
              (i)  The  electric  utility's  excess  earnings
         shall be multiplied by the average of the  beginning
         and ending balances of the electric utility's common
         equity   for  the  2-year  period  in  which  excess
         earnings occurred.
              (ii)  The result  of  the  calculation  in  (i)
         shall  be  multiplied  by 0.50 and then divided by a
         number equal  to  1  minus  the  electric  utility's
         composite federal and State income tax rate.
              (iii)  The  result  of  the calculation in (ii)
         shall  be  divided  by  the  sum  of  the   electric
         utility's  projected  total  kilowatt-hour  sales to
         retail customers plus projected kilowatt-hours to be
         delivered to delivery services customers over a  one
         year period beginning with the first billing date in
         April  in  the  succeeding year to determine a cents
         per kilowatt-hour refund factor.
              (iv)  The cents per kilowatt-hour refund factor
         calculated  in  (iii)  shall  be  credited  to   the
         electric  utility's customers by applying the factor
         on   the   customer's   monthly   bills   to    each
         kilowatt-hour  sold  or  delivered  until  the total
         amount  calculated  in  (ii)  has   been   paid   to
         customers.
    (f)  During  the mandatory transition period, an electric
utility may file revised tariffs reducing the  price  of  any
tariffed  service  offered  by  the  electric utility for all
customers  taking  that  tariffed  service,  which  shall  be
effective 7 days after filing.
    (g)  During the mandatory transition period, an  electric
utility may, without obtaining any approval of the Commission
other   than   that  provided  for  in  this  subsection  and
notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or  any  rule
or  regulation  of  the  Commission  that  would require such
approval:
         (1)  implement a reorganization, other than a merger
    of 2 or more public utilities as defined in Section 3-105
    or their holding companies;
         (2)  retire generating plants from service;
         (3)  sell,  assign,  lease  or  otherwise   transfer
    assets  to  an  affiliated  or unaffiliated entity and as
    part of such transaction enter into  service  agreements,
    power  purchase  agreements, or other agreements with the
    transferee; provided, however, that the prices, terms and
    conditions  of  any  power  purchase  agreement  must  be
    approved or allowed into effect  by  the  Federal  Energy
    Regulatory Commission; or
         (4)  use   any   accelerated  cost  recovery  method
    including    accelerated    depreciation,     accelerated
    amortization or other capital recovery methods, or record
    reductions to the original cost of its assets.
    In order to implement a reorganization, retire generating
plants  from  service,  or  sell,  assign, lease or otherwise
transfer  assets  pursuant  to  this  Section,  the  electric
utility shall comply with subsections (c) and (d) of  Section
16-128,  if  applicable,  and  provide the Commission with at
least 30  days  notice  of  the  proposed  reorganization  or
transaction,   which   notice  shall  include  the  following
information:
              (i)  a complete statement of the  entries  that
         the  electric  utility  will  make  on its books and
         records  of  account  to  implement   the   proposed
         reorganization   or   transaction  together  with  a
         certification from an independent  certified  public
         accountant  that  such  entries  are  in accord with
         generally accepted accounting principles and, if the
         Commission has previously  approved  guidelines  for
         cost   allocations   between  the  utility  and  its
         affiliates,   a   certification   from   the   chief
         accounting officer of the utility that such  entries
         are in accord with those cost allocation guidelines;
              (ii)  a description of how the electric utility
         will  use proceeds of any sale, assignment, lease or
         transfer to  retire  debt  or  otherwise  reduce  or
         recover  the  costs  of  services  provided  by such
         electric utility;
              (iii)  a  list  of  all  federal  approvals  or
         approvals required from departments and agencies  of
         this  State,  other  than  the  Commission, that the
         electric  utility  has   or   will   obtain   before
         implementing the reorganization or transaction;
              (iv)  an irrevocable commitment by the electric
         utility  that  it  will  not,  as  a  result  of the
         transaction, impose any stranded cost  charges  that
         it  might  otherwise  be  allowed  to  charge retail
         customers  under  federal  law   or   increase   the
         transition  charges that it is otherwise entitled to
         collect under this Article XVI; and
              (v)  if the electric utility proposes to  sell,
         assign,  lease  or  otherwise  transfer a generating
         plant that  brings  the  amount  of  net  dependable
         generating  capacity  transferred  pursuant  to this
         subsection to an amount equal to or greater than 15%
         of the electric utility's net dependable capacity as
         of the effective date  of  this  amendatory  Act  of
         1997,  and  enters  into  a power purchase agreement
         with the entity to which such  generating  plant  is
         sold,  assigned,  leased,  or otherwise transferred,
         the electric  utility  also  agrees,  if   its  fuel
         adjustment  clause  has not already been eliminated,
         to  eliminate  its   fuel   adjustment   clause   in
         accordance  with subsection (b) of Section 9-220 for
         a period of time equal to the  length  of  any  such
         power  purchase agreement or successor agreement, or
         until January 1, 2005, whichever is longer;  if  the
         capacity  of the generating plant so transferred and
         related power purchase agreement does not result  in
         the  elimination of the fuel adjustment clause under
         this subsection, and the fuel adjustment clause  has
         not  already  been  eliminated, the electric utility
         shall agree  that  the  costs  associated  with  the
         transferred   plant   that   are   included  in  the
         calculation of the  rate  per  kilowatt-hour  to  be
         applied  pursuant  to  the  electric  utility's fuel
         adjustment  clause  during  such  period  shall  not
         exceed the per kilowatt-hour  cost  associated  with
         such  generating  plant  included  in  the  electric
         utility's  fuel  adjustment  clause  during the full
         calendar year  preceding  the  transfer,  with  such
         limit  to  be   adjusted each year thereafter by the
         Gross Domestic Product Implicit Price Deflator.
              (vi)  In  addition,  if  the  electric  utility
         proposes to sell, assign, or lease, (A)  either  (1)
         an amount of generating plant that brings the amount
         of  net  dependable  generating capacity transferred
         pursuant to this subsection to an amount equal to or
         greater than 15% of its net dependable  capacity  on
         the  effective  date of this amendatory Act of 1997,
         or (2) one or more generating plants  with  a  total
         net  dependable  capacity  of 1100 megawatts, or (B)
         transmission and distribution facilities that either
         (1)   bring   the   amount   of   transmission   and
         distribution facilities transferred pursuant to this
         subsection to an amount equal to or greater than 15%
         of the electric utility's total depreciated original
         cost investment in such facilities, or (2) represent
         an investment  of  $25,000,000  in  terms  of  total
         depreciated  original  cost,  the  electric  utility
         shall provide, in addition to the information listed
         in  subparagraphs  (i)  through  (v),  the following
         information:  a  description  of  how  the  electric
         utility will meet its service obligations under this
         Act in a safe and reliable manner. If the Commission
         has not issued an order initiating a hearing on  the
         proposed  transaction  within 30 days after the date
         the  electric  utility's  notice   is   filed,   the
         transaction   shall   be   deemed   approved.    The
         Commission  may,  after notice and hearing, prohibit
         the proposed transaction if it makes either or  both
         of  the  following  findings:  (1) that the proposed
         transaction will render the electric utility  unable
         to  provide  its  tariffed  services  in  a safe and
         reliable manner, or  (2)  that  there  is  a  strong
         likelihood   that   consummation   of  the  proposed
         transaction will  result  in  the  electric  utility
         being  entitled  to  request an increase in its base
         rates  during  the   mandatory   transition   period
         pursuant  to  subsection  (d)  of this Section.  Any
         hearing  initiated  by  the  Commission   into   the
         proposed  transaction  shall  be  completed, and the
         Commission's final order  approving  or  prohibiting
         the proposed transaction shall be entered, within 90
         days  after  the  date the electric utility's notice
         was  filed.  Provided,   however,   that   a   sale,
         assignment,  or  lease of transmission facilities to
         an  independent  system  operator  that  meets   the
         requirements  of Section 16-126 shall not be subject
         to Commission approval under this Section.
              In any proceeding conducted by  the  Commission
         pursuant  to  this  subparagraph  (vi), intervention
         shall be limited to parties with a  direct  interest
         in  the  transaction  which  is  the  subject of the
         hearing and any statutory consumer protection agency
         as defined in subsection  (d)  of  Section  9-102.1.
         Notwithstanding  the provisions of Section 10-113 of
         this Act, any application seeking  rehearing  of  an
         order  issued  under this subparagraph (vi), whether
         filed by the electric utility or by  an  intervening
         party,  shall  be filed within 10 days after service
         of the order.
    The Commission shall not in any subsequent proceeding  or
otherwise,  review such a reorganization or other transaction
authorized by this Section, but shall retain the authority to
allocate costs as stated in Section 16-111(i). An  entity  to
which an electric utility sells, assigns, leases or transfers
assets pursuant to this subsection (g) shall not, as a result
of  the  transactions  specified  in  this subsection (g), be
deemed a public utility as defined in Section 3-105.  Nothing
in this subsection (g) shall change any requirement under the
jurisdiction of the Illinois  Department  of  Nuclear  Safety
including,  but  not limited to, the payment of fees. Nothing
in this subsection (g) shall exempt a utility from  obtaining
a  certificate  pursuant to Section 8-406 of this Act for the
construction of a new electric generating facility.   Nothing
in this subsection (g) is intended to exempt the transactions
hereunder   from  the  operation  of  the  federal  or  State
antitrust laws. Nothing in this subsection (g) shall  require
an  electric  utility to use the procedures specified in this
subsection for any of the transactions specified herein.  Any
other procedure available under this Act may, at the electric
utility's election, be used for any such transaction.
    (h)  During  the   mandatory   transition   period,   the
Commission   shall   not   establish  or  use  any  rates  of
depreciation, which for purposes  of  this  subsection  shall
include  amortization,  for  any  electric utility other than
those established pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 5-104
of this Act or utilized pursuant to subsection  (g)  of  this
Section.  Provided, however, that in any proceeding to review
an electric utility's rates for tariffed services pursuant to
Section  9-201,  9-202,  9-250  or 16-111(d) of this Act, the
Commission may establish new rates of  depreciation  for  the
electric  utility  in  the same manner provided in subsection
(d) of  Section  5-104  of  this  Act.  An  electric  utility
implementing  an  accelerated  cost recovery method including
accelerated depreciation, accelerated amortization  or  other
capital  recovery  methods,  or  recording  reductions to the
original cost of its assets, pursuant to  subsection  (g)  of
this  Section,  shall  file  a  statement with the Commission
describing  the  accelerated  cost  recovery  method  to   be
implemented  or  the  reduction  in  the original cost of its
assets to be recorded.  Upon the filing  of  such  statement,
the  accelerated cost recovery method or the reduction in the
original cost of assets shall be deemed to be approved by the
Commission as  though  an  order  had  been  entered  by  the
Commission.
    (i)  Subsequent  to  the mandatory transition period, the
Commission, in any proceeding to establish rates and  charges
for  tariffed  services offered by an electric utility, shall
consider only (1) the then  current  or  projected  revenues,
costs, investments and cost of capital directly or indirectly
associated  with the provision of such tariffed services; (2)
collection of transition charges in accordance with  Sections
16-102  and  16-108 of this Act; (3) recovery of any employee
transition costs as described in  Section  16-128  which  the
electric  utility  is continuing to incur, including recovery
of any unamortized portion of such costs previously  incurred
or committed, with such costs to be equitably allocated among
bundled  services,  delivery  services,  and  contracts  with
alternative  retail  electric  suppliers; and (4) recovery of
the costs associated with the electric  utility's  compliance
with  decommissioning  funding  requirements;  and  shall not
consider any other revenues, costs, investments  or  cost  of
capital of either the electric utility or of any affiliate of
the  electric  utility  that  are  not  associated  with  the
provision   of  tariffed  services.   In  setting  rates  for
tariffed services, the Commission  shall  equitably  allocate
joint  and  common costs and investments between the electric
utility's competitive and tariffed services.  In  determining
the  justness  and  reasonableness  of the electric power and
energy component of an electric utility's rates for  tariffed
services  subsequent  to  the mandatory transition period and
prior to the time that the provision of such  electric  power
and  energy  is  declared  competitive,  the Commission shall
consider the extent to which the electric utility's  tariffed
rates  for  such component for each customer class exceed the
market value determined pursuant to Section 16-112,  and,  if
the electric power and energy component of such tariffed rate
exceeds  the  market  value by more than 10% for any customer
class, may establish such electric power and energy component
at a rate equal to the market value plus  10%.  In  any  such
case,  the Commission may also elect to extend the provisions
of Section 16-111(e) for any period  in  which  the  electric
utility  is  collecting transition charges, using information
applicable to such period.
    (j)  During the mandatory transition period, an  electric
utility  may  elect  to  transfer  to  a non-operating income
account under the Commission's  Uniform  System  of  Accounts
either or both of (i) an amount of unamortized investment tax
credit  that  is  in  addition to the ratable amount which is
credited to the electric utility's operating  income  account
for  the  year  in  accordance  with  Section 46(f)(2) of the
federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as in effect prior  to
P.L.  101-508, or (ii) "excess tax reserves", as that term is
defined in Section 203(e)(2)(A) of the federal Tax Reform Act
of 1986, provided that (A) the  amount  transferred  may  not
exceed  the amount of the electric utility's assets that were
created  pursuant  to  Statement  of   Financial   Accounting
Standards  No.  71 which the electric utility has written off
during the mandatory transition period, and (B) the  transfer
shall not be effective until approved by the Internal Revenue
Service.   An  electric  utility  electing  to  make  such  a
transfer  shall  file a statement with the Commission stating
the amount and timing of the transfer for which it intends to
request approval of the Internal Revenue Service, along  with
a  copy  of  its  proposed  request  to  the Internal Revenue
Service for a ruling.  The Commission shall  issue  an  order
within 14 days after the electric utility's filing approving,
subject  to  receipt  of  approval  from the Internal Revenue
Service, the proposed transfer.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-112 new)
    Sec. 16-112.  Determination of market value.
    (a)  The market value to be used in  the  calculation  of
transition  charges  as  defined  in  Section 16-102 shall be
determined in accordance with either (i) a  tariff  that  has
been  filed  by  the  electric  utility  with  the Commission
pursuant to Article IX of this Act and that  provides  for  a
determination  of  the  market  value  for electric power and
energy as a function of an exchange traded  or  other  market
traded  index,  options  or  futures  contract  or  contracts
applicable  to the market in which the utility sells, and the
customers in its service area buy, electric power and energy,
or (ii) in the event no such  tariff  has  been  placed  into
effect  for the electric utility, or in the event such tariff
does not establish  market  values  for  each  of  the  years
specified  in  the  neutral  fact-finder process described in
subsections  (b)  through  (h)  of  this  Section,  a  tariff
incorporating the market values resulting  from  the  neutral
fact-finder  process set forth in subsections (b) through (h)
of this Section.
    (b)  Except  as  provided  in  subsection  (m)  of   this
Section,  on  or before April 30, 1998, on or before February
28, 1999, and on or before each  April  30  from  2000  until
2007,  the  Commission shall appoint a neutral fact-finder to
make the calculations  described in subsection  (c)  of  this
Section.   The  neutral  fact-finder  shall  be a member of a
national public accounting firm, shall not have served as the
neutral fact-finder  in  the  previous  year,  and  shall  be
selected  from  a list of candidates provided by a nationally
recognized  provider  of  neutral   fact-finders   that   has
established rules for maintaining confidentiality.  An amount
sufficient  to  pay the fees of the neutral fact-finder shall
be appropriated annually from the Public Utility Fund in  the
State treasury.
    (c)  On  or  before  June  1, 1998, on or before April 1,
1999, and on or before each June 1 from 2000 until  2007,  or
until  discontinued in accordance with subsection (m) of this
Section, each electric utility and  each  alternative  retail
electric  supplier  shall submit to the neutral fact-finder a
summary of (A) all contracts entered into after June 1,  1997
that  are  for  the  sale of electric power and energy from a
generating facility or facilities located in  this  State  or
located  in  a  contiguous  State  and  owned  by an electric
utility as part of its interconnected  operating  system  and
delivery  during  one  or  more of the 5 years succeeding the
date of submission, and (B) all contracts entered into  after
June  1, 1997 for purchase and delivery of electric power and
energy in or into this State during one  or  more  of  the  5
years  succeeding  the date of submission; provided, however,
that such contracts shall not include (i)  contracts  between
the electric utility and an affiliate; (ii) sales, purchases,
or  deliveries  made  under  rates and tariffs filed with the
Commission, except for tariffs filed pursuant  to  subsection
(d)  of  Section  16-110 and except for special or negotiated
rate contracts between  an  electric  utility  and  a  retail
customer  to  the  extent  that  such  contracts  are for the
provision of electric power and energy after  the  date  that
the  customer  becomes  eligible  for  delivery services; and
(iii) extensions or amendments to full requirements wholesale
contracts  existing  as  of  the  effective  date   of   this
amendatory   Act  of  1997,  provided  that  such  contracts,
extensions, or amendments are cost of  service  regulated  by
the  Federal  Energy  Regulatory  Commission.   The summaries
shall, at a minimum, identify the date of the  contract;  the
year  in  which the electric power or energy is to be sold or
delivered; the point of  delivery;  defining  characteristics
such  as  the  nature  of the power transaction (for example,
reserve responsibility (firm, non-firm)), length of  contract
and  temporal  differences  (for  example, season, on-peak or
off-peak); and the applicable prices stated at the  point  at
which  the  electric  power  and  energy  leaves the electric
utility's   or   alternative   retail   electric   supplier's
transmission system, as the case  may  be,  in  the  case  of
contracts described in item (A) and at the point at which the
electric  power  and  energy  enters  the  electric utility's
transmission system in the case of  contracts  in  item  (B),
provided,  that  the  applicable price shall be stated at the
point at which the  electric  power  and  energy  enters  the
electric   utility's  transmission  system  in  the  case  of
electric power and energy generated for delivery  within  the
electric utility's service area.  In reporting to the neutral
fact-finder  the price of power and energy sold under bundled
service contracts, electric utilities and alternative  retail
electric  suppliers  shall deduct from the contract price the
charges for delivery services, including transition  charges,
applicable  to  delivery  services  customers  in a utility's
service area, and charges for services, if  any,  other  than
the  provision  of power and energy or delivery services. The
Commission  may  adopt  orders  setting  forth   requirements
governing the form and content of such summaries.
    (d)  The   neutral  fact-finder  shall  calculate  market
values for  electric  power  and  energy  for  each  electric
utility, taking into account the defining characteristics set
forth  in  subsection (c) of this Section; provided, however,
that the neutral fact-finder may determine that a  particular
value  is  appropriate for more than one electric utility, or
for all  electric  utilities  in  this  State.   The  neutral
fact-finder  shall  calculate  the market values for the next
year and, to the extent the summaries  include  a  sufficient
number  of  actual contracts to represent a viable market for
the sale  and  delivery  of  electric  power  and  energy  in
subsequent years, for each of the 4 succeeding years.
    (e)  In calculating market values for electric power, the
neutral  fact-finder  shall weight contract prices (including
any contract price indices) by both the  amount  of  capacity
covered  by  the  contract  and  the number of hours in which
capacity is to be provided under the contract in each  period
of  the  year,  shall  take  into account all of the defining
characteristics set forth in subsection (c) of  this  Section
and  shall  develop  such values as required to represent the
different types of market values of electric power.
    (f)  The neutral fact-finder shall base  calculations  of
the  market  values  for electric energy on the energy prices
stated in the contracts, and where no explicit energy  prices
or  index  price basis are stated, on the actual energy costs
of the supplier in the corresponding period of the  preceding
year  that  would have been applicable to the electric energy
provided under the contract.  The neutral  fact-finder  shall
develop market values for electric energy and shall take into
account  the defining characteristics set forth in subsection
(c) of this Section, as  required  to  represent  the  market
values of such electric energy.
    (g)  If  the  contracts  used  by the neutral fact-finder
base prices for future years on  one  or  more  indices,  the
neutral fact-finder shall identify such indices in his or her
final  report,  develop  a  weighting  for  each  index,  and
calculate  a weighted average index.  The market values shall
be calculated using  the  weighted  average  index  when  the
actual values of the component indices are known.
    (h)  The neutral fact-finder shall publish a final report
on  or  before  July 30 of each year, except that in 1999 the
neutral fact finder shall publish the report on or before May
30, setting forth the calculated market  values  and  stating
the basis for such calculations.  The final report shall not,
however, disclose any proprietary or confidential data.
    (i)  The   market   values   calculated  by  the  neutral
fact-finder shall not be admissible in any proceeding for any
purpose other than the calculation of transition  charges  or
calculation  of  the  price  for  the  power purchase options
provided pursuant  to  subsection  (b)  and  (c)  of  Section
16-110.
    (j)  The  Commission  shall  have access to all contracts
described in subsection (c) of this Section and shall perform
such audits as it and the neutral fact-finder deem  necessary
to  insure  the  accuracy  of  the summaries submitted to the
neutral fact-finder.  The summaries described  in  subsection
(c)  of  this  Section  and  each  contract shall be accorded
confidential and proprietary treatment and their review shall
be subject to the provisions of Sections 4-404 and  5-108  of
this  Act,  and  the  contract between the Commission and the
neutral fact-finder shall contain provisions  obligating  the
neutral  fact-finder  to  comply  with  such  Sections.   The
summaries  shall  not  be  discoverable  by  any party in any
proceeding absent a compelling demonstration of need.
    (k)  In determining the market values to be used for  the
various customer classes in calculating transition charges as
defined  in  Section 16-102 or for the power purchase options
set forth in Section 16-110, an electric utility shall  apply
the  market  values  that  are  determined  as  set  forth in
subsection (a) to the electric power and  energy  that  would
have  been  used  to  serve  the delivery services customers'
electric power and energy requirements, based  on  the  usage
specified  in  Section  16-102  and  taking  into account the
daily, monthly, annual and other relevant characteristics  of
the customers' demands on the electric utility's system.
    (l)  In  calculating a lump sum transition charge payment
for the purposes of subsection (h)  of  Section  16-108,  the
electric  utility  shall  use  the  market  values  that were
determined as provided in  its  tariff,  or  if  such  market
values  have  not been determined for the full period of time
covered by such lump sum calculation, such other basis as  is
stated  in  the  electric  utility's tariff filed pursuant to
Section 16-108.
    (m)  The Commission may approve  or  reject,  or  propose
modifications  to, any tariff providing for the determination
of market value that has been proposed by an electric utility
pursuant to subsection (a) of this  Section,  but  shall  not
have  the  power  to  otherwise order the electric utility to
implement a modified tariff  or  to  place  into  effect  any
tariff  for  the determination of market value other than one
incorporating the neutral fact-finder procedure set forth  in
this  Section.    Provided,  however,  that  if each electric
utility serving at least 300,000 customers  has  placed  into
effect  a  tariff that provides for a determination of market
value as a function of an exchange  traded  or  other  market
traded  index, options or futures contract or contracts, then
the Commission can require any other  electric  utilities  to
file such a tariff, and can terminate the neutral fact-finder
procedure for the periods covered by such tariffs.
    (n)  To  the  extent that the summaries list a sufficient
number of actual contracts to represent a viable  market  and
market  values  can be determined for more than one year, the
electric utility shall offer customers that are obligated  to
pay  transition  charges  contracts that establish for one or
more years, up to a maximum of the lesser of 5 years  or  the
remaining number of years until December 31, 2008, the market
value  or  values  to  be  used in calculating the customer's
transition charges in such years and for which  market  value
determinations  have  been  made.   The  electric utility may
require any customer to give up to one year notice  prior  to
entering  into  a  one  or  2  year contract pursuant to this
subsection, up to 2 years notice for a 3 year  contract,  and
up  to  3 years notice for a 4 or 5 year contract.  Contracts
of one or 2  years  duration  shall  incorporate  the  market
values  that  were  determined as provided in this Section in
the year in  which  the  notice  is  required  to  be  given.
Contracts of more than 2 years duration shall incorporate the
market  values  that  are determined in the year prior to the
first  year  in  which  the  electric  utility  will  collect
transition charges from the customer under the contract.  The
electric utility shall also allow customers to select, at the
time that a customer gives its notice, an  option  to  revoke
the  notice within 30 days following the determination of the
market values that will apply under the contract requested by
the customer, and may charge customers a fee for such  option
that  is  set  forth in a tariff filed pursuant to Article IX
and that is adequate to allow the electric utility to recover
its transactional costs and compensate it based on  the  cost
that  would  be  incurred  to purchase an option to cover the
risk associated with the customer's option  to  revoke.   The
electric   utility shall not be required to offer customers a
contract under this paragraph  for  any  year  for  which  no
determination  of  market  value  has been made either by the
neutral fact-finder or pursuant to  a  tariff  filed  by  the
electric utility.
    (o)  An  electric  utility  shall  have  no obligation to
provide electric power or energy as a  tariffed  service  for
the electric power and energy requirements placed on delivery
service  by  any  customer  that  has entered into a contract
pursuant to subsection  (n)  of  this  Section  and  has  not
purchased  and exercised an option to revoke, during the term
of the contract.  A customer that has purchased and exercised
an option  to  revoke  under  this  subsection  shall  remain
eligible  to  receive any tariffed service for which it would
otherwise be eligible.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-113 new)
    Sec. 16-113.  Declaration of  service  as  a  competitive
service.
    (a)  An  electric  utility  may, by petition, request the
Commission to declare a  tariffed  service  provided  by  the
electric  utility  to be a competitive service.  The electric
utility shall give notice of its petition to  the  public  in
the  same  manner that public notice is provided for proposed
general  increases  in  rates  for  tariffed   services,   in
accordance  with  rules  and  regulations  prescribed  by the
Commission.  The Commission  shall  hold  a  hearing  on  the
petition  if a hearing is deemed necessary by the Commission.
The Commission shall declare the service to be a  competitive
service  for  some  identifiable customer segment or group of
customers, or some clearly defined geographical  area  within
the  electric  utility's  service  area,  if the service or a
reasonably  equivalent  substitute  service   is   reasonably
available  to the customer segment or group or in the defined
geographical area at a comparable  price  from  one  or  more
providers  other than the electric utility or an affiliate of
the electric utility, and the electric utility  has  lost  or
there  is  a  reasonable likelihood that the electric utility
will lose business for the service to the other  provider  or
providers;  provided, that the Commission may not declare the
provision of electric power  and  energy  to  be  competitive
pursuant  to  this  subsection with respect to (i) any retail
customer or group of retail customers that  is  not  eligible
pursuant to Section 16-104 to take delivery services provided
by  the  electric  utility and (ii) any residential and small
commercial retail customers prior to the last date  on  which
such  customers  are  required  to pay transition charges. In
determining whether to grant or deny a  petition  to  declare
the  provision  of electric power and energy competitive, the
Commission shall consider, in applying  the  above  criteria,
whether  there  is  adequate  transmission  capacity into the
service area of the  petitioning  electric  utility  to  make
electric   power  and  energy  reasonably  available  to  the
customer segment or group or in the defined geographical area
from one or more providers other than the electric utility or
an affiliate of the electric utility, in accordance with this
subsection. The Commission shall make its  determination  and
issue  its  final  order declaring or refusing to declare the
service to be a competitive service within 120 days following
the date  that  the  petition  is  filed,  or  otherwise  the
petition shall be deemed to be granted; provided, that if the
petition  is  deemed  to  be granted by operation of law, the
Commission shall not thereby be precluded  from  finding  and
ordering,   in  a  subsequent  proceeding  initiated  by  the
Commission, and after notice and hearing, that the service is
not competitive based on  the  criteria  set  forth  in  this
subsection.
    (b)  Any   customer   except  a  customer  identified  in
subsection (c) of Section 16-103 who  is  taking  a  tariffed
service that is declared to be a competitive service pursuant
to  subsection  (a)  of  this  Section  shall  be entitled to
continue to take the service from the electric utility  on  a
tariffed  basis  for  a  period of 3 years following the date
that the service  is  declared  competitive,  or  such  other
period as is stated in the electric utility's tariff pursuant
to  Section  16-110.   This  subsection shall not require the
electric utility to offer or provide on a tariffed basis  any
service to any customer (except those customers identified in
subsection  (c)  of  Section 16-103) that was not taking such
service on a tariffed basis  on  the  date  the  service  was
declared to be competitive.
    (c)  If  the  Commission  denies  a petition to declare a
service to be a  competitive  service,  or  determines  in  a
separate  proceeding  that a service is not competitive based
on the criteria set forth in  subsection  (a),  the  electric
utility  may  file  a  new  petition no earlier than 6 months
following the date of the Commission's order, requesting,  on
the basis of additional or different facts and circumstances,
that the service be declared to be a competitive service.
    (d)  The  Commission shall not deny a petition to declare
a service to be a competitive service,  and  shall  not  find
that  a  service is not a competitive service, on the grounds
that  it  has  previously  denied  the  petition  of  another
electric utility to declare the same or a similar service  to
be  a  competitive  service or has previously determined that
the same or a similar service provided  by  another  electric
utility is not a competitive service.
    (e)  An  electric  utility  may  declare a service, other
than delivery services or the provision of electric power  or
energy,  to  be  competitive by filing with the Commission at
least 14 days prior to the date on which the  service  is  to
become  competitive  a  notice describing the service that is
being declared competitive and the  date  on  which  it  will
become competitive; provided, that any customer who is taking
a  tariffed  service  that  is  declared  to be a competitive
service pursuant to this subsection (e) shall be entitled  to
continue  to  take the service from the electric utility on a
tariffed basis until the  electric  utility  files,  and  the
Commission   grants,   a  petition  to  declare  the  service
competitive  in  accordance  with  subsection  (a)  of   this
Section.  The  Commission  shall  be  authorized  to find and
order, after notice and hearing in  a  subsequent  proceeding
initiated  by the Commission, that any service declared to be
competitive  pursuant  to  this   subsection   (e)   is   not
competitive  in  accordance  with  the  criteria set forth in
subsection (a) of this Section.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-114 new)
    Sec. 16-114. Recovery of decommissioning charges.  On  or
before  April  1,  1999,  each  electric  utility  owning  an
interest in, or having responsibility as a matter of contract
or  statute  for  decommissioning costs as defined in Section
8-508.1 of, one or more nuclear power plants shall file  with
the   Commission  a  tariff  or  tariffs  conforming  to  the
provisions of Section 9-201.5 of this Act, to  be  applicable
to  each  and every kilowatt-hour of electricity delivered or
sold at  retail  in  the  electric  utility's  service  area,
including,  but not limited to, sales by the electric utility
to tariffed services retail customers, sales by the  electric
utility  to retail customers pursuant to special contracts or
other negotiated arrangements, sales  by  alternative  retail
electric  suppliers,  and  sales by an electric utility other
than the electric utility in whose service  area  the  retail
customer  is located; provided, however, that for a user that
obtained electric power and energy from its own  cogeneration
or  self-generation  facilities on or before January 1, 1997,
and subsequently takes services from  an  alternative  retail
electric  supplier  or  an  electric  utility  other than the
electric utility in whose service area the  user  is  located
for any portion of its electric power and energy requirements
formerly  obtained from those facilities, the tariff required
by this Section shall not be applicable in any year  to  that
portion  of the user's electric power and energy requirements
formerly obtained from those facilities,  provided  that  for
the  purposes  of this Section, such portion shall not exceed
the average number of kilowatt-hours per year  obtained  from
the  cogeneration  or self-generation facilities during the 3
years prior to the date on which the user became eligible for
delivery services.
    The Commission shall determine whether the  tariff  meets
the  requirements  of  Sections 9-201 and 9-201.5 and of this
Section, and  shall  permit  the  electric  utility's  tariff
together  with any modifications made after hearing to become
effective no later  than  October  1,  1999.  In  making  its
determination,  the  Commission shall retain the authority it
possessed prior to the effective date of this amendatory  Act
of 1997 to make jurisdictional allocations of decommissioning
expense  recovery.  The tariff filed pursuant to this Section
shall be applicable to any user taking some  or  all  of  its
electric  power  and  energy requirements from an alternative
retail electric supplier or from an  electric  utility  other
than  the  electric utility in whose service area the user is
located on and after the date that the user becomes  eligible
for  delivery  services in accordance with Section 16-104. If
the electric utility has in effect as of the  effective  date
of  this  amendatory  Act  of  1997 a decommissioning rate as
defined in Section 9-201.5 conforming to the requirements  of
that  Section, the tariff or tariffs required by this Section
shall if the electric utility requests be consistent with its
decommissioning rate that is  already  in  effect;  provided,
that  the  tariff  or  tariffs filed pursuant to this Section
shall  provide  for  the  removal  from  base  rates  of  any
decommissioning costs  that  are  included  in  the  electric
utility's  base  rates  and  their inclusion in the tariff or
tariffs required by this Section. The tariff required by this
Section shall be included by the Commission  in  the  reviews
required by subsection (d) of Section 9-201.5.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-115 new)
    Sec. 16-115. Certification of alternative retail electric
suppliers.
    (a)  Any alternative retail electric supplier must obtain
a  certificate  of  service  authority from the Commission in
accordance  with  this  Section  before  serving  any  retail
customer or other user located in this State.  An alternative
retail electric supplier may request, and the Commission  may
grant,  a  certificate  of  service  authority for the entire
State or for a specified geographic area of the State.
    (b)  An alternative retail electric  supplier  seeking  a
certificate   of   service  authority  shall  file  with  the
Commission  a  verified  application  containing  information
showing that the applicant meets  the  requirements  of  this
Section.   The  alternative  retail  electric  supplier shall
publish notice of  its  application  in  the  official  State
newspaper  within  10  days following the date of its filing.
No later than 45 days after the application is properly filed
with the  Commission,  and  such  notice  is  published,  the
Commission  shall  issue  its  order  granting or denying the
application.
    (c)  An  application  for  a   certificate   of   service
authority  shall  identify  the  area  or  areas in which the
applicant intends to offer service and the types of  services
it   intends   to  offer.   Applicants  that  seek  to  serve
residential or small commercial  retail  customers  within  a
geographic  area  that  is smaller than an electric utility's
service area shall submit  evidence  demonstrating  that  the
designation  of  this  smaller  area does not violate Section
16-115A. An applicant that  seeks  to  serve  residential  or
small   commercial   retail   customers   may  state  in  its
application for certification any limitations  that  will  be
imposed  on  the  number  of  customers or maximum load to be
served.
    (d)  The Commission shall grant  the  application  for  a
certificate of service authority if it makes the findings set
forth  in  this  subsection based on the verified application
and such other information as the applicant may submit:
         (1)  That   the   applicant   possesses   sufficient
    technical,  financial  and   managerial   resources   and
    abilities  to  provide  the  service for which it seeks a
    certificate of service  authority.   In  determining  the
    level  of  technical,  financial and managerial resources
    and abilities which the applicant must  demonstrate,  the
    Commission   shall   consider  (i)  the  characteristics,
    including the size and financial sophistication,  of  the
    customers  that  the  applicant  seeks to serve, and (ii)
    whether the applicant seeks to provide electric power and
    energy using property, plant and equipment which it owns,
    controls or operates;
         (2)  That  the  applicant  will  comply   with   all
    applicable  federal,  State, regional and industry rules,
    policies,  practices  and   procedures   for   the   use,
    operation,  and  maintenance of the safety, integrity and
    reliability, of the interconnected electric  transmission
    system;
         (3)  That the applicant will only provide service to
    retail  customers  in  an electric utility's service area
    that are eligible to take delivery  services  under  this
    Act;
         (4)  That   the  applicant  will  comply  with  such
    informational or reporting requirements as the Commission
    may  by  rule  establish  and  provide  the   information
    required   by  Section  16-112.    Any  data  related  to
    contracts for the purchase and sale of electric power and
    energy shall be made available for review by the Staff of
    the Commission on a confidential  and  proprietary  basis
    and  only  to  the  extent and for the purposes which the
    Commission determines are reasonably necessary  in  order
    to carry out the purposes of this Act;
         (5)  That if the applicant, its corporate affiliates
    or  the  applicant's  principal source of electricity (to
    the extent such source  is  known  at  the  time  of  the
    application) owns or controls facilities, for public use,
    for  the  transmission  or distribution of electricity to
    end-users within  a  defined  geographic  area  to  which
    electric   power   and   energy  can  be  physically  and
    economically  delivered  by  the  electric   utility   or
    utilities  in  whose  service  area or areas the proposed
    service will be offered,  the  applicant,  its  corporate
    affiliates  or  principal  source  of electricity, as the
    case may be, provides delivery services to  the  electric
    utility  or  utilities in whose service area or areas the
    proposed service will  be  offered  that  are  reasonably
    comparable  to those offered by the electric utility, and
    provided further, that the applicant  agrees  to  certify
    annually  to  the  Commission  that  it  is continuing to
    provide such  delivery  services  and  that  it  has  not
    knowingly  assisted  any  person  or  entity to avoid the
    requirements of  this  Section.   For  purposes  of  this
    subparagraph,  "principal  source  of  electricity" shall
    mean a single source that supplies at least  65%  of  the
    applicant's  electric  power and energy, and the purchase
    of transmission and distribution services pursuant  to  a
    filed tariff under the jurisdiction of the Federal Energy
    Regulatory   Commission   or   a   state  public  utility
    commission shall not constitute control of access to  the
    provider's transmission and distribution facilities;
         (6)  With  respect  to  an  applicant  that seeks to
    serve residential or small commercial  retail  customers,
    that  the  area  to  be  served  by the applicant and any
    limitations it proposes on the  number  of  customers  or
    maximum  amount  of load to be served meet the provisions
    of Section 16-115A, provided,  that  the  Commission  can
    extend  the  time  for  considering  such  a  certificate
    request  by  up  to 90 days, and can schedule hearings on
    such a request;
         (7)  That the applicant meets  the  requirements  of
    subsection (a) of Section 16-128; and
         (8)  That  the  applicant will comply with all other
    applicable laws and regulations.
    (e)  A  retail  customer  that  owns  a  cogeneration  or
self-generation facility and that seeks certification only to
provide electric power  and  energy  from  such  facility  to
retail  customers  at  separate locations which customers are
both (i)  owned  by,  or  a  subsidiary  or  other  corporate
affiliate  of,  such applicant and (ii) eligible for delivery
services, shall be granted a certificate of service authority
upon filing an application and notifying the Commission  that
it  has  entered into an agreement with the relevant electric
utilities pursuant to Section 16-118.
    (f)  The  Commission  shall   have   the   authority   to
promulgate  rules and regulations to carry out the provisions
of this Section.  On or before May 1,  1999,  the  Commission
shall  adopt  a rule or rules applicable to the certification
of those alternative retail electric suppliers that  seek  to
serve  only  nonresidential  retail  customers  with  maximum
electrical  demands  of  one  megawatt  or  more  which shall
provide for (i)  expedited  and  streamlined  procedures  for
certification  of  such alternative retail electric suppliers
and  (ii)  specific  criteria  which,  if  met  by  any  such
alternative retail electric supplier,  shall  constitute  the
demonstration   of   technical,   financial   and  managerial
resources  and  abilities  to  provide  service  required  by
subsection (d) (1) of this Section, such as a requirement  to
post a bond or letter of credit, from a responsible surety or
financial  institution, of sufficient size for the nature and
scope of  the  services  to  be  provided;  demonstration  of
adequate  insurance  for the scope and nature of the services
to be provided; and experience in providing similar  services
in other jurisdictions.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-115A new)
    Sec.  16-115A. Obligations of alternative retail electric
suppliers.
    (a)  An alternative retail electric supplier shall:
         (i)  comply with the requirements imposed on  public
    utilities  by  Sections 8-201 through 8-207, 8-301, 8-505
    and 8-507 of this Act, to the extent that these  Sections
    have  application  to  the  services being offered by the
    alternative retail electric supplier; and
         (ii)  continue to comply with the  requirements  for
    certification stated in subsection (d) of Section 16-115.
    (b)  An alternative retail electric supplier shall obtain
verifiable authorization from a customer, in a form or manner
approved by the Commission consistent with Section 2EE of the
Consumer  Fraud  and Deceptive Business Practices Act, before
the customer is switched from another supplier.
    (c)  No alternative retail electric supplier, or electric
utility other than the electric utility in whose service area
a customer is located, shall (i) enter  into  or  employ  any
arrangements  which  have  the  effect of preventing a retail
customer with a maximum electrical demand of  less  than  one
megawatt  from  having access to the services of the electric
utility in whose service area the customer is located or (ii)
charge retail customers  for  such  access.  This  subsection
shall  not  be  construed to prevent an arms-length agreement
between a supplier and a retail customer that sets a term  of
service, notice period for terminating service and provisions
governing  early  termination through a tariff or contract as
allowed by Section 16-119.
    (d)  An alternative  retail  electric  supplier  that  is
certified  to  serve  residential  or small commercial retail
customers shall not:
              (1)  deny service to a  customer  or  group  of
         customers   nor  establish  any  differences  as  to
         prices,  terms,  conditions,   services,   products,
         facilities,  or  in  any other respect, whereby such
         denial or differences are based upon race, gender or
         income.
              (2)  deny service to a  customer  or  group  of
         customers   based  on  locality  nor  establish  any
         unreasonable  difference  as   to   prices,   terms,
         conditions,  services,  products,  or  facilities as
         between localities.
    (e)  An alternative retail electric supplier shall comply
with  the  following  requirements  with   respect   to   the
marketing,  offering and provision of products or services to
residential and small commercial retail customers:
         (i)  Any marketing materials which  make  statements
    concerning  prices, terms and conditions of service shall
    contain information that adequately discloses the prices,
    terms and conditions of the products or services that the
    alternative  retail  electric  supplier  is  offering  or
    selling to the customer.
         (ii)  Before any customer is switched  from  another
    supplier,  the alternative retail electric supplier shall
    give the customer  written  information  that  adequately
    discloses,  in  plain  language,  the  prices,  terms and
    conditions of the products and services being offered and
    sold to the customer.
         (iii)  An alternative retail electric supplier shall
    provide documentation to the Commission and to  customers
    that  substantiates  any  claims  made by the alternative
    retail electric supplier regarding the  technologies  and
    fuel  types  used  to generate the electricity offered or
    sold to customers.
         (iv)  The alternative retail electric supplier shall
    provide to the customer (1) itemized  billing  statements
    that  describe  the products and services provided to the
    customer  and  their  prices,  and  (2)   an   additional
    statement,  at  least annually, that adequately discloses
    the average monthly prices, and the terms and conditions,
    of the products and services sold to the customer.
    (f)  An alternative retail electric  supplier  may  limit
the  overall  size  or  availability of a service offering by
specifying one or more of the following:  a maximum number of
customers, maximum amount of electric load to be served, time
period during which the offering will be available, or  other
comparable  limitation,  but  not  including  the  geographic
locations  of customers within the area which the alternative
retail electric  supplier  is  certificated  to  serve.   The
alternative retail electric supplier shall file the terms and
conditions  of such service offering including the applicable
limitations with the Commission prior to making  the  service
offering available to customers.
    (g)  Nothing  in  this  Section  shall  be  construed  as
preventing  an alternative retail electric supplier, which is
an affiliate of, or which contracts with, (i) an industry  or
trade   organization   or   association,  (ii)  a  membership
organization or association that exists for a  purpose  other
than   the   purchase   of   electricity,  or  (iii)  another
organization  that  meets  criteria  established  in  a  rule
adopted  by  the  Commission,  from  offering   through   the
organization  or  association  services  at prices, terms and
conditions that are available solely to the  members  of  the
organization or association.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-115B new)
    Sec.  16-115B.  Commission oversight of services provided
by alternative retail electric suppliers.
    (a)  The Commission shall have jurisdiction in accordance
with the provisions of Article X of this Act to entertain and
dispose of  any  complaint  against  any  alternative  retail
electric  supplier  alleging  (i) that the alternative retail
electric supplier has violated or is in  nonconformance  with
any  applicable  provisions of Section 16-115 through Section
16-115A; (ii) that an alternative  retail  electric  supplier
serving  retail customers having maximum demands of less than
one megawatt has failed to provide service in accordance with
the terms of its contract or contracts with such customer  or
customers;   (iii)   that  the  alternative  retail  electric
supplier has violated  or  is  in  non-conformance  with  the
delivery  services  tariff  of,  or  any  of  its  agreements
relating  to  delivery  services  with, the electric utility,
municipal system, or electric cooperative providing  delivery
services;  or  (iv)  that  the  alternative  retail  electric
supplier   has   violated   or  failed  to  comply  with  the
requirements of Sections 8-201 through 8-207,  8-301,  8-505,
or 8-507 of this Act as made applicable to alternative retail
electric suppliers.
    (b)  The  Commission  shall  have authority, after notice
and hearing held on complaint  or  on  the  Commission's  own
motion:
         (1)  To   order   an   alternative  retail  electric
    supplier to cease and desist, or correct,  any  violation
    of  or  non-conformance  with  the  provisions of Section
    16-115 or 16-115A;
         (2)  To impose financial penalties for violations of
    or non-conformances with the provisions of Section 16-115
    or 16-115A, not to exceed (i) $10,000 per  occurrence  or
    (ii)   $30,000   per   day   for   those   violations  or
    non-conformances  which  continue  after  the  Commission
    issues a cease and desist order; and
         (3)  To  alter,  modify,  revoke  or   suspend   the
    certificate of service authority of an alternative retail
    electric  supplier for substantial or repeated violations
    of or non-conformances with  the  provisions  of  Section
    16-115 or 16-115A.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-116 new)
    Sec.  16-116.  Commission oversight of electric utilities
serving retail  customers  outside  their  service  areas  or
providing competitive, non-tariffed services.
    (a)  An  electric  utility  that has a tariff on file for
delivery  services  may,  without  regard  to  any  otherwise
applicable tariffs on file, provide electric power and energy
to one or more retail customers located outside  its  service
area,  but only to the extent (i) such retail customer (A) is
eligible for delivery services under  any  delivery  services
tariff  filed  with the Commission by the electric utility in
whose service area the retail customer is located and (B) has
either elected to take such delivery services or has paid  or
contracted  to  pay  the charges specified in Sections 16-108
and 16-114, or (ii) if such retail customer is  served  by  a
municipal  system  or  electric  cooperative, the customer is
eligible for delivery services under the terms and conditions
for such service  established  by  the  municipal  system  or
electric cooperative serving that customer.
    (b)  An   electric  utility  may  offer  any  competitive
service to any customer or group of customers without  filing
contracts   with  or  seeking  approval  of  the  Commission,
notwithstanding any rule or  regulation  that  would  require
such approval.  The Commission shall not increase or decrease
the  prices,  and  may  not  alter  or  add  to the terms and
conditions for the utility's competitive services, from those
agreed to  by  the  electric  utility  and  the  customer  or
customers.   Non-tariffed,  competitive services shall not be
subject to the provisions of the Electric Supplier Act or  to
Articles  V, VII, VIII or IX of the Act, except to the extent
that any provisions of such Articles are made  applicable  to
alternative  retail  electric  suppliers pursuant to Sections
16-115 and 16-115A, but shall be subject to the provisions of
subsections (b) through (g) of Section 16-115A,  and  Section
16-115B  to the same extent such provisions are applicable to
the  services  provided  by   alternative   retail   electric
suppliers.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-117 new)
    Sec. 16-117. Commission consumer education program.
    (a)  The  restructuring  of the electricity industry will
create a  new  electricity  market  with  new  marketers  and
sellers  offering  new  goods and services, many of which the
average consumer will not be able to readily evaluate. It  is
the  intent  of  the  General  Assembly  that (i) electricity
consumers  be   provided   with   sufficient   and   reliable
information  so  that  they  are  able  to  compare  and make
informed selections of products and services provided in  the
electricity market; and (ii) mechanisms be provided to enable
consumers to protect themselves from marketing practices that
are unfair or abusive.
    (b)  The   Commission  shall  implement  and  maintain  a
consumer education program to provide residential  and  small
commercial  retail  customers  with  information to help them
understand their service options in  a  competitive  electric
services market, and their rights and responsibilities.
    (c)  The  Commission shall form a working group following
the enactment of this amendatory  Act  of  1997.  This  group
shall  consist  of  5  representatives  of the investor-owned
electric utilities  in  this  State,  2  of  which  shall  be
appointed by electric utilities serving over 1,000,000 retail
customers  in  this  State;  2 representatives of alternative
retail electric suppliers; 3 representatives of organizations
representing  the  interests   of   residential   and   small
commercial retail customers; and the Commission.
    (d)  By  March  1,  1999,  with  respect  to  educational
materials  for  small commercial customers and by November 1,
2001 with respect to educational  materials  for  residential
customers,  the  working  group  appointed  pursuant  to this
Section  shall  develop  a  package  of  printed  educational
materials which meet the requirements of subsection  (e)  and
shall  submit  such  package  to the Commission for approval,
along with recommendations  for  implementing  this  consumer
education program. Such materials shall consider the needs of
different  types of consumers in this State, such as elderly,
low-income,  multilingual,  minority,  rural   and   disabled
customers.   The working group shall issue recommendations to
the  Commission  on  how  such  education  program   can   be
implemented  through  a  variety  of  communication  methods,
including  specifically  mass  media, distribution of printed
material, public service announcements, and  posting  on  the
Internet.
    (e)  At   a   minimum,  the  materials  constituting  the
consumer education program submitted to the Commission by the
working  group  shall   include   concise   explanations   or
descriptions of the following:
         (1)  the  structure of the electric utility industry
    following this amendatory Act of 1997 and a  glossary  of
    basic terms;
         (2)  the  choices  available  to  consumers  to take
    electric service  from  an  alternative  retail  electric
    supplier  or  remain  as a retail customer of an electric
    utility;
         (3)  a customer's rights, risks and responsibilities
    in receiving service from an alternative retail  electric
    supplier or remaining as a retail customer of an electric
    utility;
         (4)  the  legal  obligations  of  alternative retail
    electric suppliers;
         (5)  those  services  that  may  be  offered  on   a
    competitive  basis  in  a  deregulated  electric services
    market, including services that could  be  packaged  with
    the delivery of electric power and energy;
         (6)  services  that  an electric utility is required
    to provide pursuant to tariffed rates;
         (7)  the components of a bill that could be received
    by a customer taking delivery services;
         (8)  the complaint procedures set forth  in  Section
    10-108  of this Act by which consumers may seek a redress
    of  grievances  against  an  electric   utility   or   an
    alternative  retail electric supplier and a list of phone
    numbers of the Commission, the Attorney General or  other
    entities  that  can provide information and assistance to
    customers; and
         (9)  additional  information  available   from   the
    Commission upon request.
    (f)  Within  45 days following the submission required of
the working group by subsection  (d)  of  this  Section,  the
Commission   shall  approve  or  disapprove  the  educational
materials and  recommendations  for  program  implementation.
The   Commission   shall  be  deemed  to  have  approved  the
educational program materials and recommendations unless  the
Commission disapproves of any such material or recommendation
within 45 days following the date of receipt.
    (g)  Once   approved   by   the   Commission,   materials
comprising  the  consumer  education  program contemplated by
this Section shall be distributed as follows:
         (1)  Electric   utilities   shall    mail    printed
    educational  materials specified by the working group and
    approved by the Commission (a)  to  all  residential  and
    small  commercial  retail  customers  within a reasonable
    period prior to  the  date  that  such  customers  become
    eligible   to  purchase  power  from  alternative  retail
    electric  suppliers,  such  "reasonable  period"  to   be
    determined by the Commission; and (b) once the applicable
    customer  class  becomes  eligible  to  receive  delivery
    services,  to  all  new  residential and small commercial
    retail customers at the time that  such  customers  begin
    taking services from the electric utility.
         (2)  Alternative  retail  electric  suppliers  shall
    include  such  materials  with  all  initial  mailings to
    potential  residential  and   small   commercial   retail
    customers  but  in all circumstances prior to the time by
    which an alternative retail  electric  supplier  executes
    any  agreements  or contracts with such customers for the
    supply of electric services.
         (3)  Both electric utilities and alternative  retail
    electric  suppliers  shall  provide  such materials at no
    charge  to  residential  and  small   commercial   retail
    customers upon request.
         (4)  The   Commission   shall  make  available  upon
    request and at no charge, and shall make available to the
    public on the Internet  through  the  State  of  Illinois
    World Wide Web Site:
              (A)  all    printed    educational    materials
         developed  by  the working group and approved by the
         Commission;
              (B)  a list of all certified alternative retail
         electric suppliers  serving  residential  and  small
         commercial   retail  customers  within  the  service
         territory of each electric utility;
              (C)  a  list  of  alternative  retail  electric
         suppliers serving residential  or  small  commercial
         retail customers which have been found in the last 3
         years  by  the Commission pursuant to Section 10-108
         to have failed to provide service in accordance with
         the  terms  of  their  contracts  with  such  retail
         customers; and
              (D)  guidelines   to   assist   customers    in
         determining    which   energy   supplier   is   most
         appropriate for each customer.
    (h)  The Commission may also adopt a  uniform  disclosure
form  which  alternative  retail  electric suppliers would be
required to complete enabling consumers  to  compare  prices,
terms and conditions offered by such suppliers.
    (i)  The  Commission  shall  make available to the public
staff with the ability and knowledge to respond  to  consumer
inquiries.
    (j)  The costs of printing educational materials approved
by  the  Commission pursuant to this Section shall be payable
solely from funding as provided in this subsection.
    Each year the General Assembly shall appropriate money to
the Commission from the General Revenue Fund for the expenses
of the Commission associated with this Section. The  cost  of
the  consumer  education program contemplated by this Section
shall not exceed the amount  of  such  appropriation.  In  no
event shall any electric utility, alternative retail electric
supplier  or  customer  be  liable  for the costs of printing
consumer education program material in accordance  with  this
Section.   The  obligations  associated  with  this  consumer
education program shall not exceed the  amounts  appropriated
for this program pursuant to this Section.
    (k)  The  Commission shall study the effectiveness of the
consumer education  program.   Such  study  shall  include  a
notice  and  an  opportunity for participation and comment by
all interested and potentially affected parties.  Such  study
shall  be  completed  by January 31st of each year during the
mandatory transition period and a summary  thereof,  together
with  any  legislative  recommendations, shall be included in
the Commission's Annual Report due in accordance with Section
4-304 of this Act.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-118 new)
    Sec. 16-118. Services provided by electric  utilities  to
alternative retail electric suppliers.
    (a)  It  is  in  the  best  interest  of  Illinois energy
consumers  to  promote  fair  and  open  competition  in  the
provision  of  electric  power  and  energy  and  to  prevent
anticompetitive practices in the provision of electric  power
and  energy.  Therefore,  to  the  extent an electric utility
provides electric power and energy or  delivery  services  to
alternative  retail  electric suppliers and such services are
not  subject  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Federal  Energy
Regulatory Commission, and are not competitive services, they
shall be provided through tariffs that  are  filed  with  the
Commission, pursuant to Article IX of this Act. Each electric
utility shall permit alternative retail electric suppliers to
interconnect   facilities  to  those  owned  by  the  utility
provided  they    meet   established   standards   for   such
interconnection, and may provide standby or other services to
alternative retail electric suppliers. The alternative retail
electric  supplier  shall  sign  a contract setting forth the
prices, terms and conditions  for  interconnection  with  the
electric  utility  and  the  prices, terms and conditions for
services provided by the electric utility to the  alternative
retail  electric supplier in connection with the delivery  by
the electric utility of electric power and energy supplied by
the alternative retail electric supplier.
    (b)   An electric utility shall file a tariff pursuant to
Article IX of the Act that  would  allow  alternative  retail
electric  suppliers  or  electric  utilities  other  than the
electric utility in whose service area retail  customers  are
located  to  issue  single  bills to the retail customers for
both  the  services  provided  by  such  alternative   retail
electric  supplier or other electric utility and the delivery
services provided by the electric utility to such  customers.
The  tariff  filed  pursuant  to  this  subsection  shall (i)
require partial payments  made  by  retail  customers  to  be
credited  first  to the electric utility's tariffed services,
(ii) impose commercially reasonable  terms  with  respect  to
credit and collection, including requests for deposits, (iii)
retain  the electric utility's right to disconnect the retail
customers, if it does not receive payment  for  its  tariffed
services, in the same manner that it would be permitted to if
it  had  billed for the services itself, and (iv) require the
alternative  retail  electric  supplier  or  other   electric
utility  that  elects  the  billing  option  provided by this
tariff to  include  on  each  bill  to  retail  customers  an
identification of the electric utility providing the delivery
services  and  a  listing  of  the charges applicable to such
services.  The tariff filed pursuant to this  subsection  may
also  include other just and reasonable terms and conditions.
In addition,  an  electric  utility,  an  alternative  retail
electric supplier or electric utility other than the electric
utility  in whose service area the customer is located, and a
customer served by such alternative retail electric  supplier
or  other  electric  utility,  may  enter  into  an agreement
pursuant to which the  alternative retail  electric  supplier
or  other  electric  utility  pays  the  charges specified in
Section 16-108, or other customer-related charges,  including
taxes  and  fees,  in lieu of such charges being recovered by
the electric utility directly from the customer.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-119 new)
    Sec. 16-119. Switching suppliers. An electric utility  or
an  alternative retail electric supplier may establish a term
of  service,  notice  period  for  terminating  service   and
provisions  governing  early  termination through a tariff or
contract.  A customer may  change  its  supplier  subject  to
tariff   or  contract  terms  and  conditions.    Any  notice
provisions; or provision for a fee, charge  or  penalty  with
early  termination  of  a  contract;  shall  be conspicuously
disclosed in any tariff or contract.  A customer shall remain
responsible for  any  unpaid  charges  owed  to  an  electric
utility  or  alternative retail electric supplier at the time
it switches to another provider.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-119A new)
    Sec. 16-119A.  Functional separation.
    (a)  Within 90 days after  the  effective  date  of  this
amendatory   Act   of  1997,  the  Commission  shall  open  a
rulemaking proceeding to establish standards of  conduct  for
every  electric  utility  described  in  subsection  (b).  To
create efficient competition between suppliers of  generating
services   and   sellers  of  such  services  at  retail  and
wholesale, the rules shall allow all customers  of  a  public
utility   that  distributes  electric  power  and  energy  to
purchase electric power and energy from the supplier of their
choice in accordance with the provisions of  Section  16-104.
In  addition,  the  rules  shall  address  relations  between
providers  of  any  2 services described in subsection (b) to
prevent   undue   discrimination   and   promote    efficient
competition.  Provided,  however,  that a proposed rule shall
not be published prior to May 15, 1999.
    (b)  The Commission shall  also  have  the  authority  to
investigate   the   need  for,  and  adopt  rules  requiring,
functional separation between the generation services and the
delivery services of those electric utilities whose principal
service  area  is  in  Illinois  as  necessary  to  meet  the
objective of creating efficient competition between suppliers
of generating services and sellers of such services at retail
and wholesale. After January 1, 2003,  the  Commission  shall
also  have  the  authority  to  investigate the need for, and
adopt  rules  requiring,  functional  separation  between  an
electric utility's competitive and non-competitive services.
    (c)  In establishing or considering the  need  for  rules
under subsections (a) and (b), the Commission shall take into
account  the  effects  on the cost and reliability of service
and the obligation of the utility to provide bundled  service
under  this Act.  The Commission shall adopt rules that are a
cost effective means to ensure compliance with this Section.
    (d)  Nothing  in  this  Section  shall  be  construed  as
imposing any requirements or obligations that are in conflict
with federal law.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-120 new)
    Sec.   16-120.   Development   of   competitive   market;
Commission study and reports; investigation.
    (a) On or before December 31, 1999 and once every 3 years
thereafter, the Commission shall monitor and analyze patterns
of entry and exit, applications for entry and exit,  and  any
barriers  to  entry  or  participation  that  may  exist, for
services provided  under  this  Article;  shall  analyze  any
impediments  to  the  establishment  of  a  fully competitive
energy and power market in Illinois; and  shall  include  its
findings   together   with  appropriate  recommendations  for
legislative action in a report to the General Assembly.
    (b)  Beginning  in  2001,  and  ending   in   2006,   the
Commission  shall  prepare  an  annual  report  regarding the
development of electricity markets in Illinois which shall be
filed by April 1 of each year with  the  Joint  Committee  on
Legislative  Support Services of the General Assembly and the
Governor and which shall be publicly available.  Such  report
shall include, at a minimum, the following information:
         (1)  the  aggregate  annual  peak  demand  of retail
customers in the State of Illinois in the preceding  calendar
year;
         (2)  the  total  annual kilowatt-hours delivered and
sold to retail customers in the State  of  Illinois  by  each
electric  utility  within  its  own  service  territory, each
electric  utility  outside   its   service   territory,   and
alternative   retail  electric  suppliers  in  the  preceding
calendar year;
         (3)  the  percentage  of  the  total  kilowatt-hours
delivered and sold  to  retail  customers  in  the  State  of
Illinois  in  the  preceding  calendar  year by each electric
utility within its service territory, each  electric  utility
outside  its  service  territory, and each alternative retail
electric supplier; and
         (4)  any other information the Commission  considers
significant   in   assessing   the  development  of  Illinois
electricity  markets,  which  may  include,  to  the   extent
available,  information similar to that described in items 1,
2 and 3 with respect  to  cogeneration,  self-generation  and
other  sources  of  electric  power  and  energy  provided to
customers that do  not  take  delivery  services  or  bundled
electric utility services.
    The Commission may also include such other information as
it  deems  to  be  necessary  or  beneficial in describing or
explaining the results of its Report.  The Report required by
this  Section  shall  be  adopted  by  a  vote  of  the  full
Commission prior  to  filing.   Proprietary  or  confidential
information   shall   not  be  disclosed  publicly.   Nothing
contained in this Section shall prohibit the Commission  from
taking  actions  that  would  otherwise be allowed under this
Act.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-121 new)
    Sec. 16-121. Non-discrimination; adoption  of  rules  and
regulations. The Commission shall adopt rules and regulations
no  later  than  180  days  after  the effective date of this
amendatory Act of 1997 governing the relationship between the
electric   utility   and   its   affiliates,   and   ensuring
nondiscrimination  in  services  provided  to  the  utility's
affiliate  and  any  alternative  retail  electric  supplier,
including    without     limitation,     cost     allocation,
cross-subsidization and information sharing.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-122 new)
    Sec. 16-122. Customer information.
    (a)  Upon  the  request of a retail customer, or a person
who presents verifiable authorization and is  acting  as  the
customer's  agent,  and payment of a reasonable fee, electric
utilities shall provide to the  customer  or  its  authorized
agent the customer's billing and usage data.
    (b)  Upon  request  from  any alternative retail electric
supplier and payment of a reasonable fee, an electric utility
serving retail customers  in  its  service  area  shall  make
available  generic  information  concerning  the  usage, load
shape curve or other general characteristics of customers  by
rate  classification.  Provided however, no customer specific
billing, usage or load shape data  shall  be  provided  under
this   subsection   unless   authorization  to  provide  such
information  is  provided  by  the   customer   pursuant   to
subsection (a) of this Section.
    (c)  All   such   customer   information  shall  be  made
available in a timely fashion in  an  electronic  format,  if
available.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-123 new)
    Sec.   16-123.   Establishment  of  customer  information
centers  for  electric  utilities  and   alternative   retail
electric  suppliers.  All  electric utilities and alternative
retail electric suppliers shall be  required  to  maintain  a
customer   call   center   where   customers   can   reach  a
representative and  receive  current  information.  Customers
shall  periodically  be  notified  on  how  to reach the call
center. The Commission shall have the authority to  establish
reporting requirements for such centers.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-124 new)
    Sec.   16-124.   Metering   for   residential  and  small
commercial retail customers. An electric  utility  shall  not
require  a residential or small commercial retail customer to
take  additional  metering  or  metering  capability   as   a
condition  of  taking delivery services unless the Commission
finds, after notice and hearing, that additional metering  or
metering   capability   is   required   to  meet  reliability
requirements.  Alternative retail electric suppliers  serving
such  customers  may  provide  such  additional  metering  or
metering  capability  at  their  own  expense  or  take  such
additional  metering  or metering capability from the utility
as a tariffed service.  Any additional metering  requirements
shall  be  imposed in a nondiscriminatory manner.  Nothing in
this subsection shall be  construed  to  prevent  the  normal
maintenance,  replacement or upgrade of meters as required to
comply with Commission rules.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-125 new)
    Sec. 16-125. Transmission  and  distribution  reliability
requirements.
    (a)  To  assure  the  reliable delivery of electricity to
all customers in this State and the effective  implementation
of  the  provisions  of  this  Article, the Commission shall,
within 180 days of the effective date of this Article,  adopt
rules   and   regulations  for  assessing  and  assuring  the
reliability of the transmission and distribution systems  and
facilities that are under the Commission's jurisdiction.
    (b)  These  rules  and  regulations  shall  require  each
electric  utility  or  alternative  retail  electric supplier
owning,   controlling,   or   operating   transmission    and
distribution   facilities   and   equipment  subject  to  the
Commission's jurisdiction, referred to  in  this  Section  as
"jurisdictional  entities", to adopt and implement procedures
for  restoring  transmission  and  distribution  services  to
customers after transmission or  distribution  outages  on  a
nondiscriminatory  basis without regard to whether a customer
has chosen the electric utility, an affiliate of the electric
utility, or another entity as its provider of electric  power
and  energy.   These  rules  and regulations shall also, at a
minimum, specifically require each jurisdictional  entity  to
submit annually to the Commission.
         (1)  the   number   and   duration  of  planned  and
    unplanned outages during the prior year and their impacts
    on customers;
         (2)  outages that were controllable and outages that
    were exacerbated in scope or duration by the condition of
    facilities, equipment or premises or by  the  actions  or
    inactions of operating personnel or agents;
         (3)  customer  service  interruptions  that were due
    solely to the actions  or  inactions  of  an  alternative
    retail electric supplier or a public utility in supplying
    power or energy;
         (4)  a   detailed   report   of   the  age,  current
    condition,   reliability   and   performance    of    the
    jurisdictional   entity's   existing   transmission   and
    distribution  facilities,  which  shall  include, without
    limitation, the following data:
              (i)  a summary of the  jurisdictional  entity's
         outages  and  voltage variances reportable under the
         Commission's rules;
              (ii)  the jurisdictional entity's  expenditures
         for  transmission  construction and maintenance, the
         ratio of those expenditures  to  the  jurisdictional
         entity's  transmission  investment,  and the average
         remaining  depreciation  lives   of   the   entity's
         transmission  facilities,  expressed as a percentage
         of total depreciation lives;
              (iii)  the jurisdictional entity's expenditures
         for distribution construction and  maintenance,  the
         ratio  of  those  expenditures to the jurisdictional
         entity's distribution investment,  and  the  average
         remaining   depreciation   lives   of  the  entity's
         distribution facilities, expressed as  a  percentage
         of total depreciation lives;
              (iv)  a  customer satisfaction survey covering,
         among other areas identified  in  Commission  rules,
         reliability, customer service, and understandability
         of  the jurisdictional entity's services and prices;
         and
              (v)  the corresponding information, in the same
         format, for the previous 3 years, if available;
         (5)  a plan for future  investment  and  reliability
    improvements for the jurisdictional entity's transmission
    and  distribution  facilities  that will ensure continued
    reliable delivery of energy to customers and provide  the
    delivery   reliability   needed   for   fair   and   open
    competition; and
         (6)  a   report   of   the  jurisdictional  entity's
    implementation of its plan filed pursuant to subparagraph
    (5)  for the previous reporting period.
    (c)  The Commission rules shall set  forth  the  criteria
that  will  be  used  to  assess each jurisdictional entity's
annual report and evaluate its reliability performance.  Such
criteria must take into account,  at  a  minimum:  the  items
required  to  be  reported  in  subsection  (b); the relevant
characteristics of the area served; the age and condition  of
the  system's  equipment  and  facilities;  good  engineering
practices;  the  costs of potential actions; and the benefits
of avoiding the risks of service disruption.
    (d)  At least every 3 years, beginning in  the  year  the
Commission issues the rules required by subsection (a) or the
following  year  if  the  rules  are issued after June 1, the
Commission  shall  assess   the   annual   report   of   each
jurisdictional    entity   and   evaluate   its   reliability
performance.   The  Commission's  evaluation  shall   include
specific  identification  of, and recommendations concerning,
any potential reliability problems that it has identified  as
a result of its evaluation.
    (e)  In  the  event that more than 30,000 customers of an
electric  utility  are  subjected  to  a   continuous   power
interruption  of     4  hours  or  more  that  results in the
transmission of power  at  less  than  50%  of  the  standard
voltage,  or  that  results  in    the  total  loss  of power
transmission,  the  utility  shall  be      responsible   for
compensating  customers  affected  by that interruption for 4
hours or more for  all    actual  damages,  which  shall  not
include  consequential   damages, suffered as a result of the
power interruption.   The utility shall  also  reimburse  the
affected  municipality,    county,  or  other  unit  of local
government in which the power  interruption has  taken  place
for  all   emergency and contingency expenses incurred by the
unit of  local government as a result of the interruption.  A
waiver  of the requirements of this subsection may be granted
by the  Commission in instances in which the utility can show
that  the power interruption was a result of any  one or more
of the following causes:
         (1)  Unpreventable damage due to weather  events  or
    conditions.
         (2)  Customer tampering.
         (3)  Unpreventable    damage   due   to   civil   or
    international unrest or animals.
         (4) Damage to utility equipment or other actions  by
    a  party  other  than the utility, its employees, agents,
    or  contractors.
Loss of revenue and expenses incurred in complying with  this
subsection may not be recovered from ratepayers.
    (f)  In  the  event of a power surge or other fluctuation
that causes damage and affects more  than  30,000  customers,
the  electric  utility  shall  pay to  affected customers the
replacement value of all goods  damaged as a  result  of  the
power surge or other fluctuation  unless the utility can show
that  the power surge or other  fluctuation was due to one or
more of the following causes:
         (1) Unpreventable damage due to  weather  events  or
    conditions.
         (2)  Customer tampering.
         (3)  Unpreventable    damage   due   to   civil   or
    international unrest or animals.
         (4)  Damage to utility equipment or other actions by
    a party other  than the utility, its  employees,  agents,
    or  contractors.
Loss  of revenue and expenses incurred in complying with this
subsection may not be recovered from  ratepayers.   Customers
with  respect  to  whom  a  waiver  has  been  granted by the
Commission pursuant to subparagraphs (1)-(4)  of  subsections
(e)  and  (f)  shall  not  count  toward the 30,000 customers
required therein.
    (g)  Whenever an electric utility must perform    planned
or routine maintenance or repairs on its equipment  that will
result  in  transmission  of  power  at less than 50%  of the
standard voltage, loss of power, or power  fluctuation    (as
defined   in   subsection   (f)),   the  utility  shall  make
reasonable efforts to notify potentially  affected  customers
no  less  than  24  hours  in  advance  of performance of the
repairs or maintenance.
    (h)  Remedies provided for  under  this  Section  may  be
sought  exclusively  through the Illinois Commerce Commission
as provided  under  Section  10-109  of  this  Act.   Damages
awarded  under this Section for a power interruption shall be
limited  to  actual  damages,   which   shall   not   include
consequential  damages,  and litigation costs.  Damage awards
may not be paid out of utility rate funds.
    (i)  The provisions of this Section shall not in any  way
diminish  or  replace  other civil or administrative remedies
available to a customer or a class of customers.
    (j)  The Commission shall by  rule  require  an  electric
utility to maintain service records detailing  information on
each  instance  of transmission of power at  less than 50% of
the standard voltage, loss of power, or    power  fluctuation
(as  defined  in  subsection  (f)),  that  affects 10 or more
customers.  Occurrences that are    momentary  shall  not  be
required  to  be  recorded  or  reported.  The service record
shall  include,  for  each   occurrence,   the      following
information:
         (1)  The date.
         (2)  The time of occurrence.
         (3)  The duration of the incident.
         (4)  The number of customers affected.
         (5)  A description of the cause.
         (6)  The geographic area affected.
         (7)  The   specific   equipment   involved   in  the
    fluctuation or interruption.
         (8)  A description  of  measures  taken  to  restore
    service.
         (9)  A  description  of measures taken to remedy the
    cause of the power interruption or fluctuation.
         (10)  A description of  measures  taken  to  prevent
    future occurrence.
         (11)  The  amount  of  remuneration, if any, paid to
    affected customers.
         (12)  A statement of whether the  fixed  charge  was
    waived for affected customers.
    Copies  of  the records containing this information shall
be available for public inspection at the utility's  offices,
and  copies thereof may be obtained upon payment of a fee not
exceeding the reasonable cost of  reproduction.   A  copy  of
each  record  shall be filed with the Commission and shall be
available for public inspection.  Copies of the  records  may
be   obtained  upon  payment  of  a  fee  not  exceeding  the
reasonable cost of reproduction.
    (k)  The requirements of subsections (e) through  (j)  of
this  Section  shall apply only to an electric public utility
having 1,000,000 or more customers.
    (220 ILCS 5/16-125A new)
    Sec.   16-125A.  Consolidated   billing   provision   for
established intergovernmental agreement  participants.
    (a)  The tariffs of  each  electric  utility  serving  at
least      1,000,000   customers  shall  permit  governmental
customers acting  through an intergovernmental agreement that
was in effect 30  days    prior  to  the  date  specified  in
subsection  (b)  and  which  provides  for these governmental
customers to work cooperatively in the purchase  of  electric
energy to aggregate their monthly  kilowatt-hour energy usage
and monthly kilowatt billing  demand.
    (b)  In  implementing the provisions of this Section, the
rates and  charges  applicable  under  the  combined  billing
tariff of  the serving utility in effect on May 1, 1997 shall
apply  to all  load of eligible government customers selected
by the governmental customers including, but not limited  to,
load served under  contract.
    (c)  For   purposes   of   this   Section,  "governmental
customers" shall mean any customer that  is  a  municipality,
municipal  corporation,    unit  of  local  government,  park
district,  school  district,    community  college  district,
forest   preserve   district,   special     district,  public
corporation, body politic and corporate,  sanitary  or  water
reclamation  district,  or  other local government  agencies,
including any entity created by intergovernmental   agreement
among   any  of  the  foregoing  entities  to  implement  the
arrangements permitted by subsections (a)  and  (b)  of  this
Section.
    (d)  Electric  utilities  shall  file tariffs that comply
with  the requirements of this Section within 60  days  after
the effective  date of this amendatory Act of 1997.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-126 new)
    Sec.   16-126.   Membership   in  an  independent  system
operator.
    (a)  The General Assembly finds that the establishment of
one or more independent system operators or their  functional
equivalents  is  required to facilitate the development of an
open and efficient marketplace for electric power and  energy
to   the  benefit  of  Illinois  consumers.  Therefore,  each
Illinois electric utility owning or controlling  transmission
facilities or providing transmission services in Illinois and
that  is  a member of the Mid-American Interconnected Network
as of the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997 shall
submit  for  approval  to  the  Federal   Energy   Regulatory
Commission  an  application  for  establishing  or joining an
independent system operator that shall:
         (1)  independently manage and  control  transmission
    facilities of any electric utility;
         (2)  provide for nondiscriminatory access to and use
    of  the  transmission  system  for  buyers and sellers of
    electricity;
         (3)  direct  the  transmission  activities  of   the
    control area operators;
         (4)  coordinate, plan, and order the installation of
    new transmission facilities;
         (5)  adopt   inspection,  maintenance,  repair,  and
    replacement standards  for  the  transmission  facilities
    under  its  control  and  direct maintenance, repair, and
    replacement of all facilities under its control; and
         (6)  implement procedures  and  act  to  assure  the
    provision of adequate and reliable service.
    These  standards  shall  be  consistent  with reliability
criteria no less stringent  than  those  established  by  the
Mid-American  Interconnected  Network  and the North American
Electric Reliability Council or their successors.
    (b)  The requirements of  this  Section  may  be  met  by
joining   or   establishing  a  regional  independent  system
operator that meets the criteria  enumerated  in  subsections
(a),  (c),  and  (d)  of  this  Section, as determined by the
Commission. To achieve the objectives set forth in subsection
(a), the State of Illinois, through the appropriate officers,
departments, and agencies, shall work cooperatively with  the
appropriate officials and agencies of those States contiguous
to  this  State  and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
towards the formation of one  or  more  regional  independent
system operators.
    (c)  The   independent   system   operator's   governance
structure   must  be  fair  and  nondiscriminatory,  and  the
independent system operator must be independent  of  any  one
market  participant or class of participants. The independent
system operator's rules of governance must  prevent  control,
or the appearance of control, of decision-making by any class
of participants.
    (d)  Participants  in  the  independent  system  operator
shall  make  available to the independent system operator all
information required by the independent  system  operator  in
performance   of   its   functions   described   herein.  The
independent  system  operator  and  the  electric   utilities
participating  in  the independent system operator shall make
all  filings  required  by  the  Federal  Energy   Regulatory
Commission. The independent system operator shall ensure that
additional   filings   at   the   Federal  Energy  Regulatory
Commission request confirmation of the relevant provisions of
this amendatory Act of 1997.
    (e)  If  a  spot  market,  exchange  market,   or   other
market-based mechanism providing transparent real-time market
prices  for  electric  power  has  not  been  developed,  the
independent system operator or a closely cooperating agent of
the  independent  system  operator  may  provide an efficient
competitive power exchange auction  for  electric  power  and
energy,  open  on a nondiscriminatory basis to all suppliers,
which meets the loads of all auction customers  at  efficient
prices.
    (f)  For   those   electric   utilities  referred  to  in
subsection (a) which have not filed with the  Federal  Energy
Regulatory  Commission  by  June  30, 1998 an application for
establishment  or  participation  in  an  independent  system
operator or if such application has not been approved by  the
Federal  Energy  Regulatory Commission by March 31, 1999, a 5
member Oversight Board shall be formed. The  Oversight  Board
shall  (1)  oversee  the  creation of an Illinois independent
system operator and (2) determine the composition and initial
terms of service of, and appoint the initial members of,  the
Illinois  independent system operator board of directors. The
Oversight Board shall consist of the following: (1) 3 persons
appointed by the Governor; (2) one person  appointed  by  the
Speaker  of  the House of Representatives; and (3) one person
appointed by the President of the Senate. The Oversight Board
shall take  the  steps  that  are  necessary  to  ensure  the
earliest  possible  incorporation  of an Illinois independent
system operator under the Business Corporation Act  of  1983,
and   shall  serve  until  the  Illinois  independent  system
operator is incorporated.
    (g)  After  notice  and  hearing,  the  Commission  shall
require each electric utility referred to in subsection  (a),
that  is  not participating in an independent system operator
meeting the requirements of subsections (a) and (c), to  seek
authority  from  the  Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to
transfer functional control of transmission facilities to the
Illinois independent  system  operator  for  control  by  the
Illinois  independent  system  operator  consistent  with the
requirements of subsection (a). Upon approval by the  Federal
Energy  Regulatory  Commission,  electric  utilities may also
elect to transfer ownership of transmission facilities to the
Illinois independent system operator.  Nothing  in  this  Act
shall  be deemed to preclude the  Illinois independent system
operator from (1) seeking authority, as necessary,  to  merge
with or otherwise combine its operations with those of one or
more   other  entities  authorized  to  provide  transmission
services, (2) purchasing or leasing transmission assets  from
transmission-owning  entities not required by this Section to
lease transmission facilities  to  the  Illinois  independent
system  operator,  or  (3) operating as a transmission public
utility under the Federal Power Act.
    (h)  Any  other  owner  of  transmission  facilities   in
Illinois  not  required  by this Section to participate in an
independent system  operator  shall  be  permitted,  but  not
required,  to  become  a  member  of the Illinois independent
system operator.
    (i)  The Illinois  independent  system  operator  created
under this Section, and any other independent system operator
authorized  by  the  Federal  Energy Regulatory Commission to
provide transmission services as a public utility  under  the
Federal  Power  Act  within  the  State of Illinois, shall be
deemed to be a public utility for purposes of  Section  8-503
and 8-509 of this Act.
    (j)  Electric utilities referred to in subsection (a) may
withdraw  from  the Illinois independent system operator upon
becoming a  member  of  an  independent  system  operator  or
operators conforming with the criteria in subsections (a) and
(c)  and  whose  formation and operation has been approved by
the Federal Energy  Regulatory  Commission.  This  subsection
does  not  relieve  any  electric  utility of any obligations
under Federal law.
    (k)  Nothing  in  this  Section  shall  be  construed  as
imposing any requirements or obligations that are in conflict
with federal law.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-127 new)
    Sec. 16-127.  Environmental disclosure.
    (a)  Effective January 1, 1999,  every  electric  utility
and  alternative  retail  electric supplier shall provide the
following information, to  the  maximum  extent  practicable,
with its bills to its customers on a quarterly basis:
         (i)  the  known  sources  of  electricity  supplied,
    broken-out  by  percentages, of biomass power, coal-fired
    power, hydro  power,  natural  gas-fired  power,  nuclear
    power, oil-fired power, solar power, wind power and other
    resources, respectively; and
         (ii)  a  pie-chart  which  graphically  depicts  the
    percentages of the sources of the electricity supplied as
    set forth in subparagraph (i) of this subsection.
    (b)  In  addition, every electric utility and alternative
retail electric supplier shall provide, to the maximum extent
practicable, with its bills to its customers on  a  quarterly
basis,  a  standardized chart in a format to be determined by
the Commission in a rule following notice and hearings  which
provides  the  amounts  of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides and
sulfur dioxide emissions and nuclear  waste  attributable  to
the  known  sources  of  electricity supplied as set forth in
subparagraph (i) of subsection (a) of this Section.
    (c)  The  electric  utilities  and   alternative   retail
electric  suppliers  may  provide  their  customers with such
other information as they believe relevant to the information
required in subsections (a) and (b) of this Section.
    (d)  For the purposes of subsection (a) of this  Section,
"biomass"  means  dedicated crops grown for energy production
and organic wastes.
    (e)  All of the information provided in  subsections  (a)
and  (b) of this Section shall be presented to the Commission
for inclusion in its World Wide Web Site.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-128 new)
    Sec. 16-128.  Provisions  related  to  utility  employees
during the mandatory transition period.
    (a)  The General Assembly finds:
         (1)  The  reliability  and  safety  of  the electric
    system  has  depended  on  a  workforce  of  skilled  and
    dedicated employees, equipped with technical training and
    experience.
         (2)  The integrity and reliability of the system has
    also depended on the industry's commitment to  invest  in
    regular inspection and maintenance, to assure that it can
    withstand  the  demands of heavy service requirements and
    emergency situations.
         (3)  It is in the State's interest  to  protect  the
    interests   of   utility  employees  who  have  dedicated
    themselves to assuring reliable service to  the  citizens
    of  this  State,  and who might otherwise be economically
    displaced in a restructured industry.
    The General Assembly further finds that it  is  necessary
to   assure  that  employees  operating  in  the  deregulated
industry have the requisite skills, knowledge, and competence
to provide reliable and safe electrical service and therefore
that alternative retail electric suppliers shall be  required
to  demonstrate  the competence of their employees to work in
the industry.
    The  knowledge,  skill,  and  competence  levels  to   be
demonstrated   shall   be  consistent  with  those  generally
required of or by the electric utilities in this  State  with
respect to their employees.
    Adequate  demonstration of requisite knowledge, skill and
competence shall include such factors as  completion  by  the
employee   of   an   accredited   or   otherwise   recognized
apprenticeship  program  for  the  particular craft, trade or
skill, or specified years  of  employment  with  an  electric
utility performing a particular work function.
    To   implement   this  requirement,  the  Commission,  in
determining  that  an  applicant  meets  the  standards   for
certification  as  an  alternative  retail electric supplier,
shall require the  applicant  to  demonstrate  (i)  that  the
applicant  is  licensed  to  do  business, and bonded, in the
State of  Illinois;  and  (ii)  that  the  employees  of  the
applicant that will be installing, operating, and maintaining
generation,  transmission,  or distribution facilities within
this State, or  any  entity  with  which  the  applicant  has
contracted to perform those functions within this State, have
the  requisite  knowledge,  skills, and competence to perform
those functions in a safe and responsible manner in order  to
provide  safe  and  reliable  service, in accordance with the
criteria stated above.
    (b)  The General Assembly finds, based on  experience  in
other  industries  that  have  undergone similar transitions,
that  the  introduction  of  competition  into  the   State's
electric  utility industry may result in workforce reductions
by electric utilities which may adversely affect persons  who
have  been  employed  by  this  State's electric utilities in
functions important to the public  convenience  and  welfare.
The  General  Assembly  further  finds  that  the  impacts on
employees and their communities of any  necessary  reductions
in   the   utility   workforce   directly   caused   by  this
restructuring of the electric industry shall be mitigated  to
the  extent  practicable  through  such  means  as  offers of
voluntary   severance,    retraining,    early    retirement,
outplacement and related benefits. Therefore, before any such
reduction  in  the workforce during the transition period, an
electric utility shall present  to  its  employees  or  their
representatives  a  workforce  reduction  plan  outlining the
means by which the electric utility intends to  mitigate  the
impact of such workforce reduction on its employees.
    (c)  In  the  event  of  a  sale,  purchase, or any other
transfer of ownership during the mandatory transition  period
of  one  or more Illinois divisions or business units, and/or
generating stations  or  generating  units,  of  an  electric
utility,  the  electric  utility's contract and/or agreements
with the acquiring entity or persons shall require  that  the
entity or persons hire a sufficient number of non-supervisory
employees  to  operate  and maintain the station, division or
unit  by  initially  making  offers  of  employment  to   the
non-supervisory workforce of the electric utility's division,
business  unit,  generating station and/or generating unit at
no less than the wage  rates,  and  substantially  equivalent
fringe  benefits  and terms and conditions of employment that
are in effect at the time of transfer of  ownership  of  said
division,   business   unit,   generating   station,   and/or
generating  units;  and  said  wage  rates  and substantially
equivalent  fringe  benefits  and  terms  and  conditions  of
employment shall continue for at least  30  months  from  the
time  of  said  transfer  of  ownership  unless  the  parties
mutually   agree   to   different  terms  and  conditions  of
employment within that 30-month period.   The  utility  shall
offer  a  transition  plan  to  those  employees  who are not
offered jobs by the acquiring entity because that entity  has
a  need for fewer workers.  If there is litigation concerning
the sale, or other transfer  of  ownership  of  the  electric
utility's  divisions,  business units, generating station, or
generating units, the 30-month period will begin on the  date
the acquiring entity or persons take control or management of
the   divisions,   business   units,  generating  station  or
generating units of the electric utility.
    (d)  If  a  utility  transfers   ownership   during   the
mandatory   transition   period   of  one  or  more  Illinois
divisions, business units, generating stations or  generating
units  of an electric utility to a majority-owned subsidiary,
that  subsidiary  shall  continue  to  employ  the  utility's
employees who were employed by the utility at such  division,
business  unit  or  generating  station  at  the  time of the
transfer under the same terms and conditions of employment as
those employees enjoyed at the  time  of  the  transfer.   If
ownership   of   the   subsidiary  is  subsequently  sold  or
transferred to a third party during  the  transition  period,
the  transition  provisions  outlined in subsection (c) shall
apply.
    (e)  The plant transfer provisions set forth above  shall
not  apply to any generating station which was the subject of
a sales agreement entered into before January 1, 1997.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-129 new)
    Sec. 16-129.  Existing contracts not  affected.   Nothing
in  this  Article  XVI  shall affect the right of an electric
utility to continue to provide, or the right of the  customer
to  continue  to  receive, service pursuant to a contract for
electric  service  between  the  electric  utility  and   the
customer,   in   accordance   with  the  prices,  terms   and
conditions  provided  for  in  that  contract.   Either   the
electric  utility or the customer may require compliance with
the prices, terms and conditions of such contract.

    (220 ILCS 5/16-130 new)
    Sec. 16-130.  Annual Reports.  The General Assembly finds
that  it  is  necessary  to  have   reliable   and   accurate
information   regarding   the  transition  to  a  competitive
electric  industry.   In  addition  to  the   annual   report
requirements  pursuant  to  Section  5-109  of this Act, each
electric utility shall file with the Commission a  report  on
the  following  topics  in  accordance  with the schedule set
forth in subsection (b) of this Section:
         (1)  Data on each customer  class  of  the  electric
    utility  in  which  delivery  services  have been elected
    including:
              (A)  number of retail customers in  each  class
         that have elected delivery service;
              (B)  kilowatt  hours  consumed by the customers
         described in subparagraph (A);
              (C)  revenue loss experienced by the utility as
         a result of customers electing delivery services  or
         market-based prices as compared to continued service
         under otherwise applicable tariffed rates;
              (D)  total  amount of funds collected from each
         customer class pursuant to  the  transition  charges
         authorized in Section 16-108;
              (E)  Such  other  information as the Commission
         may by rule require.
         (2)  A  description  of  any  steps  taken  by   the
    electric  utility  to  mitigate  and  reduce  its  costs,
    including  both  a  detailed  description  of steps taken
    during the preceding calendar year and a summary of steps
    taken since the effective date of this amendatory Act  of
    1997,   and   including,   to   the  extent  practicable,
    quantification of  the  costs  mitigated  or  reduced  by
    specific actions taken by the electric utility.
         (3)  A  description  of actions taken under Sections
    5-104, 7-204,  9-220,  and  16-111  of  this  Act.   This
    information shall include but not be limited to:
              (A)  a description of the actions taken;
              (B)  the effective date of the action;
              (C)  the  annual  savings or additional charges
         realized  by  customers  from  actions   taken,   by
         customer class and total for each year;
              (D)  the  accumulated  impact  on  customers by
         customer class and total; and
              (E)  a summary of the method used  to  quantify
         the impact on customers.
         (4)  A  summary  of  the  electric  utility's use of
    transitional funding instruments, including a description
    of the electric utility's use  of  the  proceeds  of  any
    transitional   funding   instruments  it  has  issued  in
    accordance with Article XVIII of this Act.
         (5)  Kilowatt-hours consumed in  the  twelve  months
    ending December 31, 1996 (which kilowatt-hours are hereby
    referred  to  as  "base  year  sales")  by customer class
    multiplied by the revenue per kilowatt hour, adjusted  to
    remove  charges  added  to  customers'  bills pursuant to
    Sections 9-221 and 9-222 of this Act, during  the  twelve
    months   ending  December  31,  1996,  adjusted  for  the
    reductions required by subsection (b) of  Section  16-111
    and  the  mitigation factors contained in Section 16-102.
    This amount shall be stated for: (i) each  calendar  year
    preceding  the  year  in which a report is required to be
    submitted pursuant to  subsection  (b);  and  (ii)  as  a
    cumulative  total  of  all  calendar years beginning with
    1998 and ending with the calendar year preceding the year
    in which a report is required to be submitted pursuant to
    subsection (b).
         (6)  Calculations identical  to  those  required  by
    subparagraph  (5)  except  that  base year sales shall be
    adjusted for growth in  the  electric  utility's  service
    territory, in addition to the other adjustments specified
    by the first sentence of subparagraph (5).
         (7)  The  electric  utility's  total revenue and net
    income for each calendar year beginning with 1997 through
    the calendar year preceding the year in which a report is
    required to be submitted pursuant to  subsection  (b)  as
    reported  in  the electric utility's Form 1 report to the
    Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
         (8)  Any consideration in excess  of  the  net  book
    cost  as  of the effective date of this amendatory Act of
    1997 received by the electric  utility  during  the  year
    from a sale made subsequent to the effective date of this
    amendatory Act of 1997 to a non-affiliated third party of
    any  generating  plant  that  was  owned  by the electric
    utility on the effective date of this amendatory  Act  of
    1997.
         (9)  Any  consideration  received  by  the  electric
    utility  from  sales  or  transfers during the year to an
    affiliated interest of generating plant, or  other  plant
    that  represents  an investment of $25,000,000 or more in
    terms  of  total   depreciated   original   cost,   which
    generating  or  other  plant  were  owned by the electric
    utility prior to the effective date  of  this  amendatory
    Act of 1997.
         (10)  Any  consideration  received  by an affiliated
    interest of an electric utility from sales  or  transfers
    during  the  year  to  a  non-affiliated  third  party of
    generating plant, but only if: (i) the  electric  utility
    had  previously  sold  or  transferred  such plant to the
    affiliated interest subsequent to the effective  date  of
    this amendatory Act of 1997; (ii) the affiliated interest
    sells  or  transfers such plant to a non-affiliated third
    party  prior  to  December  31,  2006;  and   (iii)   the
    affiliated  interest  receives consideration for the sale
    or transfer of such plant  to  the  non-affiliated  third
    party  in  an  amount  greater  than the cost or price at
    which  such  plant  was  sold  or  transferred   to   the
    affiliated interest by the electric utility.
         (b) The information required by subsection (a) shall
be  filed  by  each  electric utility on or before March 1 of
each year 1999 through 2007 or through such additional  years
as  the  electric  utility  is  collecting transition charges
pursuant  to  subsection  (f)  of  Section  16-108,  for  the
previous  calendar  year.    The  information   required   by
subparagraph  (6)  of  subsection  (a) for calendar year 1997
shall be submitted by the electric utility on or before March
1, 1999.
         (c)  On or before May 15 of each year  1999  through
2006 or through such additional years as the electric utility
is  collecting  transition charges pursuant to subsection (f)
of Section 16-108, the Commission shall submit  a  report  to
the   General   Assembly  which  summarizes  the  information
provided  by  each  electric  utility  under  this   Section;
provided,   however,   that   proprietary   or   confidential
information shall not be publicly disclosed.

    (220 ILCS 5/Art. XVII heading new)
      ARTICLE XVII. ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES AND MUNICIPAL
                           SYSTEMS

    (220 ILCS 5/17-100 new)
    Sec.   17-100.    Exemption   from   provisions  of  this
amendatory Act of 1997.  Electric cooperatives, as defined in
Section  3.4  of  the  Electric  Supplier  Act,  and   public
utilities  that  are  owned  and  operated  by  any political
subdivision, or municipal corporation of this State, or owned
by such an entity and operated by any lessee or any operating
agent thereof, hereinafter referred to as municipal  systems,
shall not be subject to the provisions of this amendatory Act
of 1997, except as hereinafter provided in this Article XVII.

    (220 ILCS 5/17-200 new)
    Sec.  17-200.   Election  to  provide  existing or future
customers access to alternative retail electric suppliers.
    (a)  An electric cooperative  or  municipal  system  each
may,  by appropriate action and at the sole discretion of the
governing body of each, from time to time make  one  or  more
elections  to  cause  one  or  more of the existing or future
customers of each respective system to be  eligible  to  take
service  from  an  alternative retail electric supplier for a
specified period of time.   Provided  that,  and  subject  to
their  authority  to serve customers pursuant to the Electric
Supplier  Act  with  respect  to  electric  cooperatives  and
pursuant to the  Illinois  Municipal  Code  with  respect  to
municipal  systems,  each shall continue to provide exclusive
distribution facilities for any existing and future customers
that the electric cooperative or municipal system are now  or
in the future otherwise entitled to serve and which customers
are  now  or  in  the future receiving service provided by an
alternative retail electric supplier.
    (b)  Notification of  election  to  provide  existing  or
future   customers  access  to  alternative  retail  electric
suppliers.   The  election  by  an  electric  cooperative  or
municipal system authorizing  access  to  alternative  retail
electric  suppliers for existing or future customers shall be
made by filing notice thereof with the Commission  and  shall
be made effective only by such filing.

    (220 ILCS 5/17-300 new)
    Sec.  17-300.   Election  to  be  an  alternative  retail
electric supplier.
    (a)  An  electric cooperative or municipal system may, by
appropriate  action,  and  at  the  sole  discretion  of  the
governing body  of  each,  make  an  election  to  become  an
alternative retail electric supplier.
    (b)  Commission authority over an electric cooperative or
municipal   system  electing  to  be  an  alternative  retail
electric supplier.   An  electric  cooperative  or  municipal
system electing to be an alternative retail electric supplier
shall  provide  those  services  in  accordance with Sections
16-115A and 16-115B of this Act,  to the  extent  that  these
Sections  have  application  to the services being offered by
the  electric  cooperative  or   municipal   system   as   an
alternative retail electric supplier.  In no case shall these
provisions  apply  to the existing or future customers taking
delivery services from an electric cooperative  or  municipal
system  pursuant  to  their  respective  authority  under the
Electric Supplier Act or the Illinois Municipal Code.
    (c)  Notification of election to be an alternative retail
electric supplier.   Upon  filing  notice  of  intent  by  an
electric  cooperative  or  a  municipal  system  to become an
alternative retail electric supplier,  the  Commission  shall
issue  within  45 days a certificate of service authority for
the entire State or for a specified geographic  area  of  the
State, as specified in the notice.  Issuance of a certificate
of service authority shall constitute compliance with Section
16-115 of this Act.
    (d)  Delivery  services provided by electric cooperatives
or  municipal  systems.   Municipal   systems   or   electric
cooperatives  making  an election under this Section shall be
required to provide delivery  services  on  their  respective
systems to the electric utility or utilities in whose service
area  or  areas  the  proposed service will be offered.  Such
required delivery services to be  provided  by  the  electric
cooperatives   and  municipal  systems  shall  be  reasonably
comparable to the delivery services provided to the  electric
cooperative's and municipal system's own customers.
    (e)  Exclusive  authority  over  distribution facilities.
Provided that,  and  subject  to  their  authority  to  serve
customers  pursuant to the Electric Supplier Act with respect
to  electric  cooperatives  and  pursuant  to  the   Illinois
Municipal  Code with respect to municipal systems, each shall
continue to provide the exclusive distribution facilities for
any  existing  and  future  customers   that   the   electric
cooperative  or  municipal  system  is  now  or in the future
otherwise entitled to serve, and which customers are  now  or
in  the  future  receiving service provided by an alternative
retail electric supplier.

    (220 ILCS 5/17-400 new)
    Sec.  17-400.  Conditions  prohibiting  municipal  system
participation.  At no time shall a municipal system  make  an
election  under  Sections 17-200 or 17-300 of this Article if
such election places at risk:
    (1)  Any status held by the municipal system or municipal
corporation or political subdivision which provides exemption
from State or federal tax statutes; or
    (2)  Any debt, credit  instrument  or  other  contractual
financial  obligation  held by, or on behalf of the municipal
system which was entered into under an exemption  from  State
or federal tax statutes.

    (220 ILCS 5/17-500 new)
    Sec.  17-500.   Jurisdiction.   Except as provided in the
Electric Supplier Act, the Illinois Municipal Code, and  this
Article   XVII,  the  Commission,  or  any  other  agency  or
subdivision thereof of the State of Illinois or  any  private
entity   shall   have   no  jurisdiction  over  any  electric
cooperative or municipal system  regardless  of  whether  any
election  or elections as provided for herein have been made,
and  all  control  regarding  an  electric   cooperative   or
municipal   system   shall   be   vested   in   the  electric
cooperative's  board  of  directors  or   trustees   or   the
applicable governing body of the municipal system.

    (220 ILCS 5/17-600 new)
    Sec.   17-600.    Rights  of  electric  cooperatives  and
municipal systems in conflict herewith.  Except as  expressly
provided for herein, this Article XVII shall not be construed
to  conflict  with the rights of an electric cooperative or a
municipal system as declared in the Electric Supplier Act  or
as  set  forth  in  the Illinois Municipal Code or the public
policy  against  duplication  of  facilities  as  set   forth
therein.

    (220 ILCS 5/17-700 new)
    Sec.   17-700.  Right   to   create   municipal   utility
unaffected.   Nothing  in  this  amendatory Act of 1997 shall
limit the right of a municipality to form a municipal utility
in accordance with Article 11, Division 117 of  the  Illinois
Municipal  Code and the provisions of this Article XVII shall
apply to any municipal utility  formed  after  the  effective
date of this amendatory Act of 1997.

    (220 ILCS 5/Art. XVIII heading new)
  ARTICLE XVIII.  ELECTRIC UTILITY TRANSITIONAL FUNDING LAW

    (220 ILCS 5/18-101 new)
    Sec. 18-101. Short title and applicability.  This Article
may be cited as the Electric Utility Transitional Funding Law
of  1997  and shall apply to electric utilities as defined in
this Article.

    (220 ILCS 5/18-102 new)
    Sec. 18-102.  Definitions.   For  the  purposes  of  this
Article  the following terms shall be defined as set forth in
this Section. Terms defined in Article  XVI  shall  have  the
same meanings in this Article.
    "Assignee"  means  any  party,  other  than  an  electric
utility  or  grantee,  to  which  an  interest  in intangible
transition  property  shall  have  been  assigned,  sold   or
transferred.   The  term "assignee" includes any corporation,
public  authority,  trust,  financing  vehicle,  partnership,
limited liability company or other entity.
    "Grantee" means any party, other than an electric utility
or an assignee which acquires its interest from  an  electric
utility,  to  whom  or for whose benefit the Commission shall
create,  establish  and  grant  rights  in,  to   and   under
intangible  transition property.  The term "grantee" includes
any corporation, public authority, trust, financing  vehicle,
partnership, limited liability company or other entity.
    "Grantee   instruments"   means   (a)   any  instruments,
documents, notes, debentures, bonds  or  other  evidences  of
indebtedness  evidencing any contractual right to receive the
payment of money from a grantee or (b)  any  certificates  of
participation,  certificates  of beneficial interest or other
instruments evidencing a beneficial or ownership interest  in
a  grantee  or  in  intangible  transition  property  of such
grantee which are (i) issued (A) by or on behalf of a grantee
pursuant to a transitional funding order and (B) pursuant  to
an  executed indenture, pooling agreement, security agreement
or  other  similar  agreement  of  such  grantee  creating  a
security interest, ownership  interest  or  other  beneficial
interest  in  intangible transition property and (ii) payable
solely  from  proceeds  of  intangible  transition  property,
including  amounts  received  with  respect  to  the  related
instrument funding charges.
    "Holder"  means  any  holder  of   transitional   funding
instruments,  including  a trustee, collateral agent, nominee
or other such party acting for the benefit of such a holder.
    "Instrument funding charge" means a non-bypassable charge
expressed  in  cents  per  kilowatt-hour  authorized   in   a
transitional funding order to be applied and invoiced to each
retail  customer,  class  of  retail customers of an electric
utility or other person or group of persons obligated to  pay
any  base  rates,  transition  charges  or  other  rates  for
tariffed  services  from which such instrument funding charge
has  been  deducted  and  stated   separately   pursuant   to
subsection (j) of Section 18-104.
    "Intangible  transition property" means the right, title,
and interest of an electric utility or  grantee  or  assignee
arising  pursuant  to  a transitional funding order to impose
and receive  instrument  funding  charges,  and  all  related
revenues,  collections,  claims, payments, money, or proceeds
thereof, including all  right,  title,  and  interest  of  an
electric  utility,  grantee  or  assignee  in,  to, under and
pursuant to such transitional funding order,  whether or  not
such   intangible  transition  property  described  above  is
characterized on the books  of  the  electric  utility  as  a
regulatory  asset  or  as  a  cost  incurred  by the electric
utility or otherwise. Intangible  transition  property  shall
arise  and  exist  only  when,  as,  and  to  the extent that
instrument funding charges are authorized in  a  transitional
funding  order  that  has become effective in accordance with
this Article and shall thereafter continuously exist  to  the
extent provided in the order.
    "Issuer" means any party, other than an electric utility,
which  has issued transitional funding instruments.  The term
"issuer" includes any corporation, public  authority,  trust,
financing  vehicle, partnership, limited liability company or
other entity.
    "Transitional funding instruments" means any instruments,
pass-through certificates, notes, debentures, certificates of
participation, bonds, certificates of beneficial interest  or
other  evidences  of indebtedness or instruments evidencing a
beneficial interest (i) which are issued by or on  behalf  of
an  electric  utility  or  issuer  pursuant to a transitional
funding order, (ii) which are issued pursuant to an  executed
indenture,  pooling  agreement,  security  agreement or other
similar agreement of an electric utility or issuer creating a
security interest, ownership  interest  or  other  beneficial
interest   in   intangible  transition  property  or  grantee
instruments, if any, and (iii) the proceeds of which  are  to
be  used  for  the  purposes set forth in subparagraph (1) of
subsection (d) of Section 18-103 of this Article.
    "Transitional  funding  order"  means  an  order  of  the
Commission issued in accordance with the provisions  of  this
Article   creating  and  establishing  intangible  transition
property and the rights of any party  therein  and  approving
the  sale, pledge, assignment or other transfer of intangible
transition property and  grantee  instruments,  if  any,  the
issuance  of  transitional  funding  instruments  and grantee
instruments, if any, and the  imposition  and  collection  of
instrument funding charges.

    (220 ILCS 5/18-103 new)
    Sec. 18-103. Transitional funding orders.
    (a)  Notwithstanding  any  other provision of this Act or
other law, the  Commission  is  hereby  authorized  to  issue
transitional   funding   orders   in    accordance  with  the
provisions of this Section, in order to  facilitate  (i)  the
issuance  of transitional funding instruments by or on behalf
of electric utilities or issuers and  (ii)  the  issuance  of
grantee instruments by or on behalf of grantees.
    (b)  A  transitional  funding  order may be issued by the
Commission only upon the application of an  electric  utility
and  shall become effective in accordance with its terms only
after such electric utility files  with  the  Commission  its
written  consent  to  all terms and conditions of such order.
After the issuance  of  a  transitional  funding  order,  the
electric  utility  or  grantee  shall  retain sole discretion
regarding  whether  to  assign,  sell,  pledge  or  otherwise
transfer   intangible   transition   property   and   grantee
instruments,  if  any,  or  to  cause  transitional   funding
instruments  and  grantee  instruments, if any, to be issued,
including the right to defer  or  postpone  such  assignment,
sale,  transfer,  pledge  or  issuance or to change the terms
thereof as allowed by such order.
    (c)  After the effective date of this amendatory  Act  of
1997, an electric utility may file any number of applications
for  transitional  funding  orders.   Each  application for a
transitional funding order shall contain detailed information
regarding  the  electric  utility's  proposal  for  (i)   the
assignment,  sale,  pledge  or  other  transfer  of,  or  the
establishment,  creation  and  granting  of rights in and to,
intangible transition property and  grantee  instruments,  if
any,  (ii)  the  issuance of transitional funding instruments
and grantee instruments,  if  any,  (iii)  the  total  dollar
amount  of  intangible  transition property to be created and
the  amount  to  be  sold,  pledged,  assigned  or  otherwise
transferred or granted hereunder  (which  amount  may  be  in
excess   of   the  principal  and  interest  payable  on  the
transitional funding instruments and grantee instruments,  if
any,  in order to provide for servicing costs and the funding
or maintenance of debt service and other reserves, costs  and
fees  as  security to the holders of the transitional funding
instruments and grantee instruments, if any), (iv) the amount
of transitional funding instruments and grantee  instruments,
if  any, to be issued, (v) the amount, expressed in cents per
kilowatt-hour, of instrument funding charges to be  collected
from  retail  customers  or  other  persons, (vi) the time to
maturity for the transitional funding instruments and grantee
instruments, if any, and (vii) the electric utility's planned
use of the proceeds from the issuance of transitional funding
instruments  including  the   amounts   allocated   for   the
respective  uses  specified in subparagraph (1) of subsection
(d) of Section 18-103 of this Article.
    (d)  The Commission shall, after proper  notice,  hold  a
hearing  for  the  sole  purpose  of  determining whether the
application and requested transitional funding order  are  in
compliance with this Article and shall complete its review of
the  application  and  issue  its  final transitional funding
order by no later than 90  days  after  the  filing  of  such
application  by  the  electric  utility;   provided, that, in
contested  cases  where  the  public  interest  is  in  issue
pursuant to subparagraph (1)(B) of  this  subsection  (d)  or
pursuant  to subsection (m) of Section 18-104, the Commission
may complete its review  and  issue  its  final  transitional
funding  order  by no later than 120 days after the filing of
such application. The order shall create  and  establish  the
proposed   intangible   transition  property  in  the  amount
requested by the applicant and  approve  the  proposed  sale,
pledge,   assignment   or   other   transfer   of,   or   the
establishment,  creation  and  granting  of rights in and to,
intangible transition property and  grantee  instruments,  if
any,   the   proposed   issuance   of   transitional  funding
instruments and grantee instruments, if any, and the proposed
imposition and collection  of  the  corresponding  instrument
funding  charges,  if  the  Commission finds that each of the
following conditions are met:
         (1)  the electric utility will use the  proceeds  of
    the   sale  and  issuance  of  the  transitional  funding
    instruments for one or more of the following purposes:
              (A)  to refinance debt or equity, or both, in a
         manner  which  the   electric   utility   reasonably
         demonstrates  will result in an overall reduction in
         its cost of capital, taking into account  the  costs
         of  financing;  provided, however, that any proceeds
         transferred to a parent  company  through  a  common
         stock repurchase transaction shall be used to retire
         publicly  traded  common stock of the parent company
         or to pay commercially reasonable transaction  costs
         associated with such retirement;
              (B)  if  the  Commission finds that the sale or
         issuance of transitional funding instruments for the
         following purposes is in the public  interest,  then
         the  following  uses  of  proceeds:  (i) to repay or
         retire fuel  contracts  or  obligations  related  to
         nuclear   spent  fuel  previously  incurred  by  the
         electric utility  in  providing  electric  power  or
         energy  services prior to the effective date of this
         amendatory  Act  of  1997  or  (ii)   to   pay   any
         expenditures  required  to  be  undertaken  by  such
         electric utility by the provisions of Section 16-128
         of  this  Act  including  labor  severance costs and
         employee retraining costs;
              (C)  to fund debt service and  other  reserves,
         commercially  reasonable costs and fees necessary or
         desirable in connection with the  marketing  of  the
         transitional   funding   instruments   and   grantee
         instruments, if any;
              (D)  to  pay  for commercially reasonable costs
         associated with the issuance  and  collateralization
         of  transitional  funding  instruments  and  grantee
         instruments, if any; and
              (E)  to  pay  for  the  commercially reasonable
         costs  associated  with   the   issuance   of   such
         transitional   funding  instruments,  including  the
         costs incurred since  the  effective  date  of  this
         amendatory  Act  of  1997,  or  to  be  incurred, in
         connection  with   transactions   to   recapitalize,
         refinance   or   retire   stock   and/or  debt,  any
         associated taxes, and the costs incurred  or  to  be
         incurred  to  obtain,  collateralize, issue, service
         and administer transitional funding instruments  and
         grantee  instruments,  including  interest and other
         related fees, costs and charges;
    provided, (i) that the transitional funding  order  shall
    require  the  electric utility to use (1) at least 80% of
    such proceeds for the purposes specified in subparagraphs
    (A) and (B) above and (2) no more than 20% of the maximum
    amount of  such  proceeds  permitted  under  subparagraph
    (6)(B)  of  this subsection for purposes other than those
    specified  in  subparagraph  (A)  above;  (ii)  that  the
    electric utility's use of such proceeds for the  purposes
    specified  in subparagraph (A) above shall not, as of the
    date of application  of  such  proceeds,  result  in  the
    common   equity   component  of  its  capital  structure,
    exclusive of the portion of its  capital  structure  that
    consists of obligations representing transitional funding
    instruments  or  grantee instruments, being reduced below
    the  lesser  of  (1)  40%  and  (2)  the  common   equity
    percentage  as  of  December 31, 1996 adjusted to reflect
    any write-off of assets or common equity  implemented  or
    required to be implemented as a result of this amendatory
    Act  of  1997;  and  (iii) in no event shall the electric
    utility  use  the  proceeds  of  the  sale   of   grantee
    instruments  or transitional funding instruments to repay
    or retire obligations incurred by any  affiliate  of  the
    electric  utility  (other  than  in  connection  with any
    refinancing  of  grantee  instruments   or   transitional
    funding  instruments  issued  by such affiliate), without
    the consent of the Commission;
         (2)  the expected  maturity  date  for  the  grantee
    instruments  or the transitional funding instruments, and
    the final date on which the electric utility, grantee  or
    assignee   shall   be  entitled  to  charge  and  collect
    instrument funding charges, shall each be set to occur no
    later than December 31, 2008, subject to  the  provisions
    of subsections (l) and (m) of Section 18-104;
         (3)  the  instrument  funding  charges authorized in
    such order will be deducted and  stated  separately  from
    base rates and transition charges, and, where applicable,
    other  rates  for  tariffed  services, all as provided in
    subsection  (j)  of  Section  18-104  and  in  a   manner
    conforming  to  the  allocation of the instrument funding
    charges implemented pursuant to subparagraph (4) of  this
    subsection;
         (4)  the  instrument  funding  charges authorized in
    such order shall have been  allocated  among  classes  of
    retail  customers  in  accordance  with percentage ratios
    determined by dividing the base rate  revenue  from  each
    class  by  the electric utility's total base rate revenue
    for the 1996 calendar year;
         (5)  the  issuance  of  the   transitional   funding
    instruments   will  not  cause  the  rates  for  tariffed
    services to increase over the rates then in existence  as
    adjusted  for  the  rate decreases provided in subsection
    (b) of Section 16-111; and
         (6)  the  aggregate  principal  amount  of   grantee
    instruments  or,  if such transitional funding order does
    not provide for  the  issuance  of  grantee  instruments,
    transitional  funding  instruments, to be issued pursuant
    to such order, together with the aggregate amount of such
    instruments issued under any prior  orders  requested  by
    such electric utility, shall not exceed:
              (A)  during  the twelve-month period commencing
                 August 1, 1998, an amount equal  to  25%  of
                 the   applicable  electric  utility's  total
                 capitalization,  including  both  debt   and
                 equity,  as of December 31, 1996, multiplied
                 by  the  ratio  of  the  electric  utility's
                 revenues  from  Illinois  electric   utility
                 retail  customers  in the 1996 calendar year
                 to its total electric  retail  revenues  for
                 such 1996 year; and
              (B)  thereafter,  an amount equal to 50% of the
                 applicable    electric    utility's    total
                 capitalization,  including  both  debt   and
                 equity,  as  of December 31, 1996 multiplied
                 by  the  ratio  of  the  electric  utility's
                 revenues  from  Illinois  electric   utility
                 retail  customers  in the 1996 calendar year
                 to its total electric  retail  revenues  for
                 such 1996 year.

    (220 ILCS 5/18-104 new)
    Sec. 18-104. Terms and provisions of transitional funding
orders.
    (a)  Each  transitional  funding  order  shall create and
establish intangible transition property in an amount not  to
exceed  the  sum  of  (i)  the  rate  base established by the
Commission in the electric utility's last rate case prior  to
the  effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997, plus (ii)
any expenditures required to be undertaken by  such  electric
utility  by  the  provisions  of  Section 16-128 of this Act,
including  labor  severance  costs  and  employee  retraining
costs, plus (iii) amounts necessary to fund debt service  and
other   reserves,  commercially  reasonable  costs  and  fees
necessary  in  connection   with   the   marketing   of   the
transitional  funding instruments and grantee instruments, if
any, plus (iv) commercially reasonable  costs  incurred  from
and  after  the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997
or to be incurred which are associated with the issuance  and
collateralization  of  transitional  funding  instruments and
grantee instruments, if any, plus (v) commercially reasonable
costs incurred from and after  the  effective  date  of  this
amendatory Act of 1997 or to be incurred which are associated
with  issuance  of  such  transitional  funding  instruments,
including  the  costs  incurred  from and after the effective
date of this amendatory Act of 1997, or to  be  incurred,  in
connection  with  transactions  to recapitalize, refinance or
retire stock and/or debt, any associated taxes  and the costs
incurred to  obtain,  collateralize,  issue,  service  and/or
administer   transitional  funding  instruments  and  grantee
instruments, if any, including  interest  and  other  related
fees, costs and charges (all of the foregoing costs described
in  clauses (i) through (v) above to include any taxes, where
applicable, to the extent the costs thereof  would  otherwise
have  been  recoverable  by an electric utility through rates
for tariffed services under the Public Utilities  Act  as  in
effect  prior to this amendatory Act of 1997), minus (vi) the
amount  of  any  intangible  transition  property  previously
created and established at the request of and for the benefit
of such electric utility  in  a  prior  transitional  funding
order.   The  transitional  funding order shall authorize (A)
the sale, pledge, assignment or other  transfer  of,  or  the
establishment,   creation   and   granting   of  an  electric
utility's, assignee's  or  grantee's  rights  in  and  to,  a
specific  dollar  amount  of  intangible  transition property
(which amount may be in excess of the principal and  interest
payable  on  the transitional funding instruments and grantee
instruments, if any, in order to provide for servicing  costs
and  the  funding  or  maintenance  of debt service and other
reserves as security  to  the  holders  of  the  transitional
funding  instruments),  (B) the issuance of a specific dollar
amount of grantee instruments or, if the transitional funding
order  does  not  provide  for  the   issuance   of   grantee
instruments, a specific dollar amount of transitional funding
instruments,   by  or  on  behalf  of  an  electric  utility,
assignee, issuer or grantee, as the case may be, and (C)  the
imposition  and collection of a specific amount of instrument
funding charges projected to be sufficient to  pay  when  due
the  principal  of  and interest on the corresponding grantee
instruments or, if the transitional funding  order  does  not
provide   for   the  issuance  of  grantee  instruments,  the
corresponding transitional funding instruments, in each case,
together with premium, servicing fees and other  fees,  costs
and  charges  related  thereto,  and to maintain any required
reserves.  Except as otherwise specifically set forth in  the
transitional   funding   order,   the   transitional  funding
instruments  issued  pursuant  to   such   order   shall   be
non-recourse  to  the credit or to any assets of the electric
utility  other  than   any   assets   comprising   intangible
transition  property  or  grantee instruments, as applicable.
The obligation of retail customers and other persons  to  pay
instrument  funding  charges  shall  be  contingent  upon the
receipt  by  such  retail  customers  and  other  persons  of
electric power and energy, the kilowatt hours  of  which  are
included  in  the  calculation  of  the dollar amount of such
instrument funding  charges,  but  the  transitional  funding
order shall specifically provide that such instrument funding
charges  will  not be subject to any defense, counterclaim or
right of set off arising  as  a  result  of  failure  by  the
pertinent   electric  utility,  upon  whose  application  the
intangible transition property was  created,  to  perform  or
provide  past,  present  or future services.  For purposes of
the foregoing sentence, an electric  utility  or  alternative
retail  electric supplier obligated to pay transition charges
under subsection (b) of Section 16-118 on behalf  of  certain
retail  customers  shall  be  deemed  to  have  received  the
electric  power and energy provided to such retail customers.
The transitional funding order shall also set forth the  time
to   maturity   for   the  grantee  instruments  or,  if  the
transitional funding order does not provide for the  issuance
of   grantee  instruments,  the  time  to  maturity  for  the
transitional   funding   instruments    issued    thereunder.
Concurrently  with  the  sale,  pledge,  assignment  or other
transfer of, or the establishment, creation and  granting  of
an  electric utility's, assignee's or grantee's rights in and
to, intangible transition property and  grantee  instruments,
if any, and the issuance of transitional funding instruments,
an  electric  utility,  grantee,  issuer or an assignee shall
begin to impose and collect the specified instrument  funding
charges  from  retail customers, classes of retail customers,
and any other persons or groups of persons as  set  forth  in
the  pertinent  transitional  funding  order  and  shall file
tariffs in accordance with subsection (j) of  Section  18-104
of this Article.
    (b)  The  transitional  funding  order shall require that
the  proceeds  from  the  issuance  of  transitional  funding
instruments  shall be used for  the  purposes  set  forth  in
subparagraph  (1) of subsection (d) of Section 18-103 of this
Article.
    (c)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law,  neither
the  transitional funding order nor the intangible transition
property created and established thereby nor  the  instrument
funding  charges  authorized  to  be  imposed  and  collected
thereunder  shall  be  subject  to  reduction,  postponement,
impairment  or  termination  by  any subsequent action of the
Commission; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph
is intended to supersede  any  right  of  any  party  to  the
Commission's  proceeding relating to the transitional funding
order to seek judicial review of  such  transitional  funding
order.
    (d)  The  Commission  shall  provide  in any transitional
funding order for a procedure for periodic adjustments to the
instrument funding charges set  forth  therein  in  order  to
ensure  the  repayment in accordance with the projections set
forth in  the  transitional  funding  order  of  all  grantee
instruments  or,  if such transitional funding order does not
provide  for  the  issuance  of  grantee   instruments,   the
corresponding  transitional  funding  instruments  authorized
therein   and   to   reconcile  the  revenues  received  from
instrument funding charges during the  applicable  adjustment
period  with  the revenues projected to be received from such
charges as set forth in  the  relevant  transitional  funding
order.   Unless  the  transitional  funding  order  otherwise
provides,  such  adjustments  shall  be required whenever the
instrument funding  charges  actually  collected  during  the
applicable  adjustment  period  by  the  appropriate party or
parties were greater or  less  than  the  instrument  funding
charges  projected in the relevant transitional funding order
to be collected in such adjustment period; provided that,  if
so  requested by an electric utility in any application for a
transitional funding order, the  transitional  funding  order
may  (i)  specify  a dollar or percentage amount of variation
from the projected revenues within which no such  adjustments
will  be  required and/or (ii) set forth a maximum adjustment
amount for the  instrument  funding  charges.   The  electric
utility  (or  such  other  party  as  may be specified in the
pertinent transitional funding order) shall determine, within
90 days of the end of each adjustment period (or such shorter
period as may be provided in the documents  relating  to  the
pertinent   transitional   funding   instruments  or  grantee
instruments,  as   applicable),   whether   any   adjustments
described  above in this subsection (d) of Section 18-104 are
required.  If any such  adjustments  are  so  required,  such
adjustments  shall  be  implemented  by the electric utility,
grantee, issuer or  assignee,  as  applicable,  with  written
notice  to the Commission, within such 90-day period (or such
shorter period as  may  be  provided  for  in  the  documents
relating to the pertinent transitional funding instruments or
grantee  instruments,  as  applicable).   Any such adjustment
shall be calculated to include amounts necessary for recovery
of any additional costs incurred  by  the  grantee,  electric
utility, assignee or issuer as a result of the relevant delay
in  collections  of  instrument  funding  charges.   If, as a
result of  any  adjustment,  the  amount  of  any  instrument
funding  charge,  as  so  adjusted, will exceed an amount per
kilowatt-hour greater than the amount  per  kilowatt-hour  of
the  instrument  funding  charge  initially authorized by the
Commission  in  its  transitional  funding  order,  then  the
relevant  electric  utility  shall  be  obligated   to   file
amendatory  tariffs  in  compliance  with  subsection  (k) of
Section 18-104.
    (e)  Except  where  this  Article  specifically  requires
otherwise, the collection of instrument funding  charges  and
the  allocation  of  any  such  collections as among holders,
assignees, issuers, grantees and any other  parties  entitled
to receive portions thereof, may be accomplished according to
the  provisions  set  forth  in  the  applicable transitional
funding order, or,  if  the  order  is  silent  on  any  such
matters,  according  to  the  provisions  set  forth  in  the
documents  relating  to  the  pertinent  transitional funding
instruments   or   grantee   instruments,   as    applicable.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the electric utility, grantee,
issuer  or  assignee, as applicable, shall determine no later
than 90 days after the stated maturity date of each series of
grantee instruments or, if the related  transitional  funding
order   does   not   provide  for  the  issuance  of  grantee
instruments, the stated maturity date of transitional funding
instruments,  whether  the  aggregate  amount  of  instrument
funding charges collected prior to such stated maturity  date
exceeds the amount required to provide for the payment of all
principal,  interest,  premium  and servicing and other fees,
costs and charges owing under  such  grantee  instruments  or
transitional  funding instruments, as the case may be.  If it
is determined that the aggregate amount of instrument funding
charges collected exceeds the amount required to provide  for
the payment of all principal, interest, premium and servicing
and  other  fees,  costs  and charges related to such grantee
instruments or transitional funding instruments, as the  case
may  be,  such  excess, together with any investment earnings
thereon,  shall  be  paid  to  the  owner  of  the  pertinent
intangible transition property.
    (f)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, on  such
conditions  as  the  Commission  may approve in the pertinent
transitional funding  order,  the  interest  of  an  electric
utility, assignee, issuer or grantee in intangible transition
property  or  grantee  instruments,  as  applicable,  may  be
assigned, sold or otherwise transferred, in whole or in part,
and  may,  in  whole  or  in  part, be pledged or assigned as
security to or for the benefit of a holder  or  holders.   To
the  extent  that  any  such  interest  or portion thereof is
assigned, sold or otherwise transferred  or  is  established,
created and granted to a grantee or is pledged or assigned as
security,  the  Commission,  in  the  pertinent  transitional
funding  order,  shall  authorize the electric utility or any
affiliate thereof  to  contract  with  the  grantee,  issuer,
assignee  or  holders  to  collect  the applicable instrument
funding charges for the benefit and account of  the  grantee,
issuer,  assignee  or  holder,  and  such electric utility or
affiliate  will,  except  as  otherwise  specified   in   the
transitional   funding  order,  account  for  and  remit  the
applicable instrument funding charge, without the  obligation
to  remit  any  investment  earnings  thereon,  to or for the
account of the grantee,  issuer,  assignee  or  holder.   The
obligation  of  such electric utility or affiliate to collect
and remit the applicable instrument funding charges hereunder
shall continue irrespective of whether such electric  utility
is  providing  electric  power  and/or  other services to the
retail customers and other  persons  obligated  to  pay  such
instrument  funding  charges.   If the documents creating the
transitional funding instruments or grantee  instruments,  if
any,  so  provide,  such obligations shall, in the event of a
default by such electric utility or affiliate  in  performing
such  obligations,  be  undertaken and performed by any other
entity selected by the  assignee  or  any  holder,  group  of
holders  or  trustee  or  agent  on  behalf of such holder or
holders, as the case may  be,  (i)  which  provides  electric
power  or  services to a person that was a retail customer of
such electric  utility  and  (ii)  from  whom  such  electric
utility  is  entitled  to  recover  transition  charges under
Section 16-108; provided, however, that any  failure  by  the
designated party to perform such obligations shall not affect
the  existence  of  the intangible transition property or the
instrument funding charges or the validity or  enforceability
of  the  instrument  funding charges in accordance with their
terms.
    (g)  In its transitional funding  order,  the  Commission
shall  afford  flexibility  in  establishing  the  terms  and
conditions  of  the  transitional funding instruments and the
grantee instruments, if any, including  repayment  schedules,
collateral,   required   debt  service  and  other  reserves,
interest rates and other financing costs and the  ability  of
the  electric  utility,  at its option, to effect a series of
issuances of transitional  funding  instruments  and  grantee
instruments  and  correlated  assignments,  sales, pledges or
other transfers of intangible transition property and grantee
instruments, if any,  not  to  exceed  the  aggregate  dollar
amounts approved in the transitional funding order.
    (h)  The  electric  utility shall file a statement of the
final terms of the issuance of  any  series  of  transitional
funding  instruments or grantee instruments, if any, with the
Commission within 90 days of the  receipt  of  proceeds  from
such  issuance.   In addition, the Commission may require the
electric utility to file periodic reports on its use  of  the
proceeds at intervals of not less than one year.
    (i)  Any adjustment to instrument funding charges that is
necessary  due  to  subsequent  refinancing  of  transitional
funding  instruments or grantee instruments, if any, shall be
authorized by the Commission in a supplemental order.
    (j)  In connection with the issuance  of  a  transitional
funding  order and as a precondition to the imposition of any
instrument funding charges authorized thereby,  the  relevant
electric utility shall file tariffs directing that the amount
of  such  instrument funding charges be deducted, stated, and
collected separately from the  amounts  otherwise  billed  by
such  electric  utility for base rates and transition charges
and, where applicable, other rates for tariffed  services  as
set  forth  in  the  transitional  funding  order.   Upon the
effectiveness of  such  tariff,  the  amounts  of  instrument
funding  charges  thereby  deducted  and to be deducted shall
have become intangible transition property  as  specified  in
the transitional funding order.  The Commission shall have no
authority  to  review such tariffs except to confirm that the
instrument funding charges  authorized  in  the  transitional
funding  order  have  been  deducted,  stated,  and collected
separately from base rates and transition charges and,  where
applicable,  other  rates  for tariffed services otherwise in
effect at such time, and the filing of any  such  tariff  may
not  be  suspended  for any other reason.  No such deductions
referred to in this subsection shall be construed as a change
in or otherwise require a  recalculation  of  the  authorized
amounts  of  such  base  rates, transition charges, and other
rates for tariffed services  under  Section  16-102,  16-107,
16-108,  or 16-110, as applicable. Instrument funding charges
shall be recoverable  with  respect  to  electric  power  and
energy or other services for which the deductions provided in
this  subsection  have become effective and no such deduction
shall be effective with respect to any services or  power  in
respect  of which instrument funding charges have not been so
authorized and imposed.
    (k)  If any adjustment under subsection  (d)  of  Section
18-104 results in the amount of any instrument funding charge
as  so adjusted exceeding an amount per kilowatt-hour greater
than the amount per kilowatt-hour of the  instrument  funding
charge   initially   authorized  by  the  Commission  in  its
transitional funding order,  the  relevant  electric  utility
shall  file amendatory tariffs reducing the amounts otherwise
billed by such electric utility for base rates and transition
charges  or,  where  applicable,  other  rates  for  tariffed
services, by the amount  of  such  excess.   Such  amendatory
tariff  shall  be subject to the provisions of subsection (j)
of Section 18-104,  except  that  (i)  the  failure  of  such
amendatory  tariff  to  become effective for any reason shall
not delay or impair  the  effectiveness  of  the  adjustments
required  under subsection (d) of Section 18-104 and (ii) the
obligation of retail customers and other persons or groups of
persons to pay instrument  funding  charges  as  so  adjusted
shall not be subject to any defense, counterclaim or right of
set  off  arising  as  a  result  of failure by the pertinent
electric utility  to  comply  with  this  subsection  (k)  of
Section  18-104.   Nothing  in this subsection (k) of Section
18-104 shall restrict any retail  customer  or  other  person
from  bringing  any  suit in any court or from exercising any
other legal or equitable remedy against an  electric  utility
for  any failure by such electric utility to comply with this
subsection (k) of Section 18-104.
    (l)  The intangible transition property created  under  a
transitional  funding order and the authority of the grantee,
assignee, issuer, electric utility or other person authorized
thereunder to impose and collect instrument  funding  charges
shall  continue  beyond  the  final  date  set  forth  in the
applicable transitional funding order until such time as  all
grantee  instruments  authorized  in  such  order  or, if the
applicable transitional funding order does  not  provide  for
grantee   instruments,   the   related  transitional  funding
instruments authorized in such order, have been paid in full.
    Upon the later  of  the  final  date  set  forth  in  the
applicable  transitional funding order for the imposition and
collection of instrument funding charges or the repayment  in
full  of  any  grantee  instruments  or  transitional funding
instruments, as applicable, authorized  in  such  order,  the
authority  to  impose  and  collect  the  related  instrument
funding charges shall cease and the relevant electric utility
shall  be  entitled  to  file tariffs revoking any deductions
from base  rates,  transition  charges  or  other  rates  for
tariffed  services which were granted in connection with such
instrument funding charges  pursuant  to  subsection  (j)  of
Section  18-104  or  subsection  (k)  of Section 18-104.  The
Commission shall have no authority  to  review  such  tariffs
except to determine that the rates and charges resulting from
such  revocation  do  not  exceed  the applicable base rates,
transition charges, or  other  rates  for  tariffed  services
which would otherwise have been in effect at the time of such
revocation  had  no  instrument  funding  charges  ever  been
deducted therefrom.
    (m)  If  so  requested  by  an  electric  utility  in its
application for a transitional funding order, the Commission,
in the relevant transitional funding order, may authorize (i)
the  issuance  of  grantee  instruments  and/or  transitional
funding instruments with expected maturity dates  later  than
December  31,  2008  but not later than December 31, 2010 and
(ii) the imposition  and  collection  of  instrument  funding
charges  by  electric utilities, grantees, or assignees later
than December 31, 2008 but not later than December  31,  2010
if  the  electric  utility  includes in its application a pro
forma calculation of  the  impact  of  the  issuance  of  the
transitional  funding  instruments or grantee instruments and
the associated use of proceeds  on  the  revenue  requirement
established  by the Commission in the electric utility's last
rate  case,  with  such  calculation  to  be  presented   for
illustrative purposes only, and the Commission, in its review
of  the  relevant  application  for  the transitional funding
order, finds that such action is in the public  interest  and
that  the  instrument  funding  charges  to be applied toward
payment of transitional funding  instruments  after  December
31,  2008  will be deducted, stated, and collected separately
from base  rates  and,  where  applicable,  other  rates  for
tariffed  services  otherwise  in  effect at such time and as
scheduled to be in  effect  through  such  expected  maturity
date.

    (220 ILCS 5/18-105 new)
    Sec. 18-105.  Intangible transition property.
    (a)  Notwithstanding  any  other provision of this Act or
other law, the Commission is hereby authorized, in accordance
with the application for a  transitional  funding  order,  to
create,   establish   and  grant  rights  in,  to  and  under
intangible  transition  property  in  and  to  any   grantee,
electric utility, issuer or assignee, and such party shall be
granted the power to levy general tariffs on retail customers
of an electric utility or any other person required to pay an
instrument  funding charge in order to collect the instrument
funding charges related to the intangible transition property
in which such party has been granted rights and in  order  to
facilitate  the  issuance of transitional funding instruments
and grantee instruments, if any,  to,  by  or  on  behalf  of
electric  utilities,  grantees,  issuers  or  assignees.  The
Commission shall be authorized to create, establish and grant
such rights hereunder in and to such party  with  or  without
receiving consideration from such party.
    (b)  The  State pledges to and agrees with the holders of
any transitional  funding  instruments  who  may  enter  into
contracts  with  an  electric  utility,  grantee, assignee or
issuer pursuant to this Article XVIII that the State will not
in any way limit,  alter,  impair  or  reduce  the  value  of
intangible  transition  property  created  by,  or instrument
funding charges approved by, a transitional funding order  so
as  to impair the terms of any contract made by such electric
utility, grantee, assignee or issuer with such holders or  in
any  way impair the rights and remedies of such holders until
the  pertinent  grantee  instruments  or,  if   the   related
transitional  funding order does not provide for the issuance
of grantee instruments, the  pertinent  transitional  funding
instruments  and  interest, premium and other fees, costs and
charges related thereto, as the case may be, are  fully  paid
and discharged.  Electric utilities, grantees and issuers are
authorized  to  include  these  pledges and agreements of the
State in  any  contract  with  the  holders  of  transitional
funding  instruments  or  with any assignees pursuant to this
Article XVIII and any assignees are similarly  authorized  to
include  these  pledges  and  agreements  of the State in any
contract with any  issuer,  holder  or  any  other  assignee.
Nothing  in  this  Article  XVIII shall preclude the State of
Illinois from  requiring  adjustments  as  may  otherwise  be
allowed   by  law  to  the  electric  utility's  base  rates,
transition  charges,  delivery  services  charges,  or  other
charges for tariffed services, so long as any such adjustment
does not directly affect or  impair  any  instrument  funding
charges previously authorized by a transitional funding order
issued by the Commission.
    (c)  Transitional   funding   instruments   and   grantee
instruments,  if  any,  issued  under  this  Article  do  not
constitute debt or liability of the State or of any political
subdivision   thereof,   and   transitional   funding  orders
authorizing such issuance do not constitute a pledge  of  the
full faith and credit of the State or of any of its political
subdivisions.    The   issuance   of   transitional   funding
instruments  and  grantee  instruments,  if  any,  under this
Article  shall  not  directly,  indirectly  or   contingently
obligate  the  State  or any political subdivision thereof to
levy or to pledge any form of taxation therefor  or  to  make
any   appropriation   for   their   payment,   and  any  such
transitional funding instruments and grantee instruments,  if
any,  shall  be payable solely from the intangible transition
property or grantee instruments, as the case may be, or  from
such  other  proceeds or property as may be pledged therefor.
Nothing in this Section shall be  construed  to  prevent  the
State  or  any  political subdivision thereof from owning any
interest in a grantee, assignee or issuer or to  prevent  any
electric  utility,  issuer, grantee or assignee from selling,
pledging  or  assigning  intangible  transition  property  or
grantee instruments, as the case may be,  or  from  providing
recourse  or  guarantees  or  any  other  third-party  credit
enhancement   in   connection   with  such  sale,  pledge  or
assignment.

    (220 ILCS 5/18-106 new)
    Sec. 18-106.  Grantee instruments.
    (a)  If an electric utility to which grantee  instruments
have  been  issued  discontinues providing electric power and
energy services prior to the maturity date  of  such  grantee
instruments,  such  electric utility shall not be entitled to
receive any payment on such grantee instruments on and  after
the date of such discontinuance.
    (b)  Notwithstanding  the provisions of subsection (a) of
this Section, any assignee holding such  grantee  instruments
or  any  holder of transitional funding instruments which are
secured by such grantee  instruments  shall  nevertheless  be
entitled  to  recover  amounts  payable by such grantee under
such grantee instruments in accordance with their terms as if
such electric utility had not discontinued the  provision  of
electric power and energy.
    (c)  Notwithstanding  any  other  provision  of  law, the
issuance of any grantee instruments in  accordance  with  the
terms  and  provisions  of a transitional funding order shall
for all purposes be exempt from the application of Article 39
of the Criminal Code of 1961 and the Interest Act.

    (220 ILCS 5/18-107 new)
    Sec. 18-107. Security interests in intangible  transition
property and grantee instruments.
    (a)  Notwithstanding  any other provision of law, neither
intangible transition property, grantee instruments  nor  any
right,  title  or interest therein, shall constitute property
in which a security interest may be created under the Uniform
Commercial Code nor shall any such rights be deemed  proceeds
of  any  property which is not intangible transition property
or grantee instruments, as the case may be.  For purposes  of
the  foregoing,  the terms "account" and "general intangible"
(as defined under Section 9-106 of the    Uniform  Commercial
Code)  and  the  term  "instrument" (as defined under Section
9-105 of the Uniform Commercial Code) shall, as used  in  the
Uniform  Commercial  Code,  be  deemed  to  exclude  any such
intangible transition property, grantee  instruments  or  any
right, title, or interest therein.
    (b)  The granting, perfection and enforcement of security
interests   in  intangible  transition  property  or  grantee
instruments are governed  by  this  Section  rather  than  by
Article 9 of the Uniform Commercial Code.
    (c)  A   valid   and  enforceable  security  interest  in
intangible transition property  and  in  grantee  instruments
shall  attach  and  be  perfected only by the means set forth
below in this subsection (c) of Section 18-107:
         (1)  To the extent transitional funding  instruments
    or  grantee  instruments  are  purported to be secured by
    intangible  transition  property   or   to   the   extent
    transitional  funding  instruments  are  purported  to be
    secured by grantee instruments, as the case  may  be,  as
    specified  in  the applicable transitional funding order,
    the lien of  the  transitional  funding  instruments  and
    grantee  instruments,  if any, shall attach automatically
    to  such  intangible  transition  property  and   grantee
    instruments,  if  any,  from  the time of issuance of the
    transitional funding instruments and grantee instruments,
    if any.  Such lien  shall  be  a  valid  and  enforceable
    security  interest  in the intangible transition property
    or the grantee instruments, as the case may be,  securing
    the   transitional   funding   instruments   and  grantee
    instruments, if any, and shall be continuously  perfected
    if,  before  the  date  of  issuance  of  the  applicable
    transitional  funding instruments or grantee instruments,
    if any, or within no more  than  10  days  thereafter,  a
    filing  has  been made by or on behalf of the holder with
    the Chief Clerk  of  the  Commission  stating  that  such
    transitional  funding instruments or grantee instruments,
    if any, have been issued.  Any such filing made with  the
    Commission   in  respect  to  such  transitional  funding
    instruments or grantee instruments shall take  precedence
    over  any  subsequent  filing  except as may otherwise be
    provided in the applicable transitional funding order.
         (2)  The   liens   under   subparagraph   (1)    are
    enforceable  against  the electric utility, any assignee,
    grantee or  issuer,  and  all  third  parties,  including
    judicial  lien  creditors,  subject only to the rights of
    any third  parties  holding  security  interests  in  the
    intangible  transition  property  or  grantee instruments
    previously perfected in  the  manner  described  in  this
    subsection  if  value has been given by the purchasers of
    transitional funding instruments or grantee  instruments.
    A  perfected  lien  in intangible transition property and
    grantee instruments, if any, is a continuously  perfected
    security  interest  in  all  then  existing or thereafter
    arising revenues and proceeds arising with respect to the
    associated  intangible  transition  property  or  grantee
    instruments, as the case  may  be,  whether  or  not  the
    electric  power and energy included in the calculation of
    such revenues and proceeds have been provided.  The  lien
    created  under  this  subsection  is  perfected and ranks
    prior to any other lien,  including  any  judicial  lien,
    which  subsequently attaches to the intangible transition
    property or grantee instruments, as the case may be,  and
    to  any  other rights created by the transitional funding
    order or any revenues or proceeds of the foregoing.   The
    relative priority of a lien created under this subsection
    is  not  defeated or adversely affected by changes to the
    transitional funding order or to the  instrument  funding
    charges  payable  by any retail customer, class of retail
    customers or other person or group of  persons  obligated
    to pay such charges.
         (3)  The  relative  priority of a lien created under
    this subsection is not defeated or adversely affected  by
    the  commingling  of  revenues  arising  with  respect to
    intangible transition  property  or  grantee  instruments
    with  funds of the electric utility or other funds of the
    assignee, issuer or grantee.
         (4)  If   an   event   of   default   occurs   under
    transitional funding instruments or grantee  instruments,
    the  holders thereof or their authorized representatives,
    as secured parties, may foreclose  or  otherwise  enforce
    the  lien in the grantee instruments or in the intangible
    transition property  securing  the  transitional  funding
    instruments   or   grantee  instruments,  as  applicable,
    subject to the rights of any third parties holding  prior
    security  interests in the intangible transition property
    or grantee instruments previously perfected in the manner
    provided in this subsection.   Upon  application  by  the
    holders  or  their  authorized  representatives,  without
    limiting their other remedies, the Commission shall order
    the  sequestration  and  payment  to the holders or their
    authorized  representatives  of  revenues  arising   with
    respect  to the intangible transition property or grantee
    instruments pledged to the holders.  An order under  this
    subsection   shall   remain  in  full  force  and  effect
    notwithstanding any bankruptcy, reorganization, or  other
    insolvency  proceedings  with  respect  to  the  electric
    utility, grantee, assignee or issuer.
         (5)  The   Commission   shall   maintain  segregated
    records which reflect the date and time of receipt of all
    filings made under this subsection.  The  Commission  may
    provide  that transfers of intangible transition property
    or of grantee instruments be filed in accordance with the
    same system.

    (220 ILCS 5/18-108 new)
    Sec. 18-108.   Characterization  of  transfer.   A  sale,
assignment   or   other  transfer  of  intangible  transition
property or grantee instruments which is expressly stated  in
the  documents  governing   such  transaction to be a sale or
other absolute transfer,  in  a  transaction  approved  in  a
transitional  funding  order, shall be treated as an absolute
transfer of all of the transferor's right, title and interest
in, to and  under  such  intangible  transition  property  or
grantee  instruments  which  places such transferred property
beyond the reach of the transferor or its creditors, as in  a
true  sale,  and  not as a pledge or other financing, of such
intangible transition property or grantee instruments, as the
case may be; provided, however,  that  whether  or  not  such
transfer  is  deemed  to  be  a sale for federal tax purposes
shall be governed by applicable law without  regard  to  this
Section 18-108.  The characterization of any such transfer as
an  absolute  transfer and the corresponding characterization
of the transferee's property interest shall not  be  defeated
or  adversely  affected  by,  among  other  things:  (i)  the
commingling  of  revenues  arising with respect to intangible
transition property or grantee instruments, as the  case  may
be,  with funds of the electric utility or other funds of the
assignee, issuer or grantee;  (ii)  granting  to  holders  of
transitional  funding  instruments  a  preferred right to the
intangible transition property, whether direct  or  indirect;
(iii)   the  provision  by  the  electric  utility,  grantee,
assignee, or issuer of any  recourse,  collateral  or  credit
enhancement  with respect to transitional funding instruments
or  grantee  instruments,  as  the  case  may  be;  (iv)  the
retention by the assigning party of a partial interest in any
intangible transition property, whether direct  or  indirect,
or  whether  subordinate  or  otherwise;  or (v) the electric
utility's responsibilities for collecting instrument  funding
charges and any retention of bare legal title for the purpose
of   such  collection  activities;  provided,  however,  that
nothing in  this  Section  18-108  is  intended  to  preclude
consideration  of  such  provisions in determining whether or
not such transfer is deemed to be  a  sale  for  federal  tax
purposes  under other applicable law.  A sale, assignment, or
other transfer of intangible transition property  or  grantee
instruments, as the case may be, shall be deemed perfected as
against third persons, including any judicial lien creditors,
when all of the following have taken place:
         (1)  The  Commission  has  issued  the  transitional
    funding   order   creating   the   intangible  transition
    property; and
         (2)  A  sale,  assignment   or   transfer   of   the
    intangible transition property or grantee instruments, as
    the  case  may  be,  has  been  executed and delivered in
    writing by the electric utility.

    (220 ILCS 5/18-109 new)
    Sec.  18-109.  Actions   with   respect   to   intangible
transition property and related instrument funding charges.
    (a)  Notwithstanding  any  other provision of this Act or
other law, any electric utility, issuer, assignee, grantee or
holder shall be expressly permitted hereby  to  bring  action
against  a  retail customer or other person for nonpayment of
any instrument funding charges constituting  a  part  of  the
intangible  transition  property  then  held by such electric
utility, issuer, assignee, grantee or holder. Notwithstanding
any other provision of this Act, any  such  action  shall  be
subject  to any and all applicable consumer credit protection
laws and other laws relating to origination,  collection  and
reporting of consumer credit obligations.
    (b)  Notwithstanding  any  other provision of this Act or
other law, the Commission shall have  exclusive  jurisdiction
over any dispute arising out of the obligations to impose and
collect  instrument  funding  charges of an electric utility,
its successor or any other  entity  which  provides  electric
power  or  energy  or delivery services to a person from whom
the electric utility  is  authorized  to  recover  transition
charges  under Section 16-108.  Nothing in this Section shall
prevent  holders from bringing any suit in any court or  from
exercising  any  other  legal  or equitable remedy against an
electric utility for failure  to  distribute  collections  of
instrument  funding charges from retail customers, classes of
retail customers or  other  persons  or  from  bringing  suit
against  an  electric  utility  for  damages arising from any
failure by such electric utility to perform  the  contractual
obligations agreed to by it under any documents pertaining to
or  executed  in  connection  with  the  transitional funding
instruments issued by or on behalf of such electric utility.

    (220 ILCS 5/18-110 new)
    Sec.  18-110.  Taxation  of   transfers   of   intangible
transition property and grantee instruments.
    (a)  Any  sale,  pledge,  assignment or other transfer of
intangible transition property and  grantee  instruments,  if
any,  shall  be exempt from any State or local sales, income,
transfers, gains, receipts or similar taxes.
    (b)  Any transfer of intangible transition  property  and
grantee  instruments, if any, shall be treated as a pledge or
other financing for State tax purposes, including  State  and
local  income  and  franchise  taxes,  unless  the  documents
governing  such transfer specifically state that the transfer
is intended to be treated otherwise.

    (225 ILCS 5/18-111 new)
    Sec. 18-111.  Limitations  on  issuance  of  transitional
funding orders, collection of instrument funding charges, and
use   of  proceeds  from  issuance  of  transitional  funding
instruments and grantee instruments.
    Notwithstanding any  other  provisions  of  this  Article
XVIII:
    (1)  The  Commission shall be prohibited from issuing any
transitional funding order prior to January 1, 1998,  and  no
electric   utility   shall  issue  any  transitional  funding
instrument or grantee instrument, prior to August 1, 1998, or
after December 31, 2004.
    (2)  The Commission shall be authorized to include in any
transitional funding order an  expiration  date  after  which
date  the  electric  utility shall no longer be authorized to
issue transitional funding instruments or grantee instruments
pursuant to such order, provided, that  any  such  expiration
date  specified  in  a transitional funding order shall be no
earlier than 24 months following the date of issuance of  the
relevant transitional funding order.
    (3)  No electric utility shall be allowed to increase its
rates  for  tariffed services, including delivery charges, or
its transition charges, above the level or levels which would
have been allowed in accordance with this Act if the electric
utility were not authorized to impose and collect  instrument
funding charges.
    (4)  Any   transitional   funding  order  issued  by  the
Commission shall set forth,  based  on  the  information  set
forth  in  the electric utility's application, the procedures
to be followed by the  electric  utility  for  assuring  that
proceeds  from  the  issuance  of  the  transitional  funding
instruments  or  grantee instruments authorized by such order
are applied in accordance with the terms of the order.    Any
use  by  an electric utility of the proceeds from issuance of
transitional funding instruments or grantee instruments other
than  in  accordance  with  the  purposes  specified  in  the
relevant  transitional  funding  order  of  the   Commission,
pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 18-103, shall be void.

    Section  10.  The  Public  Utilities  Act  is  amended by
changing Sections 3-105, 5-104, 6-102, 7-101,  7-102,  7-204,
7-206, 8-406, 8-503, 8-510, 9-201.5, 9-220, 9-244, and 10-113
and adding Section 4-404 as follows:

    (220 ILCS 5/3-105) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 3-105)
    Sec.  3-105.  Public  utility. "Public utility" means and
includes, except where otherwise expressly provided  in  this
Section,   every   corporation,  company,  limited  liability
company, association, joint  stock  company  or  association,
firm,  partnership or individual, their lessees, trustees, or
receivers  appointed  by  any  court  whatsoever  that  owns,
controls, operates or manages, within this State, directly or
indirectly, for public use, any plant, equipment or  property
used  or  to  be  used  for or in connection with, or owns or
controls any franchise, license, permit or  right  to  engage
in:
         a.  the  production,  storage,  transmission,  sale,
    delivery or furnishing of heat, cold, power, electricity,
    water,   or   light,   except   when   used   solely  for
    communications purposes;
         b.  the disposal of sewerage; or
         c.  the conveyance of oil or gas by pipe line.
    "Public utility" does not include, however:
         1.  public utilities that are owned and operated  by
    any  political  subdivision, public institution of higher
    education or municipal  corporation  of  this  State,  or
    public   utilities  that  are  owned  by  such  political
    subdivision, public institution of higher  education,  or
    municipal  corporation and operated by any of its lessees
    or operating agents;
         2.  water  companies   which   are   purely   mutual
    concerns,  having  no  rates or charges for services, but
    paying the operating  expenses  by  assessment  upon  the
    members of such a company and no other person;
         3.  electric  cooperatives  as  defined  in  Section
    3-119;
         4.  residential  natural  gas  cooperatives that are
    not-for-profit corporations established for  the  purpose
    of  administering  and operating, on a cooperative basis,
    the furnishing of  natural  gas  to  residences  for  the
    benefit of their members who are residential consumers of
    natural  gas.   For  entities  qualifying  as residential
    natural gas cooperatives and recognized by  the  Illinois
    Commerce  Commission  as  such, the State shall guarantee
    legally binding contracts  entered  into  by  residential
    natural  gas  cooperatives  for  the  express  purpose of
    acquiring natural gas supplies for  their  members.   The
    Illinois  Commerce  Commission  shall establish rules and
    regulations providing for  such  guarantees.   The  total
    liability  of  the State in providing all such guarantees
    shall not at any time exceed $1,000,000,  nor  shall  the
    State  provide  such a guarantee to a residential natural
    gas cooperative for more than 3 consecutive years;
         5.  sewage disposal companies which  provide  sewage
    disposal  services on a mutual basis without establishing
    rates or charges for services, but paying  the  operating
    expenses  by  assessment  upon the members of the company
    and no others;
         6.  (Blank);
         7.  cogeneration facilities, small power  production
    facilities,  and  other qualifying facilities, as defined
    in  the  Public  Utility  Regulatory  Policies  Act   and
    regulations  promulgated thereunder, except to the extent
    State regulatory jurisdiction and action is  required  or
    authorized   by   federal  law,  regulations,  regulatory
    decisions or the decisions of federal or State courts  of
    competent jurisdiction; and
         8.  the  ownership  or  operation of a facility that
    sells compressed natural gas at retail to the public  for
    use  only  as  a  motor  vehicle  fuel and the selling of
    compressed natural gas at retail to the  public  for  use
    only as a motor vehicle fuel; and.
         9.  alternative retail electric suppliers as defined
    in Article XVI.
    For the purpose of the least-cost planning obligations of
Section  8-401  and  for  all  of Section 8-402, the Illinois
Commerce Commission may, for good cause shown  in  individual
cases,  exclude  from  the  meaning  of  "public utility" the
electric operations  of  any  public  utility,  as  otherwise
defined  in  this Act, which serves less than 20,000 electric
customers within the State of Illinois, or the gas operations
of any public utility, as  otherwise  defined  in  this  Act,
which  serves less than 20,000 gas customers within the State
of Illinois.
(Source: P.A. 88-480; 89-42, eff. 1-1-96.)

    (220 ILCS 5/4-404 new)
    Sec. 4-404.  Protection of confidential  and  proprietary
information.    The   Commission   shall   provide   adequate
protection   for  confidential  and  proprietary  information
furnished, delivered or filed by any person,  corporation  or
other entity.

    (220 ILCS 5/5-104) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 5-104)
    Sec. 5-104. Depreciation accounts.
    (a)  The  Commission  shall have power, after hearing, to
require any or all public utilities, except  electric  public
utilities,  to  keep such accounts as will adequately reflect
depreciation, obsolescence and the progress of the arts.  The
Commission  may,  from  time to time, ascertain and determine
and by order fix the proper and adequate rate of depreciation
of the several classes of property for each  public  utility;
and  each  public  utility  shall  conform  its  depreciation
accounts to the rates so ascertained, determined and fixed.
    (b)  The  Commission shall have the power, after hearing,
to require any or all electric public utilities to keep  such
accounts    as    will   adequately   reflect   depreciation,
obsolescence, and the progress of the arts.   The  Commission
may,  from time to time, ascertain and determine and by order
fix the proper and  adequate  rate  of  depreciation  of  the
several classes of property for each electric public utility;
and  each  electric  public  utility shall thereafter, absent
further order of the  Commission,  conform  its  depreciation
accounts  to  the  rates so ascertained, determined and fixed
until at least the  end  of  the  first  full  calendar  year
following the date of such determination.
    (c)  An  electric  public  utility  may from time to time
alter the annual rates of depreciation, which for purposes of
this  subsection  (c)  and  subsection  (d)   shall   include
amortization,  that  it  applies  to  its  several classes of
assets so long as the rates  are  consistent  with  generally
accepted  accounting principles.  The electric public utility
shall file a statement with the Commission  which  shall  set
forth the new rates of depreciation and which shall contain a
certification  by  an independent certified public accountant
that the  new  rates  of  depreciation  are  consistent  with
generally accepted accounting principles.  Upon the filing of
such statement, the new rates of depreciation shall be deemed
to be approved by the Commission as the rates of depreciation
to  be  applied thereafter by the public utility as though an
order had been entered pursuant to subsection (b).
    (d)  In any  proceeding  conducted  pursuant  to  Section
9-201  or 9-202 to set an electric public utility's rates for
service,  the  Commission  may  determine  not  to  use,   in
determining  the depreciation expense component of the public
utility's  rates  for  service,  the  rates  of  depreciation
established pursuant to subsection (c), if the Commission  in
that  proceeding  finds  based  on  the record that different
rates of depreciation  are  required  to  adequately  reflect
depreciation,  obsolescence and the progress of the arts, and
fixes by order and uses for purposes of that  proceeding  new
rates  of  depreciation  to  be  thereafter  employed  by the
electric public utility until  the  end  of  the  first  full
calendar  year  following  the  date of the determination and
thereafter until altered in accordance with subsection (b) or
(c) of this Section.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/6-102) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 6-102)
    Sec. 6-102. Authorization of issues of stock.
    (a)  Subject to the provisions of this  Act  and  of  the
order  of  the  Commission  issued as provided in this Act, a
public utility may issue stocks and stock  certificates,  and
bonds,  notes  and other evidences of indebtedness payable at
periods of more than 12 months after the date thereof for any
lawful purpose. However, such public utility shall first have
secured from the Commission an order authorizing  such  issue
and stating the amount thereof and the purpose or purposes to
which  the  issue  or the proceeds thereof are to be applied,
and that  in  the  opinion  of  the  Commission,  the  money,
property or labor to be procured or paid for by such issue is
reasonably  required for the purpose or purposes specified in
the order.
    (b)  The provisions of this subsection  (b)  shall  apply
only  to  (1)  any issuances of stock in a cumulative amount,
exclusive of any issuances referred to in item (3), that  are
10%  or  more in a calendar year or 20% or more in a 24-month
period of the total common stockholders'  equity  or  of  the
total  amount of preferred stock outstanding, as the case may
be, of the public utility, and (2) to any issuances of bonds,
notes or other evidences  of  indebtedness  in  a  cumulative
principal  amount,  exclusive of any issuances referred to in
item (3), that are 10% or more in a calendar year or  20%  or
more  in  a 24-month period of the aggregate principal amount
of bonds, notes and other evidences of  indebtedness  of  the
public  utility  outstanding,  all  as  of  the  date  of the
issuance, but shall not apply to (3) any issuances  of  stock
or  of bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness 90% or
more of the proceeds of which are to be used  by  the  public
utility  for  purposes of refunding, redeeming or refinancing
outstanding issues of stock, bonds, notes or other  evidences
of  indebtedness.  To  enable it to determine whether it will
issue the such order  required  by  subsection  (a)  of  this
Section, the Commission may shall hold a hearing and may make
such  additional  inquiry  or investigation, and examine such
witnesses, books, papers, accounts, documents  and  contracts
and  require  the  filing  of  such  data  as  it may deem of
assistance.  The  public  utility  may  be  required  by  the
Commission to disclose every interest  of  the  directors  of
such  public  utility in any transaction under investigation.
The Commission shall  have  power  to  investigate  all  such
transactions  and  to inquire into the good faith thereof, to
examine books, papers, accounts, documents and  contracts  of
public utilities, construction or other companies or of firms
or  individuals  with  whom the public utility shall have had
financial transactions, for the purpose  of  enabling  it  to
verify  any  statements  furnished,  and  to examine into the
actual value of property acquired by or services rendered  to
such   public   utility.   Before   issuing  its  order,  the
Commission, when it is deemed necessary  by  the  Commission,
shall  make an adequate physical valuation of all property of
the public utility, but a valuation already made under proper
public supervision may be adopted,  either  in  whole  or  in
part,  at  the  discretion  of the Commission; and shall also
examine all previously authorized or  outstanding  securities
of  the public utility, and fixed charges attached thereto. A
statement of the results of such physical  valuation,  and  a
statement  of  the  character  of all outstanding securities,
together with the conditions under which they are held, shall
be included in the order. The  Commission  may  require  that
such  information  or  such part thereof as it thinks proper,
shall appear upon the stock, stock certificate, bond, note or
other evidence of indebtedness authorized by its  order.  The
Commission may by its order grant permission for the issue of
such  stock  certificates, or bonds, notes or other evidences
of indebtedness in the amount applied for,  or  in  a  lesser
amount,  or not at all, and may attach to the exercise of its
permission such  condition  or  conditions  as  it  may  deem
reasonable  and  necessary.  Nothing  in  this  Section shall
prevent a public utility from  seeking,  nor  the  Commission
from   approving,  a  shelf  registration  plan  for  issuing
securities  over  a  reasonable  period  in  accordance  with
regulations established by the United States  Securities  and
Exchange  Commission.   Any  securities issued pursuant to an
approved shelf registration plan need not be further approved
by the Commission so long as they are in compliance with  the
approved  shelf  registration plan. The Commission shall have
the power to refuse its approval  of  applications  to  issue
securities,  in  whole  or  in  part, upon a finding that the
issue  of  such  securities  would  be  contrary  to   public
interest.  The Commission may also require the public utility
to compile for the information of its shareholders such facts
in regard to its financial transactions, in such form as  the
Commission may direct.
    No  public  utility  shall,  without  the  consent of the
Commission,  apply  the  issue  of   any   stock   or   stock
certificates,   or   bond,   note   or   other   evidence  of
indebtedness, which was issued pursuant to an  order  of  the
Commission  entered  pursuant  to this subsection (b), or any
part thereof, or any proceeds thereof,  to  any  purpose  not
specified  in  the  Commission's  order  or  to  any  purpose
specified  in  the Commission's order in excess of the amount
authorized for such purpose; or issue or dispose of the  same
on  any  terms  less  favorable  than those specified in such
order, or a modification thereof. The Commission  shall  have
the  power  to  require  public  utilities to account for the
disposition of the proceeds of all sales of stocks and  stock
certificates,   and  bonds,  notes  and  other  evidences  of
indebtedness, which were issued pursuant to an order  of  the
Commission  entered  pursuant to this subsection (b), in such
form and detail as it may deem advisable,  and  to  establish
such  rules  and  regulations  as  it may deem reasonable and
necessary to insure the disposition of such proceeds for  the
purpose or purposes specified in its order.
    (c)  A   public  utility  may  issue  notes,  for  proper
purposes, and not in violation of any provision of  this  Act
or  any  other  Act,  payable  at periods of not more than 12
months after the date of issuance of the  same,  without  the
consent  of  the Commission; but no such note shall, in whole
or in part, be renewed or be refunded from  the  proceeds  of
any  other such note or evidence of indebtedness from time to
time without the consent of the Commission for  an  aggregate
period of longer than 2 two years.
    (d)  Any  issuance  of  stock or of bonds, notes or other
evidences of indebtedness,  other  than  issuances  of  notes
pursuant  to  subsection  (c)  of  this Section, which is not
subject to subsection (b) of this Section, shall be regulated
by the Commission as follows:  the public utility shall  file
with  the Commission, at least 15 days before the date of the
issuance, an informational statement setting forth  the  type
and  amount of the issue and the purpose or purposes to which
the issue or the proceeds thereof are to be  applied.   Prior
to the date of the issuance specified in the public utility's
filing,  the Commission, if it finds that the issuance is not
subject to subsection (b) of  this  Section,  shall  issue  a
written  order  in  conformance  with  subsection (a) of this
Section authorizing the issuance.  Notwithstanding any  other
provisions  of  this  Act,  the  Commission  may delegate its
authority to enter the order required by this subsection  (d)
to a hearing examiner.
    (e)  The  Commission shall have no power to authorize the
capitalization of the  right  to  be  a  corporation,  or  to
authorize  the  capitalization  of any franchise, license, or
permit whatsoever or the right to own, operate or  enjoy  any
such  franchise,  license, or permit, in excess of the amount
(exclusive of any tax or annual charge) actually paid to  the
State   or   to   a  political  subdivision  thereof  as  the
consideration for  the  grant  of  such  franchise,  license,
permit  or right; nor shall any contract for consolidation or
lease be capitalized, nor shall any public utility  hereafter
issue  any  bonds,  notes  or other evidences of indebtedness
against or as a lien, upon any contract for consolidation  or
merger.
    (f)  The  provisions  of  this Section shall not apply to
public utilities which are not corporations duly incorporated
under the laws of this State to  the  extent  that  any  such
public  utility  may  issue  stock,  bonds,  notes  or  other
evidences   of   indebtedness   not  directly  or  indirectly
constituting or creating a lien or charge  on,  or  right  to
profits  from,  any  property  used  or  useful  in rendering
service within this State. Nothing  in  this  Section  or  in
Section  6-104  of  this  Act shall be construed to require a
common  carrier  by  railroad  subject  to  Part  I  of   the
Interstate  Commerce  Act,  being  part of an Act of the 49th
Congress of the United States entitled "An  Act  to  Regulate
Commerce",   as   amended,  to  secure  from  the  Commission
authority to issue or  execute  or  deliver  any  conditional
sales contract or similar contract or instrument reserving or
retaining title in the seller for all or part of the purchase
price  of  equipment or property used or to be used for or in
connection with the transportation of persons or property.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/7-101) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 7-101)
    Sec. 7-101. Transactions with affiliated interests.
    (1)  The Commission shall have jurisdiction over  holders
of the voting capital stock of all public utilities under the
jurisdiction  of  the  Commission  to  such  extent as may be
necessary to enable the Commission to require the  disclosure
of the identity in respective interests of every owner of any
substantial  interest in such voting capital stocks.  One per
centum or more is a substantial interest, within the  meaning
of this subdivision.
    (2)  (i)  Except as provided in subparagraph (ii) of this
subsection (2), tThe Commission shall have jurisdiction  over
affiliated   interests   having   transactions,   other  than
ownership of stock and receipt  of  dividends  thereon,  with
public utilities under the jurisdiction of the Commission, to
the  extent  of  access  to  all accounts and records of such
affiliated interests relating to such transactions, including
access to accounts and records of joint or general  expenses,
any  portion of which may be applicable to such transactions;
and to the extent of authority to require such  reports  with
respect   to  such  transactions  to  be  submitted  by  such
affiliated interests, as the Commission may prescribe.
    (ii)  The  Commission  shall   have   jurisdiction   over
affiliated   interests   having   transactions,   other  than
ownership of stock and receipt  of  dividends  thereon,  with
electric  and  gas public utilities under the jurisdiction of
the Commission, to the extent of access to all  accounts  and
records   of  such  affiliated  interests  relating  to  such
transactions, including access to  accounts  and  records  of
joint  and  general  expenses with the electric or gas public
utility any portion of which is related to such transactions;
and to the extent of authority to require such  reports  with
respect   to  such  transactions  to  be  submitted  by  such
affiliated  interests,  as  the  Commission  may   prescribe;
provided,  however,  that  prior to requesting such access or
reports from the affiliated interest,  the  Commission  shall
first  seek  to obtain the information that would be included
in such accounts, records or reports from the public utility.
The Commission shall not have  access  to  any  accounts  and
records  of,  or  require  any  reports  from,  an affiliated
interest that are not related  to  a  transaction,  including
without  limitation  a  transfer  or  exchange of tangible or
intangible assets, with the electric or gas  public  utility.
Nothing  in  this  paragraph shall limit the authority of the
Commission otherwise provided under this Act to  have  access
to  accounts  and records of, or to require reports from, the
electric or gas public utility  or  to  prescribe  guidelines
which  the  electric  or  gas  public  utility must follow in
allocating costs to transactions with affiliated interests.
    For the purpose of this Section, the  phrase  "affiliated
interests" means:
    (a)  Every  corporation  and  person  owning  or holding,
directly or indirectly, 10% or more  of  the  voting  capital
stock of such public utility;
    (b)  Every   corporation  and  person  in  any  chain  of
successive ownership of 10% or more of voting capital stock;
    (c)  Every corporation,  10%  or  more  of  whose  voting
capital  stock  is  owned by any person or corporation owning
10% or more of  the  voting  capital  stock  of  such  public
utility, or by any person or corporation in any such chain of
successive ownership of 10% or more of voting capital stock;
    (d)  Every  corporation,  10%  or  more  of  whose voting
securities is owned, directly or indirectly  by  such  public
utility;
    (e)  Every  person who is an elective officer or director
of such public utility or of any corporation in any chain  of
successive ownership of 10% or more of voting capital stock;
    (f)  Every  corporation  which  has  one or more elective
officers or one or more directors in common with such  public
utility;
    (g)  Every corporation or person which the Commission may
determine as a matter of fact after investigation and hearing
is  actually  exercising  any  substantial influence over the
policies and actions of such public utility even though  such
influence  is  not  based  upon  stock holding, stockholders,
directors  or  officers  to  the  extent  specified  in  this
Section;
    (h)  Every  person  or  corporation  who  or  which   the
Commission   may   determine   as  a  matter  of  fact  after
investigation  and  hearing  is  actually   exercising   such
substantial  influence  over the policies and actions of such
public  utility  in  conjunction  with  one  or  more   other
corporations  or  persons with which or whom they are related
by ownership or blood relationship or by  action  in  concert
that  together  they  are affiliated with such public utility
within the meaning of this Section even though no one of them
alone is so affiliated.
    No such person or corporation is  affiliated  within  the
meaning   of   this   Section  however,  if  such  person  or
corporation is otherwise subject to the jurisdiction  of  the
Commission   or  such  person  or  corporation  has  not  had
transactions or dealings other than the holding of stock  and
the  receipt  of  dividends  thereon with such public utility
during the 2 year period next preceding.
    (3)  No management,  construction,  engineering,  supply,
financial  or similar contract and no contract or arrangement
for the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property  or
for  the  furnishing  of  any  service,  property  or  thing,
hereafter  made with any affiliated interest, as hereinbefore
defined, shall be effective unless it has  first  been  filed
with  and  consented  to  by the Commission or is exempted in
accordance with the provisions of this Section or of  Section
16-111  of  this  Act.   The  Commission  may  condition such
approval in such manner as it may deem necessary to safeguard
the public interest.  If it be found by the Commission, after
investigation and  a  hearing,  that  any  such  contract  or
arrangement is not in the public interest, the Commission may
disapprove  such  contract  or arrangement. Every contract or
arrangement not consented to or excepted by the Commission as
provided for in this Section is void.
    The consent to, or exemption or waiver of consent to, any
contract or arrangement under this Section or Section  16-111
as  required  above, does not constitute approval of payments
thereunder for the purpose of computing expense of  operation
in  any  rate  proceeding.  However, the Commission shall not
require  a  public  utility  to  make  purchases  at   prices
exceeding  the  prices offered by an affiliated interest, and
the  Commission  shall  not  be  required  to  disapprove  or
disallow, solely on the ground that such payments  yield  the
affiliated  interest  a return or rate of return in excess of
that allowed the public utility, any portion of payments  for
purchases from an affiliated interest.
    (4)  The Commission may by general rules applicable alike
to all public utilities affected thereby waive the filing and
necessity   for   approval   of  contracts  and  arrangements
described in subparagraph (3) of this Section in cases of (a)
contracts or arrangements made  in  the  ordinary  course  of
business  for  the  employment  of officers or employees; (b)
contracts or arrangements made  in  the  ordinary  course  of
business  for  the  purchase  of services, supplies, or other
personal property at prices not  exceeding  the  standard  or
prevailing  market  prices,  or  at  prices  or  rates  fixed
pursuant  to  law;  (c)  contracts  or arrangements where the
total obligation  to  be  incurred  under  such  contract  or
arrangement  thereunder  does  not  exceed  the lesser of (i)
$5,000,000 or (ii) 2% of the public utility's  receipts  from
all  tariffed  services  (as  defined  in Article XVI) in the
preceding calendar year  $500;  (d)  the  temporary  leasing,
lending  or interchanging of equipment in the ordinary course
of business or in case of an  emergency;  and  (e)  contracts
made  by  a public utility with a person or corporation whose
bid  is  the  most  favorable  to  the  public  utility,   as
ascertained by competitive bidding under such rules as may be
prescribed  by  the  Commission.   If the Commission, after a
hearing, finds that any public  utility  is  abusing  or  has
abused  such  general  rule and thereby is evading compliance
with the standard  established  herein,  the  Commission  may
require  such  public  utility to thereafter file and receive
the Commission's approval upon  all  such  transactions,  but
that general rule shall remain in full force and effect as to
all other public utilities.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/7-102) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 7-102)
    Sec.  7-102.  Transactions requiring Commission approval.
Unless the consent and approval of the  Commission  is  first
obtained  or unless such approval is waived by the Commission
or is exempted in accordance  with  the  provisions  of  this
Section or of any other Section of this Act:
    (a)  No  2  or  more  public  utilities  may  enter  into
contracts  with  each  other  that  will  enable  such public
utilities to operate their lines or plants in connection with
each other;
    (b)  No public utility may purchase,  lease,  or  in  any
other  manner  acquire  control, direct or indirect, over the
franchises, licenses, permits, plants, equipment, business or
other property of any other public utility;
    (c)  No  public  utility  may  assign,  transfer,  lease,
mortgage, sell (by option or otherwise), or otherwise dispose
of or encumber the whole  or  any  part  of  its  franchises,
licenses,  permits,  plant,  equipment,  business,  or  other
property,  but  the  consent  and  approval of the Commission
shall not be required for  the  sale,  lease,  assignment  or
transfer  (1)  by any public utility of any tangible personal
property which is not necessary or useful in the  performance
of  its  duties  to the public, or (2) by any railroad of any
real or tangible personal property;
    (d)  No public  utility  may  by  any  means,  direct  or
indirect,  merge  or  consolidate  its  franchises, licenses,
permits, plants, equipment, business or other  property  with
that of any other public utility;
    (e)  No  public  utility  may  purchase, acquire, take or
receive any stock, stock certificates, bonds, notes or  other
evidences of indebtedness of any other public utility;
    (f)  No  public  utility  may  in any manner, directly or
indirectly, guarantee the  performance  of  any  contract  or
other  obligation  of  any  other person, firm or corporation
whatsoever;
    (g)  No public utility may use,  appropriate,  or  divert
any  of  its moneys, property or other resources in or to any
business or enterprise which  is  not,  prior  to  such  use,
appropriation or diversion essentially and directly connected
with  or a proper and necessary department or division of the
business  of  such  public  utility;   provided   that   this
subsection  shall  not  be construed as modifying subsections
(a) through (e) of this Section;
    (h)  No  public  utility  may,  directly  or  indirectly,
invest, loan or advance, or permit to be invested, loaned  or
advanced  any  of its moneys, property or other resources in,
for, in behalf of or to any other person, firm, trust, group,
association, company or corporation whatsoever,  except  that
no consent or approval by the Commission is necessary for the
purchase   of   stock   in  development  credit  corporations
organized under the Illinois Development  Credit  Corporation
Act,  providing  that  no such purchase may be made hereunder
if, as a result of such  purchase,  the  cumulative  purchase
price  of  all  such shares owned by the utility would exceed
one-fiftieth of one per cent of the utility's gross operating
revenue for the preceding calendar year.
    (i)  Any public utility may present to the Commission for
approval options or contracts to sell or lease real property,
notwithstanding that the value of the property  under  option
may  have  changed  between  the  date  of the option and the
subsequent date of sale or lease. If the options or contracts
are approved by the Commission, subsequent sales or leases in
conformance with those options or contracts may  be  made  by
the   public  utility  without  any  further  action  by  the
Commission. If approval of the options or contracts is denied
by the Commission, the options or contracts are void and  any
consideration  theretofore paid to the public utility must be
refunded  within  30  days  following  disapproval   of   the
application.
    The   proceedings  for  obtaining  the  approval  of  the
Commission provided for  it  in  this  Section  shall  be  as
follows: There shall be filed with the Commission a petition,
joint  or  otherwise, as the case may be, signed and verified
by the president, any vice president,  secretary,  treasurer,
comptroller,  general  manager,  or  chief  engineer  of  the
respective  companies,  or  by  the person or company, as the
case may be, clearly setting forth the  object  and  purposes
desired, and setting forth the full and complete terms of the
proposed  assignment,  transfer,  lease,  mortgage, purchase,
sale, merger, consolidation, contract or  other  transaction,
as  the  case  may  be. Upon the filing of such petition, the
Commission shall, if it deems necessary, fix a time and place
for the hearing thereon. After such hearing, or  in  case  no
hearing is required, if the Commission is satisfied that such
petition  should  reasonably  be granted, and that the public
will be convenienced thereby, the Commission shall make  such
order  in  the  premises  as  it  may  deem proper and as the
circumstances may require, attaching such  conditions  as  it
may  deem  proper, and thereupon it shall be lawful to do the
things provided for  in  such  order.  The  Commission  shall
impose  such  conditions  as  will  protect  the  interest of
minority and preferred stockholders.
    The  Commission  shall  have  power  by   general   rules
applicable alike to all public utilities, other than electric
and  gas  public  utilities,  affected  thereby  to waive the
filing and necessity for approval of the following: (a) sales
of property  involving  a  consideration  of  not  more  than
$300,000  for  utilities  with  gross  revenues  in excess of
$50,000,000 annually and a consideration  of  not  more  than
$100,000 for all other utilities;  (b)  leases, easements and
licenses involving a consideration or rental of not more than
$30,000  per year for utilities with gross revenues in excess
of $50,000,000 annually and a consideration or rental of  not
more  than  $10,000  per  year  for  all other utilities; (c)
leases of office building space not required  by  the  public
utility in rendering service to the public; (d) the temporary
leasing,   lending  or  interchanging  of  equipment  in  the
ordinary course of business or in case of an  emergency;  and
(e)  purchase-money  mortgages  given  by a public utility in
connection with the purchase of  tangible  personal  property
where  the  total  obligation  to be secured shall be payable
within a period not  exceeding  one  year.  However,  if  the
Commission, after a hearing, finds that any public utility to
which  such  rule is applicable is abusing or has abused such
general rule and  thereby  is  evading  compliance  with  the
standard  established herein, the Commission shall have power
to require such public utility to thereafter file and receive
the Commission's  approval  upon  all  such  transactions  as
described in this Section, but such general rule shall remain
in  full force and effect as to all other public utilities to
which such rule is applicable.
    The filing of,  and  the  consent  and  approval  of  the
Commission  for,  any  assignment, transfer, lease, mortgage,
purchase, sale,  merger,  consolidation,  contract  or  other
transaction  by  an electric or gas public utility with gross
revenues  in  all  jurisdictions  of  $250,000,000  or   more
annually involving a sale price or annual consideration in an
amount  of  $5,000,000  or  less  shall not be required.  The
Commission shall also have the authority, on petition  by  an
electric  or  gas  public  utility with gross revenues in all
jurisdictions of $250,000,000 or more annually, to  establish
by  order  higher  thresholds  than  the  foregoing  for  the
requirement  of  approval  of  transactions by the Commission
pursuant to this Section  for  the  electric  or  gas  public
utility, but no greater than 1% of the electric or gas public
utility's average total gross utility plant in service in the
case  of sale, assignment or acquisition of property, or 2.5%
of the electric or gas public utility's total revenue in  the
case  of  other  sales price or annual consideration, in each
case based on the preceding calendar year, and subject to the
power of the Commission, after notice and hearing, to further
revise those thresholds at a later date.  In addition to  the
foregoing,  the  Commission shall have power by general rules
applicable alike to all electric  and  gas  public  utilities
affected  thereby  to  waive  the  filing  and  necessity for
approval of the following: (a) sales of property involving  a
consideration  of  $100,000  or  less  for  electric  and gas
utilities with gross revenues in all  jurisdictions  of  less
than   $250,000,000   annually;  (b)  leases,  easements  and
licenses involving a consideration or rental of not more than
$10,000 per year for electric and gas  utilities  with  gross
revenues  in  all  jurisdictions  of  less  than $250,000,000
annually; (c) leases of office building space not required by
the electric or gas public utility in  rendering  service  to
the   public;   (d)   the   temporary   leasing,  lending  or
interchanging of equipment in the ordinary course of business
or in the  case  of  an  emergency;  and  (e)  purchase-money
mortgages  given  by  an  electric  or  gas public utility in
connection with the purchase of  tangible  personal  property
where  the  total  obligation  to be secured shall be payable
within a period of  one  year  or  less.    However,  if  the
Commission,  after  a hearing, finds that any electric or gas
public utility is abusing or has abused such general rule and
thereby is evading compliance with the  standard  established
herein,  the  Commission  shall  have  power  to require such
electric or gas public utility to thereafter file and receive
the Commission's  approval  upon  all  such  transactions  as
described  in  this  Section and not exempted pursuant to the
first sentence of this paragraph  or  to  subsection  (g)  of
Section  16-111  of  this  Act,  but  such general rule shall
remain in full force and effect as to all other electric  and
gas public utilities.
    Every  assignment,  transfer,  lease,  mortgage,  sale or
other disposition or encumbrance of the whole or any part  of
the franchises, licenses, permits, plant, equipment, business
or  other  property  of  any public utility, or any merger or
consolidation thereof, and every contract, purchase of stock,
or other transaction referred to  in  this  Section  and  not
exempted in accordance with the provisions of the immediately
preceding  paragraph  of this Section, made otherwise than in
accordance with an order of the  Commission  authorizing  the
same,  except as provided in this Section, shall be void. The
provisions  of  this  Section  shall   not   apply   to   any
transactions  by or with a political subdivision or municipal
corporation of this State.
    The provisions of  this  Section  do  not  apply  to  the
purchase  or  sale  of  emission allowances created under and
defined in Title IV of the federal Clean Air  Act  Amendments
of 1990 (P.L. 101-549), as amended.
(Source: P.A. 88-604, eff. 9-1-94; 89-99, eff. 7-7-95.)

    (220 ILCS 5/7-204) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 7-204)
    Sec.  7-204.  Reorganization defined; Commission approval
therefore.
    (a)  For purposes of this Section, "reorganization" means
any transaction which, regardless of the means by which it is
accomplished, results in a  change  in  the  ownership  of  a
majority  of  the  voting capital stock of an Illinois public
utility; or the ownership or control of any entity which owns
or controls a majority of  the  voting  capital  stock  of  a
public  utility;  or by which 2 public utilities merge, or by
which a public utility  acquires  substantially  all  of  the
assets  of  another  public  utility; provided, however, that
"reorganization" as used in this Section shall not include  a
mortgage  or pledge transaction entered into to secure a bona
fide borrowing by the party granting the mortgage  or  making
the pledge.
    In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  "reorganization" shall
include for purposes of this Section any  transaction  which,
regardless of the means by which it its is accomplished, will
have the effect of terminating the affiliated interest status
of  any  entity as defined in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) or (d)
of subsection (2) of Section 7-101 of  this  Act  where  such
entity  had  transactions  with the public utility, in the 12
twelve calendar months  immediately  preceding  the  date  of
termination  of  such  affiliated  interest status subject to
subsection (3) of Section 7-101 of  this  Act  with  a  value
greater  than  15%  of the public utility's revenues for that
same  12-month  twelve-month   period.    If   the   proposed
transaction   would   have  the  effect  of  terminating  the
affiliated interest status of more than one  Illinois  public
utility,  the  utility  with  the  greatest  revenues for the
12-month twelve-month  period  shall  be  used  to  determine
whether such proposed transaction is a reorganization for the
purposes   of   this  Section.   The  Commission  shall  have
jurisdiction over any reorganization as defined herein.
    (b)  No reorganization shall  take  place  without  prior
Commission  approval.    The Commission shall not approve any
proposed reorganization if the Commission finds, after notice
and hearing, that the reorganization  will  adversely  affect
the  utility's  ability to perform its duties under this Act.
In reviewing any proposed reorganization, the Commission must
find that:
         (1) (a)  the  proposed   reorganization   will   not
    diminish  the  utility's  ability  to  provide  adequate,
    reliable,  efficient,  safe and least-cost public utility
    service;
         (2) (b)  the proposed reorganization will not result
    in   the   unjustified   subsidization   of   non-utility
    activities by the utility or its customers;
         (3) (c)  costs  and  facilities   are   fairly   and
    reasonably  allocated  between  utility  and  non-utility
    activities  in  such  a  manner  that  the Commission may
    identify those costs and facilities  which  are  properly
    included by the utility for ratemaking purposes;
         (4) (d)  the   proposed   reorganization   will  not
    significantly  impair  the  utility's  ability  to  raise
    necessary capital on reasonable terms or  to  maintain  a
    reasonable capital structure;
         (5) (e)  the  utility  will  remain  subject  to all
    applicable  laws,  regulations,  rules,   decisions   and
    policies  governing  the  regulation  of  Illinois public
    utilities;.
         (6)  the proposed reorganization is  not  likely  to
    have a significant adverse effect on competition in those
    markets over which the Commission has jurisdiction;
         (7)  the  proposed  reorganization  is not likely to
    result in any adverse rate impacts on retail customers.
    (c)  The Commission shall not  approve  a  reorganization
without   ruling  on:  (i)  the  allocation  of  any  savings
resulting from the proposed reorganization; and (ii)  whether
the companies should be allowed to recover any costs incurred
in  accomplishing the proposed reorganization and, if so, the
amount of costs eligible for recovery and how the costs  will
be allocated.
    (d)  The  Commission  shall  issue its Order approving or
denying the proposed reorganization within  11  months  after
the  application  is  filed.  The  Commission  may extend the
deadline for a period equivalent to the length of  any  delay
which  the  Commission  finds  to  have  been  caused  by the
Applicant's failure to provide data or information  requested
by   the  Commission  or  that  the  Commission  ordered  the
Applicant to provide to the parties. The Commission may  also
extend  the  deadline by an additional period not to exceed 3
months to consider amendments to the Applicant's  filing,  or
to consider reasonably unforeseeable changes in circumstances
subsequent to the Applicant's initial filing.
    (e)  Subsections  (c)  and  (d) and subparagraphs (6) and
(7) of subsection (b) of this Section  shall  apply  only  to
merger applications submitted to the Commission subsequent to
April  23,  1997.  No  other  Commission  approvals  shall be
required for mergers that are subject to this Section.
    (f)  In approving any proposed reorganization pursuant to
this Section the Commission may impose such terms, conditions
or requirements as, in its judgment, are necessary to protect
the interests of the public utility and its customers.
(Source: P.A. 84-617; 84-1025.)

    (220 ILCS 5/7-206) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 7-206)
    Sec. 7-206. Separate accounts for nonpublic  business  of
public  utility.    The  Commission  may require every public
utility engaged directly or indirectly in any  other  than  a
public   utility   business,  as  defined  by  law,  to  keep
separately in like manner and form the accounts of  all  such
other  business,  and  the  Commission  may  provide  for the
examination and inspection of the books, accounts, papers and
records of such other business, in so far as may be necessary
to enforce any provisions of this Act. The  Commission  shall
have   the   power   to  inquire  as  to  and  prescribe  the
apportionment of capitalization, earnings, debts and expenses
fairly and justly to be awarded to or borne by the ownership,
operation, management or control of such  public  utility  as
distinguished  from  such  other business. Provided, however,
that an electric or gas public utility shall not be  required
to  maintain  the accounts of any non-public utility business
in the same manner and form as the  electric  or  gas  public
utility  is  required  to  keep  the  accounts  of its public
utility business unless expressly ordered by the Commission.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/8-406) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 8-406)
    Sec.  8-406.   Certificate  of  public  convenience   and
necessity.
    (a)  No  public  utility  not  owning any city or village
franchise nor engaged in performing any public service or  in
furnishing  any  product or commodity within this State as of
July 1, 1921 and  not  possessing  a  certificate  of  public
convenience   and   necessity   from  the  Illinois  Commerce
Commission, the State Public  Utilities   Commission  or  the
Public  Utilities Commission, at the time this amendatory Act
of 1985 goes into effect, shall transact any business in this
State until it shall have obtained  a  certificate  from  the
Commission  that public convenience and necessity require the
transaction of such business.
    (b)  No public utility shall begin  the  construction  of
any  new  plant, equipment, property or facility which is not
in substitution of any existing plant, equipment, property or
facility  or  any  extension  or  alteration  thereof  or  in
addition thereto, and which in the case of gas  and  electric
utilities  may  affect  the energy plan of the utility unless
and until it  shall  have  obtained  from  the  Commission  a
certificate  that  public  convenience  and necessity require
such construction. Whenever after a  hearing  the  Commission
determines  that  any  new construction or the transaction of
any business by a public  utility  will  promote  the  public
convenience and is necessary thereto, it shall have the power
to  issue  certificates  of public convenience and necessity.
The Commission shall  determine  that  proposed  construction
will promote the public convenience and necessity only if the
utility  demonstrates:  (1) that the proposed construction is
necessary  to  provide  adequate,  reliable,  and   efficient
service  to  its  customers  and  is  the least-cost means of
satisfying the service  needs  of  its  customers;  (2)  with
respect  to  gas  and  electric  utilities, that the proposed
construction is consistent with the most recent  energy  plan
adopted  by  the Commission for the utility and the State, as
updated; (2) (3) that the utility is capable  of  efficiently
managing  and  supervising  the  construction process and has
taken sufficient action  to  ensure  adequate  and  efficient
construction  and  supervision  thereof; and (3) (4) that the
utility is capable of  financing  the  proposed  construction
without  significant  adverse  financial consequences for the
utility or its customers. If the Commission  finds  that  the
public  convenience  and  necessity  requires  a new electric
generating  facility  to  be  added  by  the   utility,   the
Commission   shall  evaluate  the  proposed  construction  in
comparison with the merits of  a  facility  designed  to  use
Illinois coal in an environmentally acceptable way, and shall
consider  the  economic  impact  on  employment  directly  or
indirectly related to the production of coal in Illinois over
the   entire   period   of  time  affected  by  the  proposed
construction or its alternatives.
    (c)  After the effective date of this amendatory  Act  of
1987, no construction shall commence on any new nuclear power
plant  to be located within this State, and no certificate of
public convenience and necessity or other authorization shall
be issued therefor by the Commission, until the  Director  of
the  Illinois  Environmental Protection Agency finds that the
United States Government, through its authorized agency,  has
identified  and  approved  a demonstrable technology or means
for the disposal of high level nuclear waste, or  until  such
construction  has  been  specifically  approved  by a statute
enacted by the General Assembly.
    As used in this Section, "high level nuclear waste" means
those aqueous wastes resulting  from  the  operation  of  the
first  cycle  of  the solvent extraction system or equivalent
and the concentrated  wastes  of  the  subsequent  extraction
cycles   or   equivalent   in  a  facility  for  reprocessing
irradiated  reactor  fuel  and  shall  include   spent   fuel
assemblies prior to fuel reprocessing.
    (d)  In  making  its  determination, the Commission shall
attach primary weight to the cost  or  cost  savings  to  the
customers  of the utility. The Commission may consider any or
all factors which will  or  may  affect  such  cost  or  cost
savings.
    (e)  The  Commission  may  issue  a temporary certificate
which shall remain in force not to exceed one year  in  cases
of emergency, to assure maintenance of adequate service or to
serve   particular  customers,  without  notice  or  hearing,
pending  the  determination   of   an   application   for   a
certificate,   and   may   by   regulation  exempt  from  the
requirements of this Section temporary acts or operations for
which the issuance of a certificate will not be  required  in
the public interest.
    A  public utility shall not be required to obtain but may
apply for and obtain a certificate of public convenience  and
necessity pursuant to this Section with respect to any matter
as to which it has received the authorization or order of the
Commission  under  the  Electric  Supplier  Act, and any such
authorization or  order  granted  a  public  utility  by  the
Commission  under  that Act shall as between public utilities
be deemed to be, and shall have except as  provided  in  that
Act  the  same  force  and effect as, a certificate of public
convenience and necessity issued pursuant to this Section.
    No electric cooperative shall be made or shall  become  a
party  to  or  shall  be entitled to be heard or to otherwise
appear or participate in any proceeding initiated under  this
Section  for authorization of power plant construction and as
to matters as to  which  a  remedy  is  available  under  The
Electric Supplier Act.
    (f)  Such  certificates may be altered or modified by the
Commission, upon its own motion or upon  application  by  the
person  or  corporation  affected.  Unless exercised within a
period of 2 years from the grant thereof authority  conferred
by  a  certificate of convenience and necessity issued by the
Commission shall be null and void.
    No certificate of public convenience and necessity  shall
be   construed   as  granting  a  monopoly  or  an  exclusive
privilege, immunity or franchise.
(Source: P.A. 85-377.)

    (220 ILCS 5/8-503) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 8-503)
    Sec. 8-503. Whenever the  Commission,  after  a  hearing,
shall   find   that   additions,   extensions,   repairs   or
improvements   to,   or   changes  in,  the  existing  plant,
equipment, apparatus, facilities or other  physical  property
of  any  public  utility  or  of  any  2  two  or more public
utilities are necessary and ought reasonably to  be  made  or
that  a  new  structure or structures is or are necessary and
should be erected, to promote the security or convenience  of
its  employees  or  the public, or in any other way to secure
adequate service or facilities, the Commission shall make and
serve an order authorizing or directing that such  additions,
extensions, repairs, improvements or changes be made, or such
structure  or  structures  be erected at the location, in the
manner and within the time specified in said order; provided,
however, that the Commission shall have no authority to order
the construction,  addition  or  extension  of  any  electric
generating   plant  unless  the  public  utility  requests  a
certificate for the construction of  the  plant  pursuant  to
Section  8-406  and  in  conjunction  with  such request also
requests the entry of an order under  this  Section.  If  any
additions,  extensions,  repairs, improvements or changes, or
any new structure or structures,  which  the  Commission  has
authorized  or ordered to be erected, require joint action by
2 two or more public utilities, the Commission  shall  notify
the  said  public  utilities that such additions, extensions,
repairs,  improvements  or  changes  or  new   structure   or
structures  have been authorized or ordered and that the same
shall be made at the joint cost  whereupon  the  said  public
utilities  shall  have such reasonable time as the Commission
may grant within which to agree  upon  the  apportionment  or
division  of  cost  of  such  additions, extensions, repairs,
improvements or changes or new structure or structures, which
each shall bear. If at  the  expiration  of  such  time  such
public  utilities  shall  fail  to file with the Commission a
statement that an agreement has been made for a  division  or
apportionment  of  the  cost  or  expense  of such additions,
extensions,  repairs,  improvements  or   changes,   or   new
structure or structures, the Commission shall have authority,
after further hearing, to make an order fixing the proportion
of  such  cost  or expense to be borne by each public utility
and the manner in which the same shall be paid or secured.
    Nothing in this Act shall prevent  the  Commission,  upon
its  own  motion  or  upon  petition,  from ordering, after a
hearing,   the   extension,   construction,   connection   or
interconnection of plant, equipment, pipe,  line,  facilities
or  other  physical  property of a public utility in whatever
configuration the Commission finds necessary to  ensure  that
natural  gas  is  made available to consumers at no increased
cost to the customers of the utility supplying the gas.
    Whenever the Commission finds, after a hearing, that  the
public  convenience  or necessity requires it, the Commission
may order public utilities subject  to  its  jurisdiction  to
work   jointly   (1)   for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  and
distributing natural gas  or  gas  substitutes,  provided  it
shall  not  increase  the cost of gas to the customers of the
participating utilities, or  (2)  for  any  other  reasonable
purpose.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/8-510) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 8-510)
    Sec.  8-510. Land surveys. For the purpose of making land
surveys,  any  public  utility  that  has  been   granted   a
certificate  of  public  convenience  and  necessity  by,  or
received  an  order under Section 8-503 of this Act from, the
Commission may, 30 days after providing written notice to the
owner thereof by registered mail, enter upon the property  of
any  owner  who has refused permission for entrance upon that
property, but subject to responsibility for all damages which
may be inflicted thereby.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/9-201.5)
    Sec.  9-201.5.  Decommissioning  nuclear  power   plants;
rates.
    (a)  The  Commission may after hearing, in a rate case or
otherwise, authorize the institution of  rate  provisions  or
tariffs  that  increase  or  decrease charges to customers to
reflect changes  in,  or  additional  or  reduced  costs  of,
decommissioning  nuclear power plants, including accruals for
estimates of those costs,  irrespective  of  any  changes  in
other  costs  or  revenues;  provided  the revenues collected
under such  rates  or  tariffs  are  used  to  recover  costs
associated  with contributions to appropriate decommissioning
trust funds or to reduce the amounts to be charged under such
rates or tariffs in the future. These provisions  or  tariffs
shall hereinafter be referred to as "decommissioning rates".
    (b)  A    public   utility   that   does   not   have   a
decommissioning rate in effect on the effective date of  this
amendatory  Act  of 1994 may not place a decommissioning rate
in effect before January 1, 1995. Changes in charges under  a
decommissioning  rate  shall not be subject to the notice and
filing requirements of subsection (a)  of  Section  9-201  of
this  Act,  but a decommissioning rate of a utility that does
not have such a rate in effect before the effective  date  of
this amendatory Act of 1994 shall provide that no increase in
charges  under  that rate may take effect until 60 days after
the utility provides the proposed  increased  charge  to  the
Commission  for  review.  The  Commission  may require that a
decommissioning  rate  contain  provisions  for   reconciling
amounts   collected  under  the  rate  with  both  reasonably
projected costs and actual costs prudently incurred. As  used
in this Section, "decommissioning costs" and "decommissioning
trust  fund"  have  the same meaning as in Section 8-508.1 of
this Act.
    (c)  Nothing contained in this  amendatory  Act  of  1994
shall  affect  any  determination  of  the  authority  of the
Commission before the effective date of this  amendatory  Act
of  1994.  Nothing  contained  in this amendatory Act of 1994
shall be used in any determination of the  authority  of  the
Commission after the effective date of this amendatory Act of
1994, except with respect to decommissioning rates.
    (d)  A  decommissioning rate authorized by the Commission
under this  Section  and  the  decommissioning  cost  studies
underlying  the  rate shall be subject to hearing and review,
in a rate case or otherwise,  not  less  than  once  every  6
years,  and the decommissioning rate shall be discontinued by
the Commission unless specifically approved for  continuation
by the Commission after the hearing.
(Source: P.A. 88-653, eff. 1-1-95.)

    (220 ILCS 5/9-220) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 9-220)
    Sec. 9-220. Rate changes based on changes in fuel costs.
    (a)  Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9-201, the
Commission  may  authorize  the increase or decrease of rates
and charges based upon changes in the cost of  fuel  used  in
the  generation  or  production of electric power, changes in
the cost of purchased  power,  or  changes  in  the  cost  of
purchased  gas  through  the  application  of fuel adjustment
clauses or purchased gas adjustment clauses.  The  Commission
may  also  authorize  the  increase  or decrease of rates and
charges based upon expenditures or  revenues  resulting  from
the purchase or sale of emission allowances created under the
federal  Clean  Air  Act  Amendments  of  1990, as defined in
Section 8-402.1, through such fuel adjustment clauses,  as  a
cost  of  fuel.   For the purposes of this paragraph, cost of
fuel used in the generation or production of  electric  power
shall  include the amount of any fees paid by the utility for
the  implementation  and  operation  of  a  process  for  the
desulfurization of the flue gas when burning high sulfur coal
at any location within the State of Illinois irrespective  of
the  attainment  status  designation of such location, except
for any fees or costs related to a service contract which  is
part  of  a  utility's Clean Air Act compliance plan approved
pursuant to Section 8-402.1, to the extent that  recovery  of
comparable costs would not be permitted under this Section if
incurred  directly  by  a utility owning and operating such a
facility; but shall not include transportation costs of  coal
(i)  except  to the extent that for contracts entered into on
and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of  1997,
the   cost  of  the  coal,  including  transportation  costs,
constitutes the lowest cost for adequate  and  reliable  fuel
supply   reasonably   available  to  the  public  utility  in
comparison to the cost, including  transportation  costs,  of
other adequate and reliable sources of fuel supply reasonably
available  to the public utility, or (ii) except as otherwise
provided in the next 3 sentences of  this  paragraph.    Such
costs  of  fuel  shall, when requested by a utility or at the
conclusion  of  the  utility's  next  general  electric  rate
proceeding,   whichever   shall    first    occur,    include
transportation  costs  of  coal purchased under existing coal
purchase contracts.  For purposes of this paragraph "existing
coal purchase contracts" means contracts for the purchase  of
coal  in  effect on the effective date of this amendatory Act
of 1991, as such contracts may  thereafter  be  amended,  but
only  to the extent that any such amendment does not increase
the aggregate quantity of coal to  be  purchased  under  such
contract.  Nothing herein shall authorize an electric utility
to recover through its fuel adjustment clause any amounts  of
transportation  costs  of  coal  that  were  included  in the
revenue requirement used to set base rates in its most recent
general rate proceeding. Cost shall be based  upon  uniformly
applied accounting principles. Annually, the Commission shall
initiate  public  hearings  to  determine whether the clauses
reflect  actual  costs  of  fuel,   gas,   power,   or   coal
transportation  purchased to determine whether such purchases
were prudent, and to reconcile any amounts collected with the
actual costs of fuel,  power,  gas,  or  coal  transportation
prudently  purchased.  In each such proceeding, the burden of
proof shall be upon the utility  to  establish  the  prudence
prudency   of   its   cost  of  fuel,  power,  gas,  or  coal
transportation purchases  and  costs.  The  Commission  shall
issue  its  final order in each such annual proceeding for an
electric utility by  December  31  of  the  year  immediately
following   the   year  to  which  the  proceeding  pertains,
provided, that the Commission shall  issue  its  final  order
with respect to such annual proceeding for the years 1996 and
earlier by December 31, 1998.
    (b)  A  public  utility providing electric service, other
than a public utility described in subsections (e) or (f)  of
this Section, may at any time during the mandatory transition
period  file  with the Commission proposed tariff sheets that
eliminate the public utility's  fuel  adjustment  clause  and
adjust  the  public utility's base rate tariffs by the amount
necessary for the base fuel component of the  base  rates  to
recover  the  public  utility's average fuel and power supply
costs per kilowatt-hour for the 2 most recent years for which
the Commission has issued final orders in annual  proceedings
pursuant  to subsection (a), where the average fuel and power
supply costs per kilowatt-hour shall be calculated as the sum
of the public utility's prudent and allowable fuel and  power
supply  costs as found by the Commission in the 2 proceedings
divided  by  the  public  utility's   actual   jurisdictional
kilowatt-hour  sales  for those 2 years.  Notwithstanding any
contrary or inconsistent provisions in Section 9-201 of  this
Act,  in  subsection  (a)  of this Section or in any rules or
regulations  promulgated  by  the  Commission   pursuant   to
subsection  (g)  of this Section, the Commission shall review
and shall by order  approve,  or  approve  as  modified,  the
proposed  tariff  sheets within 60 days after the date of the
public utility's  filing.   The  Commission  may  modify  the
public  utility's  proposed  tariff sheets only to the extent
the Commission finds necessary to achieve conformance to  the
requirements  of  this  subsection  (b).   During the 5 years
following the date of the  Commission's  order,  but  in  any
event no earlier than January 1, 2005, a public utility whose
fuel  adjustment  clause has been eliminated pursuant to this
subsection shall not file proposed tariff sheets seeking,  or
otherwise  petition  the  Commission  for, reinstatement of a
fuel adjustment clause.
    (c)  Notwithstanding   any   contrary   or   inconsistent
provisions in Section 9-201 of this Act, in subsection (a) of
this Section or in any rules or  regulations  promulgated  by
the  Commission pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, a
public utility  providing  electric  service,  other  than  a
public  utility  described  in  subsection (e) or (f) of this
Section, may at any  time  during  the  mandatory  transition
period  file  with the Commission proposed tariff sheets that
establish the rate per kilowatt-hour to be  applied  pursuant
to the public utility's fuel adjustment clause at the average
value  for such rate during the preceding 24 months, provided
that such average rate results  in  a  credit  to  customers'
bills,  without  making any revisions to the public utility's
base  rate  tariffs.   The  proposed  tariff   sheets   shall
establish the fuel adjustment rate for a specific time period
of  at least 3 years but not more than 5 years, provided that
the terms and conditions for any reinstatement earlier than 5
years shall be set forth in the proposed  tariff  sheets  and
subject  to  modification or approval by the Commission.  The
Commission shall  review  and  shall  by  order  approve  the
proposed  tariff  sheets if it finds that the requirements of
this subsection are met.  The Commission  shall  not  conduct
the  annual  hearings  specified  in  the last 3 sentences of
subsection (a) of this Section for the utility for the period
that the factor established pursuant to this subsection is in
effect.
    (d)  A public utility providing electric  service,  or  a
public  utility  providing  gas  service  may  file  with the
Commission proposed tariff sheets that eliminate  the  public
utility's  fuel or purchased gas adjustment clause and adjust
the  public  utility's  base  rate  tariffs  to  provide  for
recovery of power supply costs or gas supply costs that would
have been recovered through such clause; provided,  that  the
provisions of this subsection (d) shall not be available to a
public  utility  described  in subsections (e) or (f) of this
Section   to   eliminate   its   fuel   adjustment    clause.
Notwithstanding  any  contrary  or inconsistent provisions in
Section 9-201 of this Act, in subsection (a) of this Section,
or in any rules or regulations promulgated by the  Commission
pursuant  to  subsection  (g) of this Section, the Commission
shall review and  shall  by  order  approve,  or  approve  as
modified  in  the  Commission's  order,  the  proposed tariff
sheets within 240 days after the date of the public utility's
filing.  The  Commission's  order  shall  approve  rates  and
charges  that  the  Commission,  based  on information in the
public utility's filing or on the record if a hearing is held
by the Commission, finds will recover the reasonable, prudent
and necessary jurisdictional power supply costs or gas supply
costs incurred or to be incurred by the public utility during
a 12 month period found by the Commission to  be  appropriate
for  these  purposes,  provided,  that  such  period shall be
either (i) a 12 month historical period occurring during  the
15  months ending on the date of the public utility's filing,
or (ii) a 12 month future period  ending  no  later  than  15
months  following  the  date  of the public utility's filing.
The public utility  shall  include  with  its  tariff  filing
information  showing both (1) its actual jurisdictional power
supply costs or gas supply costs for a  12  month  historical
period   conforming  to  (i)  above  and  (2)  its  projected
jurisdictional power supply costs or gas supply costs  for  a
future  12  month  period  conforming  to  (ii) above. If the
Commission's  order  requires  modifications  in  the  tariff
sheets filed by the public utility, the public utility  shall
have  7  days  following  the date of the order to notify the
Commission whether the  public  utility  will  implement  the
modified  tariffs  or elect to continue its fuel or purchased
gas adjustment clause in force as though no  order  had  been
entered.   The  Commission's  order  shall  provide  for  any
reconciliation  of power supply costs or gas supply costs, as
the case may be, and associated  revenues  through  the  date
that  the  public  utility's fuel or purchased gas adjustment
clause is eliminated.  During the 5 years following the  date
of  the  Commission's  order,  a public utility whose fuel or
purchased gas adjustment clause has been eliminated  pursuant
to  this  subsection  shall  not  file proposed tariff sheets
seeking,  or   otherwise   petition   the   Commission   for,
reinstatement   or  adoption  of  a  fuel  or  purchased  gas
adjustment clause. Nothing in this subsection  (d)  shall  be
construed as limiting the Commission's authority to eliminate
a  public  utility's  fuel adjustment clause or purchased gas
adjustment clause in accordance  with  any  other  applicable
provisions of this Act.
    (e)  Notwithstanding   any   contrary   or   inconsistent
provisions  in   Section 9-201 of this Act, in subsection (a)
of this  Section,  or  in    any  rules  promulgated  by  the
Commission  pursuant    to  subsection (g) of this Section, a
public utility providing    electric  service  to  more  than
1,000,000  customers  in  this  State may, within the first 6
months after the  effective date of this  amendatory  Act  of
1997,  file  with the  Commission proposed tariff sheets that
eliminate, effective  January 1, 1997, the  public  utility's
fuel adjustment clause  without adjusting its base rates, and
such  tariff  sheets shall be  effective upon filing.  To the
extent the application of the fuel    adjustment  clause  had
resulted  in net charges to customers after  January 1, 1997,
the utility shall also file a tariff sheet that  provides for
a refund stated on a per kilowatt-hour basis of such  charges
over a period not to exceed 6 months; provided  however, that
such refund shall not include the proportional    amounts  of
taxes  paid  under  the  Use  Tax  Act,  Service Use Tax Act,
Service Occupation Tax Act, and Retailers' Occupation Tax Act
on  fuel used in generation.  The Commission shall  issue  an
order   within 45 days after the date of the public utility's
filing  approving or approving as modified such tariff sheet.
If the fuel  adjustment clause is eliminated pursuant to this
subsection, the  Commission  shall  not  conduct  the  annual
hearings specified in the  last 3 sentences of subsection (a)
of  this  Section  for  the    utility  for  any period after
December 31, 1996 and prior to any    reinstatement  of  such
clause.  A  public  utility whose fuel  adjustment clause has
been eliminated pursuant to this subsection  shall not file a
proposed tariff sheet seeking, or  otherwise    petition  the
Commission  for, reinstatement of the fuel adjustment  clause
prior to January 1, 2005.
    (f)  Notwithstanding   any   contrary   or   inconsistent
provisions in Section 9-201 of this Act, in subsection (a) of
this Section, or in any rules or regulations  promulgated  by
the  Commission pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, a
public  utility  providing  electric  service  to  more  than
500,000 customers but fewer than 1,000,000 customers in  this
State may, within the first 6 months after the effective date
of  this  amendatory  Act  of  1997, file with the Commission
proposed tariff sheets that eliminate, effective  January  1,
1997,  the public utility's fuel adjustment clause and adjust
its base rates by the amount  necessary  for  the  base  fuel
component  of  the  base  rates  to recover 91% of the public
utility's average fuel and power supply costs for the 2  most
recent years for which the Commission, as of January 1, 1997,
has  issued  final  orders  in annual proceedings pursuant to
subsection (a), where the average fuel and power supply costs
per kilowatt-hour shall be  calculated  as  the  sum  of  the
public  utility's prudent and allowable fuel and power supply
costs as found by the Commission in the 2 proceedings divided
by the public utility's actual  jurisdictional  kilowatt-hour
sales  for  those  2 years, provided, that such tariff sheets
shall  be  effective  upon  filing.   To   the   extent   the
application of the fuel adjustment clause had resulted in net
charges to customers after January 1, 1997, the utility shall
also file a tariff sheet that provides for a refund stated on
a  per  kilowatt-hour basis of such charges over a period not
to exceed 6 months.  Provided however, that such refund shall
not include the proportional amounts of taxes paid under  the
Use Tax Act, Service Use Tax Act, Service Occupation Tax Act,
and Retailers' Occupation Tax Act on fuel used in generation.
The  Commission shall issue an order within 45 days after the
date of the public utility's filing approving or approving as
modified such tariff sheet.  If the fuel adjustment clause is
eliminated pursuant to this subsection, the Commission  shall
not  conduct  the  annual  hearings  specified  in the last 3
sentences of subsection (a) of this Section for  the  utility
for  any  period  after  December  31,  1996 and prior to any
reinstatement of such clause.  A public  utility  whose  fuel
adjustment  clause  has  been  eliminated  pursuant  to  this
subsection shall not file a proposed tariff sheet seeking, or
otherwise  petition  the Commission for, reinstatement of the
fuel adjustment clause prior to January 1, 2005.
    (g)  The Commission shall have  authority  to  promulgate
rules  and  regulations  to  carry out the provisions of this
Section paragraph.
(Source: P.A. 87-173; 88-488.)

    (220 ILCS 5/9-244) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 9-244)
    Sec. 9-244. Alternative rate regulation.
    (a)  Notwithstanding any of the ratemaking provisions  of
this  Article  IX  or  other  Sections  of  this  Act, or the
Commission's rules that are deemed to require rate of  return
regulation,  and  except  as  provided  in  Article  XVI, the
Commission, upon  petition  by  an  electric  or  gas  public
utility, and after notice and hearing, may authorize for some
or  all  of  the  regulated  services  of  that  utility, the
implementation of one or  more  programs  consisting  of  (i)
alternatives  to rate of return regulation, including but not
limited to earnings sharing, rate moratoria,  price  caps  or
flexible  rate  options,  or (ii) other regulatory mechanisms
that reward or penalize the utility through the adjustment of
rates based on utility performance.  In  the  case  of  other
regulatory  mechanisms  that  reward  or  penalize  utilities
through the adjustment of rates based on utility performance,
the  utility's  performance  shall  be  compared to standards
established  in  the   Commission   order   authorizing   the
implementation   of   other   regulatory   mechanisms.    The
Commission is specifically authorized to approve in  response
to  such petitions different forms of alternatives to rate of
return regulation or other regulatory mechanisms to  fit  the
particular  characteristics  and  requirements  of  different
utilities and their service territories.
    (b)  The  Commission  shall  approve  the  program  if it
finds, based on the record, that:
         (1)  the program is likely to result in rates  lower
    than   otherwise   would   have   been  in  effect  under
    traditional rate of return regulation  for  the  services
    covered  by  the program and that are consistent with the
    provisions of Section 9-241 of the Act; and
         (2)  the  program  is  likely  to  result  in  other
    substantial  and  identifiable  benefits  that  would  be
    realized by customers served under the program  and  that
    would not be realized in the absence of the program; and
         (3)  the  utility  is  in compliance with applicable
    Commission standards for reliability  and  implementation
    of  the program is not likely to adversely affect service
    reliability; and
         (4)  implementation of the program is not likely  to
    result   in  deterioration  of  the  utility's  financial
    condition; and
         (5)  implementation of the program is not likely  to
    adversely  affect the development of competitive markets;
    and
         (6)  the electric utility is in compliance with  its
    obligation to offer delivery services pursuant to Article
    XVI; and
         (7)  the    program   includes   annual    reporting
    requirements and other provisions that  will  enable  the
    Commission  to  adequately  monitor its implementation of
    the program; and
         (8)  the  program   includes   provisions   for   an
    equitable  sharing  of  any net economic benefits between
    the utility and its customers to the extent  the  program
    is likely to result in such benefits.
    The Commission shall issue its order approving or denying
the program no later than 270 days from the date of filing of
the  petition.  Any program approved under this Section shall
continue in effect until revised, modified or  terminated  by
order of the Commission as provided in this Section.   If the
Commission   cannot   make   the  above  findings,  it  shall
specifically identify in its order the reason or reasons  why
the  proposed  program  does not meet the above criteria, and
shall identify any modifications supported in the record,  if
any,  that  would  cause  the  program  to  satisfy the above
criteria.   In  the  event  the  order  identifies  any  such
modifications it shall not become a final  order  subject  to
petitions  for  rehearing until 15 days after service of same
by the Commission.  The utility shall have 14 days  following
the  date of service of the order to notify the Commission in
writing  whether  it  will  accept   any   modifications   so
identified  in  the  order  or  whether it has elected not to
proceed with  the  program.   If  the  utility  notifies  the
Commission  that  it  will  accept  such  modifications,  the
Commission  shall  issue  an  amended  order, without further
hearing,  within  14  days   following   such   notification,
approving  the  program  as  modified and such order shall be
considered to be a final order of the Commission  subject  to
petitions for rehearing and appellate procedures.
    (c)  The Commission shall open a proceeding to review any
program  approved  under  subsection  (b)  2  years after the
program is first implemented to determine whether the program
is meeting its objectives, and may make  such  revisions,  no
later  than  270  days after the proceeding is opened, as are
necessary to result in the program meeting its objectives.  A
utility may elect to discontinue any program so revised.  The
Commission shall not otherwise direct a  utility  to  revise,
modify  or  cancel  a  program  during its term of operation,
except as found  necessary,  after  notice  and  hearing,  to
ensure system reliability.
    (d)  Upon its own motion or complaint, the Commission may
investigate  whether  the utility is implementing an approved
program in accordance with the Commission order approving the
program.  If the Commission finds after notice  and  hearing,
that   the   utility  is  not  implementing  the  program  in
accordance with such order, the Commission  shall  order  the
utility  to  comply  with the terms of the order.  Complaints
relating to the program filed under  Section  9-250  of  this
Act,  alleging  that  the  program  does not comply with that
Section or the requirements of subsection (b)  shall  not  be
filed  sooner  than one year after the review provided for in
subsection (c).  The complainant shall  bear  the  burden  of
proving the allegations in the complaint.
    (e)  The  Commission  shall not be authorized to allow or
order an electric utility to place  a  program  into  effect,
pursuant  to  this  Section,  applicable to delivery services
provided by a utility, unless  the  utility  already  has  in
effect   a   delivery   services  tariff  conforming  to  the
requirements of Section 16-108 of this Act.
    (f)  The Commission may, upon subsequent petition by  the
utility, after notice and hearing, authorize the extension of
a  program  that  was  previously  approved  pursuant to this
Section or approve  revisions  or  modifications  of  such  a
program to be effective, after the initially approved program
has  been in effect.  Any such petition seeking an extension,
revision,  or  modification  of  such  a  program   must   be
accompanied  by  an  evaluation of the program addressing the
criteria set forth in subsection (b) hereof.   The  utility's
petition  may,  but is not required to, specify a termination
date for the extended,  revised  or  modified  program.   The
Commission  may require a review of the extended, revised, or
modified program at such intervals as may be ordered  by  the
Commission,  for  the  purpose  of  determining  whether  the
program   should   be   revised,   modified,  or  terminated.
Performance based rates.  Notwithstanding any other  Sections
of  this  Act or the Commission's rules, the Commission, upon
petition by a public utility and after hearing, may authorize
for that utility on an experimental basis, the implementation
of one or more programs consisting  of  (a)  alternatives  to
rate  of return regulation or (b) other regulatory mechanisms
that reward or penalize utilities through the  adjustment  of
rates  based  on  utility  performance.  In the case of other
regulatory  mechanisms  that  reward  or  penalize  utilities
through the adjustment of rates based on utility performance,
the utility's performance  shall  be  compared  to  standards
established   in   the   Commission   order  authorizing  the
implementation of the  other  regulatory  mechanisms.  Before
authorizing  the  implementation  of programs that are either
alternatives to rate of return regulation or other regulatory
mechanisms that reward  or  penalize  utilities  through  the
adjustment   of  rates  based  on  utility  performance,  the
Commission shall:
         (1)  make a finding that the implementation of  such
    programs is in the public interest;
         (2)  make  a finding that the implementation of such
    programs will produce fair, just, and  reasonable  rates,
    consistent  with  the provisions of Section 9-241 of this
    Act;
         (3)  where appropriate,  make  a  finding  that  the
    programs  respond  to  changes  in the utility's industry
    that are in fact occurring;
         (4)  specifically   identify   how   the   programs'
    departure from traditional rate  of  return  rate  making
    principles    will   benefit   ratepayers   through   the
    realization of one or more of the following:   efficiency
    gains; cost savings; or improvements in productivity.
    The  Commission  shall  issue  its order no later than 11
months from the date of the filing of the petition.  Any such
programs shall not extend beyond the public utility's service
territory and shall not extend beyond June 30, 2000. No later
than December 31, 2000, the Commission shall  report  to  the
General     Assembly,     with     appropriate    legislative
recommendations.
(Source: P.A. 89-194, eff. 1-1-96.)

    (220 ILCS 5/10-113) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 10-113)
    Sec. 10-113. Rescission or hearing of order.
    (a)  Anything   in   this    Act    to    the    contrary
notwithstanding,  the Commission may at any time, upon notice
to the public utility affected, and after opportunity  to  be
heard  as  provided in the case of complaints, rescind, alter
or amend any rule, regulation, order or decision made by  it.
Any  order  rescinding,  altering  or  amending a prior rule,
regulation, order or decision shall,  when  served  upon  the
public  utility  affected,  have the same effect as is herein
provided  for  original   rules,   regulations,   orders   or
decisions.  Within  30  days after the service of any rule or
regulation, order or decision of the Commission any party  to
the action or proceeding may apply for a rehearing in respect
to  any  matter  determined  in said action or proceeding and
specified in the application for  rehearing.  The  Commission
shall  receive  and consider such application and shall grant
or deny such application in whole or in part within  20  days
from  the  date  of the receipt thereof by the Commission. In
case the application for rehearing is granted in whole or  in
part  the Commission shall proceed as promptly as possible to
consider such  rehearing  as  allowed.  No  appeal  shall  be
allowed  from  any rule, regulation, order or decision of the
Commission unless and until an application  for  a  rehearing
thereof shall first have been filed with and finally disposed
of  by  the  Commission:  provided, however, that in case the
Commission shall fail to grant or deny an application  for  a
rehearing in whole or in part within 20 days from the date of
the  receipt  thereof,  or  shall fail to enter a final order
upon rehearing  within  150  days  after  such  rehearing  is
granted,  the  application  for  rehearing shall be deemed to
have been denied and finally disposed of,  and  an  order  to
that  effect  shall  be  deemed  to have been served, for the
purpose of an appeal from  the  rule,  regulation,  order  or
decision   covered   by   such   application.  No  person  or
corporation in any appeal shall urge or rely upon any grounds
not set forth in such application for a rehearing before  the
Commission. An application for rehearing shall not excuse any
corporation  or  person  from  complying with and obeying any
rule, regulation, order or decision or any requirement of any
rule,  regulation,  order  or  decision  of  the   Commission
theretofore  made,  or  operate  in  any  manner  to  stay or
postpone the enforcement thereof, except in  such  cases  and
upon  such  terms  as the Commission may by order direct. If,
after such rehearing and  consideration  of  all  the  facts,
including  those  arising  since  the  making  of  the  rule,
regulation, order or decision, the Commission shall be of the
opinion that the original rule, regulation, order or decision
or  any part thereof is in any respect unjust or unwarranted,
or should be changed, the Commission may  rescind,  alter  or
amend  the  same.  A rule, regulation, order or decision made
after such rehearing, rescinding, altering  or  amending  the
original  rule,  regulation, order or decision shall have the
same force and effect as an original rule, regulation,  order
or   decision,   but  shall  not  affect  any  right  or  the
enforcement of any right arising from or  by  virtue  of  the
original  rule,  regulation,  order  or  decision  unless  so
ordered  by  the  Commission.  Only  one  rehearing  shall be
granted by the Commission; but this shall not be construed to
prevent any party from filing a petition setting up a new and
different state of facts after  2  years,  and  invoking  the
action of the Commission thereon.
    (b)  Notwithstanding   any   contrary   or   inconsistent
provision  in  the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, the
Commission may, in  accordance  with  this  Section,  make  a
change  in  a rule or regulation adopted or modified pursuant
to Section 5-40 of the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act,
upon consideration of an application  for  rehearing  of  the
Commission's  order  directing that the rule or regulation be
filed with the  Secretary  of  State  and  published  in  the
Illinois Register pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 5-40.
The  Commission  shall  provide  the  parties to the original
hearing in which the rule was adopted  or  modified  no  less
than  7  days  notice  to provide responses to the change the
Commission proposes to make.  Any such change shall be  based
upon evidence submitted in the record in the original hearing
or  in  the  rehearing.   If  the  Commission  makes  such  a
substantive change in the rule or regulation pursuant to this
subsection,  it  shall provide notice of the amendment to the
rule or regulation to the Joint Committee  on  Administrative
Rules  in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 5-40, and
shall thereafter comply with the requirements  of  subsection
(d) of Section 5-40 with respect to the rule or regulation as
amended.   The  running  of  the  time  period  specified  in
subsection (e) of Section 5-40 of the Illinois Administrative
Procedure Act for completing a rulemaking proceeding shall be
tolled for the period of time necessary for the Commission to
receive  and  consider  an  application  for rehearing and to
conduct any proceedings on  rehearing,  provided,  that  such
tolling  shall  not  serve  to extend any of the time periods
provided for in subsection (a) of this Section.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    Section 15.  Except as otherwise provided in  Section  60
of  this  amendatory  Act of 1997, iIf any provision added by
this amendatory Act of 1997  is  held  invalid,  this  entire
amendatory  Act  of  1997  shall  be  deemed invalid, and the
provisions of Section 1.31, "Severability", of the Statute on
Statutes are hereby expressly declared not applicable to this
amendatory Act  of  1997;  provided,  however  (i)  that  any
contracts entered into and performed, transactions completed,
orders  issued,  services  provided,  billings  rendered,  or
payments  made  in  accordance  with  the  provisions of this
amendatory Act of 1997, other than as provided in clause (ii)
below, prior  to  the  date  of  the  determination  of  such
invalidity,  shall not thereby be rendered invalid; (ii) that
no presumption as  to  the  validity  or  invalidity  of  any
contracts,   transactions,   orders,  billings,  or  payments
pursuant to Article XVIII of the Public Utilities  Act  shall
result  from a determination of invalidity of this amendatory
Act of 1997; and (iii) that the  provisions  of  proviso  (i)
shall not be deemed to preserve the validity of any executory
contracts  or  transactions,  of  any  actions  to  be  taken
pursuant   to  orders  issued,  or  of  any  services  to  be
performed, billings to be rendered, or payments to  be  made,
pursuant  to  provisions  of  this  amendatory  Act  of  1997
subsequent to the date of determination of such invalidity.

    (220 ILCS 5/8-402 rep.)
    (220 ILCS 5/8-402.1 rep.)
    (220 ILCS 5/8-404 rep.)
    Section  18.   Sections  8-402, 8-402.1, and 8-404 of the
Public Utilities Act are hereby repealed.

                          ARTICLE 2

    Section 2-1.  Short title.  This Article may be cited  as
the Electricity Excise Tax Law.

    Section  2-2.  Findings and intent.  The General Assembly
finds that the deregulation and restructuring of the electric
utility industry in this State mandated  and  implemented  by
this  amendatory  Act  of  1997,  including the unbundling of
services  and  the  authorization  of  competition   in   the
provision  of  those  services such that consumers may in the
future  transact  with  multiple  providers  to  obtain   the
services  that  were formerly provided by a single franchised
monopoly supplier  of  electricity,  renders  the  system  of
taxation   embodied  in  the  Public  Utilities  Revenue  Act
impracticable and infeasible.  The General  Assembly  further
finds that the deregulation and restructuring of the electric
utility  industry  necessitate changes to the existing system
of taxation in order to preserve  revenue neutrality  in  tax
collections  for  the State of Illinois, to avoid placing any
supplier engaged in the business of distributing,  supplying,
furnishing,  selling,  transmitting or delivering electricity
at  a  competitive  disadvantage,  to  minimize    additional
administrative  costs and burdens of collection, and to avoid
the  imposition  of  increased  tax  burdens  on   individual
consumers  of  electricity, particularly residential electric
users virtually all of whom, pursuant to  Section  2  of  the
Public  Utilities  Revenue  Act,  presently bear the economic
burden of the tax imposed thereunder at the rate of .32 cents
per kilowatt-hour  distributed,  supplied,  furnished,  sold,
transmitted  or  delivered  to  them.   The  General Assembly
further finds that to  change  the  current  rates  at  which
non-residential  users bear the economic burden of the Public
Utilities Revenue Tax, thereby resulting  in increases in the
amount of  tax  for  which  non-residential  users  bear  the
economic  burden,  could  impose  additional  cost burdens on
businesses  in  this  State  and  adversely  affect  economic
development and business retention in  Illinois  unless  such
users  are  provided  options for paying an excise tax on the
basis of purchase  price.   The  General  Assembly  therefore
finds  that  there  is a compelling public need to modify the
system of taxation embodied in the Public  Utilities  Revenue
Act by repealing the tax imposed by Section 2 of that Act and
imposing this electricity excise tax so as to:
         (1)  Impose   the  electricity  excise  tax  on  the
    privilege of electric use measured by  the kilowatt-hours
    delivered to the purchaser;
         (2)  As part of this amendatory Act of 1997,  repeal
    the  tax imposed by Section 2-202 of the Public Utilities
    Act as applicable to electric utilities and establish the
    rates of tax imposed under the electricity excise tax  in
    order to collect substantially the same amount of revenue
    as was collected under Section 2-202 of that Act; and
         (3)  Allow  non-residential consumers of electricity
    to elect to register with the Department  of  Revenue  as
    self-assessing  purchasers  and  to  pay  the electricity
    excise tax directly to the Department at a rate which  is
    established  as  a percentage of such consumer's purchase
    price for electricity distributed,  supplied,  furnished,
    sold, transmitted or delivered to the purchaser.

    Section  2-3.  Definitions.   As used in this Law, unless
the context clearly requires otherwise:
    (a)  "Department" means the Department of Revenue of  the
State of Illinois.
    (b)  "Director"  means  the Director of the Department of
Revenue of the State of Illinois.
    (c)  "Person" means any natural individual, firm,  trust,
estate,  partnership, association, joint stock company, joint
venture,  corporation,  limited  liability  company,   or   a
receiver,   trustee,   guardian,   or   other  representative
appointed by order of any court, or any city, town,  village,
county, or other political subdivision of this State.
    (d)  "Purchase  price"  means  the consideration paid for
the distribution, supply, furnishing, sale,  transmission  or
delivery  of  electricity to a person for non-residential use
or consumption (and for both residential and  non-residential
use  or consumption in the case of electricity purchased from
a municipal  system  or  electric  cooperative  described  in
subsection  (b)  of  Section 2-4) and not for resale, and for
all services directly related to the production, transmission
or  distribution  of   electricity   distributed,   supplied,
furnished, sold, transmitted or delivered for non-residential
use  or  consumption, and includes transition charges imposed
in accordance with Article XVI of the  Public  Utilities  Act
and  instrument  funding  charges  imposed in accordance with
Article XVIII of the Public Utilities Act, as well  as  cash,
services  and  property of every kind or nature, and shall be
determined without any deduction on account of  the  cost  of
the  service,  product  or  commodity  supplied,  the cost of
materials used, labor or service costs, or any other  expense
whatsoever.    However,  "purchase  price"  shall not include
consideration paid for:
         (i)  any charge for a dishonored check;
         (ii)  any  finance  or  credit  charge,  penalty  or
    charge  for  delayed  payment,  or  discount  for  prompt
    payment;
         (iii)  any charge for reconnection of service or for
    replacement or relocation of facilities;
         (iv)  any  advance  or  contribution   in   aid   of
    construction;
         (v)  repair,  inspection  or  servicing of equipment
    located on customer premises;
         (vi)  leasing or rental of equipment, the leasing or
    rental of which is not necessary to furnishing, supplying
    or selling electricity;
         (vii)  any purchase by a purchaser if  the  supplier
    is  prohibited  by federal or State constitution, treaty,
    convention, statute or court decision from recovering the
    related tax liability from such purchaser; and
         (viii)  any  amounts  added  to  purchasers'   bills
    because  of  charges  made pursuant to the tax imposed by
    this Law.
    In case credit is extended, the amount thereof  shall  be
included only as and when payments are made.



    "Purchase price" shall not include consideration received
from  business enterprises certified under Section 9-222.1 of
the Public Utilities Act, as amended, to the extent  of  such
exemption  and  during  the  period  of time specified by the
Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.
    (e)  "Purchaser"   means   any   person   who    acquires
electricity  for use or consumption and not for resale, for a
valuable consideration.
    (f)  "Non-residential electric  use"  means  any  use  or
consumption of electricity which is not  residential electric
use.
    (g)  "Residential electric use" means electricity used or
consumed  at  a  dwelling of 2 or fewer units, or electricity
for household purposes used or consumed at  a  building  with
multiple  dwelling  units where the electricity is registered
by a separate meter for each dwelling unit.
    (h)  "Self-assessing purchaser"  means  a  purchaser  for
non-residential  electric use who elects to register with and
to pay tax directly to  the  Department  in  accordance  with
Sections 2-10 and 2-11 of this Law.
    (i)  "Delivering  supplier"  means  any person engaged in
the business of delivering electricity to persons for use  or
consumption  and  not  for  resale and who, in any case where
more  than  one  person  participates  in  the  delivery   of
electricity  to  a  specific  purchaser,   is the last of the
suppliers engaged in delivering the electricity prior to  its
receipt by the purchaser.
    (j)  "Delivering supplier maintaining a place of business
in  this  State",  or  any  like  term,  means any delivering
supplier having or maintaining within this State, directly or
by a subsidiary, an office, generation facility, transmission
facility, distribution facility, sales office or other  place
of  business,  or any employee, agent or other representative
operating within this  State  under  the  authority  of  such
delivering supplier or such delivering supplier's subsidiary,
irrespective  of  whether  such place of business or agent or
other representative is located in this State permanently  or
temporarily,  or  whether  such  delivering  supplier or such
delivering supplier's subsidiary is licensed to  do  business
in this State.
    (k)  "Use"  means the exercise by any person of any right
or power over electricity incident to the ownership  of  that
electricity,  except that it does not include the generation,
production, transmission, distribution, delivery or  sale  of
electricity  in  the regular course of business or the use of
electricity for such purposes.

    Section 2-4. Tax imposed.
    (a)  Except as provided  in  subsection  (b),  a  tax  is
imposed  on  the privilege of using in this State electricity
purchased for use or consumption and not  for  resale,  other
than  by  municipal corporations owning and operating a local
transportation system for public service,  at  the  following
rates per kilowatt-hour delivered to the purchaser:
    (i)  For  the  first 2000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed
in a month: 0.330 cents per kilowatt-hour;
    (ii)  For the next 48,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed
in a month: 0.319 cents per kilowatt-hour;
    (iii)  For  the  next  50,000  kilowatt-hours   used   or
consumed in a month: 0.303 cents per kilowatt-hour;
    (iv)  For   the   next  400,000  kilowatt-hours  used  or
consumed in a month: 0.297 cents per kilowatt-hour;
    (v)  For the next 500,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed
in a month: 0.286 cents per kilowatt-hour;
    (vi)  For  the  next  2,000,000  kilowatt-hours  used  or
consumed in a month: 0.270 cents per kilowatt-hour;
    (vii)  For the  next  2,000,000  kilowatt-hours  used  or
consumed in a month: 0.254 cents per kilowatt-hour;
    (viii)  For  the  next  5,000,000  kilowatt-hours used or
consumed in a month: 0.233 cents per kilowatt-hour;
    (ix)  For the  next  10,000,000  kilowatt-hours  used  or
consumed in a month: 0.207 cents per kilowatt-hour;
    (x)  For   all   electricity   in  excess  of  20,000,000
kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.202  cents  per
kilowatt-hour.
    Provided, that in lieu of the foregoing rates, the tax is
imposed  on a self-assessing purchaser at the rate of 5.1% of
the  self-assessing  purchaser's  purchase  price   for   all
electricity    distributed,    supplied,   furnished,   sold,
transmitted and delivered to the self-assessing purchaser  in
a month.
    (b)  A  tax  is imposed on the privilege of using in this
State  electricity  purchased  from  a  municipal  system  or
electric cooperative, as  defined  in  Article  XVII  of  the
Public  Utilities  Act,  which  has  not  made an election as
permitted by either Section 17-200 or Section 17-300 of  such
Act,  at  the  lesser  of 0.32 cents per kilowatt hour of all
electricity   distributed,   supplied,    furnished,    sold,
transmitted,  and  delivered  by  such  municipal  system  or
electric  cooperative  to  the  purchaser  or 5% of each such
purchaser's purchase price for all  electricity  distributed,
supplied, furnished, sold, transmitted, and delivered by such
municipal  system  or  electric cooperative to the purchaser,
whichever is the lower rate as applied to each  purchaser  in
each billing period.
    (c)  The  tax  imposed by this Section 2-4 is not imposed
with  respect  to  any  use  of   electricity   by   business
enterprises  certified  under  Section  9-222.1 of the Public
Utilities Act, as amended, to the extent  of  such  exemption
and  during  the time specified by the Department of Commerce
and Community Affairs; or with respect to any transaction  in
interstate  commerce,  or  otherwise,  to the extent to which
such transaction may not, under the Constitution and statutes
of the United States, be made the subject of taxation by this
State.

    Section 2-5.  Multistate exemption.   To  prevent  actual
multi-state  taxation  of  the   privilege that is subject to
taxation under this  Law,  any  purchaser,  upon  proof  that
purchaser  has  paid  a  tax  in another state on such event,
shall be allowed a credit against the  tax  imposed  by  this
Law,  to the extent of the amount of the tax properly due and
paid in the other state.

    Section  2-6.   Sunset   of   exemptions,   credits   and
deductions.    The application of every exemption, credit and
deduction against tax imposed by this Law, shall  be  limited
by  a  reasonable  and  appropriate sunset date.  A purchaser
subject to the tax imposed by this Law  is  not  entitled  to
take  the  exemption,  credit,  or deduction beginning on the
sunset date and thereafter.  If a reasonable and  appropriate
sunset  date  is not specified in the Public Act that creates
the exemption, credit, or deduction, a purchaser shall not be
entitled  to  take  the  exemption,  credit,   or   deduction
beginning  5 years after the effective date of the Public Act
creating the exemption, credit, or deduction and  thereafter.
The  provisions  of  this  Section  shall  not  apply  to the
exemption provided by Section 2-5 of this Law.

    Section 2-7.  Collection of electricity excise tax.   The
tax   imposed  by  this  Law  shall  be  collected  from  the
purchaser, other than a self-assessing purchaser who provides
a copy of an active certification described in Sections  2-10
and   2-10.5   of   this  Law,  by  any  delivering  supplier
maintaining a place of business in this State  at  the  rates
stated  in  Section  2-4  with  respect  to  the  electricity
delivered   by   such  delivering  supplier  to  or  for  the
purchaser,  and  shall  be  remitted  to  the  Department  as
provided in Section 2-9 of this Law. All sales to a purchaser
are presumed subject to tax collection unless  the  purchaser
provides  the  delivering  supplier  with a copy of an active
certification described in Sections 2-10 and 2-10.5  of  this
Law.    Upon  receipt  of  an  active  certification  from  a
purchaser,  the  delivering  supplier  is  relieved  of   all
liability  for  the collection and remittance of tax from the
self-assessing purchaser who has provided the  certification.
The  delivering supplier is relieved of the liability for the
collection of the tax from a self-assessing  purchaser  until
such  time  as the delivering supplier is notified in writing
by the purchaser that  the  purchaser's  certification  as  a
self-assessing  purchaser  is no longer in effect. Delivering
suppliers shall collect the tax from purchasers by adding the
tax to the amount of the purchase  price  received  from  the
purchaser for delivering electricity for or to the purchaser.
Where  a  delivering supplier does not collect the tax from a
purchaser, other than a self-assessing purchaser, as provided
herein, such purchaser shall pay  the  tax  directly  to  the
Department.

    Section  2-7.5.  Registration  of delivering suppliers. A
person who engages in business as a  delivering  supplier  of
electricity in this State shall register with the Department.
Application  for  a certificate of registration shall be made
to the Department upon forms furnished by the Department  and
shall  contain  any reasonable information the Department may
require.  Upon receipt of the application for  a  certificate
of  registration  in  proper form, the Department shall issue
to the applicant a certificate of registration.
    The Department may deny a certificate of registration  to
any    applicant  if such applicant is in  default for moneys
due under this Law.
    Any person aggrieved by any decision  of  the  Department
under   this Section may, within 20 days after notice of such
decision,  protest  and  request  a  hearing,  whereupon  the
Department shall give notice to such person of the  time  and
place  fixed  for  such  hearing  and shall hold a hearing in
conformity with the provisions of this  Law  and  then  issue
its  final  administrative  decision  in  the  matter to such
person. In the absence of such a protest within 20 days,  the
Department's  decision shall become final without any further
determination being made or notice given.

    Section 2-7.6. Revocation of certificate of registration.
The Department may, after notice and a  hearing  as  provided
herein,  revoke the certificate of registration of any person
who violates any of  the  provisions  of  this  Law.   Before
revocation  of  a certificate of registration, the Department
shall, within 90 days after non-compliance  and  at  least  7
days  prior  to  the  date of the hearing, give the person so
accused notice in writing of the charge against him  or  her,
and  on the date designated shall conduct a hearing upon this
matter.  The lapse of such 90 day period shall  not  preclude
the  Department  from  conducting revocation proceedings at a
later  date  if  necessary.   Any  hearing  held  under  this
Section shall be conducted by the Director or by  any officer
or employee of the Department designated in  writing  by  the
Director.
    Upon  the hearing of any such proceeding, the Director or
any officer or employee of  the  Department    designated  in
writing  by  the  Director  may  administer  oaths,  and  the
Department  may  procure  by  its  subpoena the attendance of
witnesses and, by its subpoena  duces tecum,  the  production
of  relevant  books  and  papers.    Any  circuit court, upon
application either of the accused or  of the Department, may,
by order duly entered, require the  attendance  of  witnesses
and  the  production of relevant books  and papers before the
Department in any hearing relating  to    the  revocation  of
certificates  of  registration.  Upon  refusal  or neglect to
obey the order of the court, the court may  compel  obedience
thereof by proceedings for contempt.
    The Department may, by application to any circuit  court,
obtain  an  injunction  requiring  any person who  engages in
business as a delivering supplier of electricity to obtain  a
certificate of registration. Upon refusal or  neglect to obey
the  order  of  the court, the court may compel  obedience by
proceedings for contempt.

    Section 2-8.  Tax collected as debt owed to  State.   The
tax  herein  required  to  be  collected  by  any  delivering
supplier  maintaining  a place of business in this State, and
any such tax collected by that  person,  shall  constitute  a
debt  owed  by  that person to this State, provided, that the
delivering supplier shall be  allowed  credit  for  such  tax
related  to  deliveries  of electricity the charges for which
are written off as uncollectible, and provided further,  that
if  such  charges  are  thereafter  collected, the delivering
supplier shall be obligated to remit such tax.  For  purposes
of   this  Section,  any  partial  payment  not  specifically
identified by the purchaser shall be deemed  to  be  for  the
delivery of electricity.

    Section  2-9.   Return  and  payment of tax by delivering
supplier.   Each  delivering  supplier  who  is  required  or
authorized  to collect the tax imposed by this Law shall make
a return to the Department on or before the 15th day of  each
month for the preceding calendar month stating the following:
    (1)  The delivering supplier's name.
    (2)  The  address  of the delivering supplier's principal
place of business and the address of the principal  place  of
business  (if  that  is  a  different address) from which the
delivering supplier engaged in  the  business  of  delivering
electricity in this State.
    (3)  The   total  number  of   kilowatt-hours  which  the
supplier delivered to or for purchasers during the  preceding
calendar  month  and  upon  the  basis  of  which  the tax is
imposed.
    (4)  Amount of tax, computed upon Item (3) at  the  rates
stated in Section 2-4.
    (5)  An  adjustment  for  uncollectible amounts of tax in
respect of prior period kilowatt-hour deliveries,  determined
in  accordance  with rules and regulations promulgated by the
Department.
    (6)  Such other information as the Department  reasonably
may require.
    In making such return the delivering supplier may use any
reasonable  method to derive reportable "kilowatt-hours" from
the delivering supplier's records.
    If the average monthly tax liability to the Department of
the  delivering  supplier  does  not   exceed   $2,500,   the
Department may authorize the delivering supplier's returns to
be  filed  on  a  quarter-annual  basis,  with the return for
January, February and March of a  given  year  being  due  by
April  30  of  such  year; with the return for April, May and
June of a given year being due by July 31 of such year;  with
the  return  for  July,  August and September of a given year
being due by October 31 of such year; and with the return for
October, November and December of a given year being  due  by
January 31 of the following year.
    If the average monthly tax liability to the Department of
the   delivering   supplier   does  not  exceed  $1,000,  the
Department may authorize the delivering supplier's returns to
be filed on an annual basis, with the return for a given year
being due by January 31 of the following year.
    Such quarter-annual and annual returns, as  to  form  and
substance,  shall  be  subject  to  the  same requirements as
monthly returns.
    Notwithstanding  any  other   provision   in   this   Law
concerning  the  time within which a  delivering supplier may
file a return, any such delivering  supplier  who  ceases  to
engage   in  a  kind  of  business  which  makes  the  person
responsible for filing returns under this Law  shall  file  a
final return under this Law with the Department not more than
one month after discontinuing such business.
    Each  delivering supplier whose average monthly liability
to the Department under this Law was $10,000 or  more  during
the  preceding  calendar year, excluding the month of highest
liability and the month of lowest liability in such  calendar
year,  and who is not operated by a unit of local government,
shall make estimated payments to the Department on or  before
the  7th,  15th,  22nd and last day of the month during which
tax liability to the Department is incurred in an amount  not
less  than  the  lower  of  either  22.5%  of such delivering
supplier's actual tax liability for the month or 25% of  such
delivering  supplier's  actual  tax  liability  for  the same
calendar month of the preceding year.   The  amount  of  such
quarter-monthly  payments shall be credited against the final
tax liability of such delivering supplier's return  for  that
month.  An outstanding credit approved by the Department or a
credit  memorandum issued by the Department arising from such
delivering supplier's overpayment of his  or  her  final  tax
liability  for  any month may be applied to reduce the amount
of any subsequent quarter-monthly payment or credited against
the final tax liability of such delivering supplier's  return
for  any subsequent month.  If any quarter-monthly payment is
not paid at the time  or  in  the  amount  required  by  this
Section, such delivering supplier shall be liable for penalty
and interest on the difference between the minimum amount due
as  a  payment  and  the  amount of such payment actually and
timely paid, except insofar as such delivering  supplier  has
previously  made payments for that month to the Department in
excess of the minimum payments previously due.
    If the Director finds that the information  required  for
the  making  of  an  accurate  return  cannot  reasonably  be
compiled by such delivering supplier within 15 days after the
close of the calendar month for which a return is to be made,
the Director may grant an extension of time for the filing of
such return for a period not to exceed 31 calendar days.  The
granting  of  such  an  extension may be conditioned upon the
deposit by such delivering supplier with the Department of an
amount of money not exceeding the  amount  estimated  by  the
Director  to  be  due  with the return so extended.  All such
deposits shall be credited against such delivering supplier's
liabilities under this Law.   If  the  deposit  exceeds  such
delivering supplier's present and probable future liabilities
under this Law, the Department shall issue to such delivering
supplier  a  credit memorandum, which may be assigned by such
delivering supplier to a similar person under  this  Law,  in
accordance  with  reasonable  rules  and  regulations  to  be
prescribed by the Department.
    The delivering supplier making the return provided for in
this Section shall, at the time of making such return, pay to
the Department the amount of tax imposed by this Law.
    A  delivering  supplier  who  has  an average monthly tax
liability  of  $10,000  or  more  shall  make  all   payments
required  by  rules  of  the  Department  by electronic funds
transfer.  The term "average monthly tax liability" shall  be
the  sum  of the delivering supplier's liabilities under this
Law for the immediately preceding calendar  year  divided  by
12.   Any  delivering  supplier not required to make payments
by electronic funds transfer may make payments by  electronic
funds  transfer  with  the permission of the Department.  All
delivering suppliers required to make payments by  electronic
funds  transfer  and  any  delivering suppliers authorized to
voluntarily make payments by electronic funds transfer  shall
make   those   payments  in  the  manner  authorized  by  the
Department.
    Each month the  Department  shall  pay  into  the  Public
Utility  Fund  in  the State treasury an amount determined by
the Director to be equal to 3.0% of the funds received by the
Department pursuant to this Section.  The  remainder  of  all
moneys received by the Department under this Section shall be
paid into the General Revenue Fund in the State treasury.

    Section  2-10.  Election  to be self-assessing purchaser.
Any purchaser for non-residential electric use may  elect  to
register  with  the  Department as a self-assessing purchaser
and to pay the tax imposed by Section  2-4  directly  to  the
Department,   at   the   rate  stated  in  that  Section  for
self-assessing purchasers, rather than paying the tax to such
purchaser's delivering supplier.  The election by a purchaser
to register as a self-assessing purchaser may not be  revoked
by  the  purchaser  for  at  least  12  months thereafter.  A
purchaser  who  revokes  his  or  her   registration   as   a
self-assessing purchaser shall not thereafter be permitted to
register  as a self-assessing purchaser within the succeeding
12 months.  A self-assessing purchaser shall renew his or her
registration every 12 months, or the  registration  shall  be
deemed to be revoked.

    Section    2-10.5.     Registration   of   self-assessing
purchaser.  Application for a certificate of registration  as
a  self-assessing  purchaser  shall be made to the Department
upon forms furnished by the Department and shall contain  any
reasonable  information  the  Department  may  require.  Upon
receipt of the application for a certificate of  registration
in  proper form and payment of a bi-annual renewal fee not to
exceed $200, the Department shall issue to  the  applicant  a
certificate  of  registration that permits the person to whom
it was  issued  to  pay  the  tax  incurred  under  this  Law
directly  to  the  Department  for  a  period  of 2 years.  A
certificate  of  registration  under   this   Section   shall
automatically  be  renewed, subject to revocation as provided
by this Law, for additional 2-year periods from the  date  of
its   expiration unless otherwise notified by the Department.
    Upon the expiration or revocation  of  a  certificate  of
registration  as  a  self-assessing  purchaser, the person to
whom such certificate had been issued shall  provide  written
notice  of the expiration or revocation of the certificate to
that person's delivering supplier or suppliers.
    The Department may deny a certificate of registration  to
any    applicant  if  the  owner, any partner, any manager or
member  of  a  limited  liability  company,  or  a  corporate
officer  of    the  applicant,  is  or  has been the owner, a
partner, a  manager or member of a limited liability company,
or a  corporate officer, of another self-assessing  purchaser
that  is in default for moneys due under this Law.
    Any  person  aggrieved  by any decision of the Department
under  this Section may, within 20 days after notice of  such
decision,  protest  and  request  a  hearing,  whereupon  the
Department  shall  give notice to such person of the time and
place fixed for such hearing and  shall  hold  a  hearing  in
conformity  with  the  provisions  of this Law and then issue
its final administrative  decision  in  the  matter  to  such
person.  In the absence of such a protest within 20 days, the
Department's decision shall become final without any  further
determination being made or notice given.

    Section    2-10.6.     Revocation   of   certificate   of
registration.   The  Department  may,  after  notice  and   a
hearing   as  provided  herein,  revoke  the  certificate  of
registration  of  any  person  who  violates   any   of   the
provisions  of  this  Law. Before revocation of a certificate
of registration the Department shall, within  90  days  after
non-compliance  and  at least 7 days prior to the date of the
hearing, give the person so accused notice in writing of  the
charge  against  him or her, and on the date designated shall
conduct a hearing upon this matter.  The  lapse  of  such  90
day  period shall not preclude the Department from conducting
revocation proceedings at a later  date  if  necessary.   Any
hearing  held  under  this  Section shall be conducted by the
Director of Revenue or by any  officer  or  employee  of  the
Department   designated,  in  writing,  by  the  Director  of
Revenue.
    Upon the hearing of any such proceeding, the Director  of
Revenue,  or  any  officer  or  employee  of  the  Department
designated, in writing,  by  the  Director  of  Revenue,  may
administer  oaths,  and  the  Department  may  procure by its
subpoena the attendance of witnesses  and,  by  its  subpoena
duces  tecum,  the  production  of relevant books and papers.
Any circuit court, upon application either of the accused  or
of  the  Department,  may, by order duly entered, require the
attendance of witnesses and the production of relevant  books
and  papers, before the Department in any hearing relating to
the revocation of certificates of registration. Upon  refusal
or  neglect  to  obey  the  order of the court, the court may
compel obedience thereof by proceedings for contempt.

    Section   2-11.    Direct   return   and    payment    by
self-assessing   purchaser.   When  electricity  is  used  or
consumed by a self-assessing purchaser  subject  to  the  tax
imposed  by  this Law who did not pay the tax to a delivering
supplier maintaining a place of business  within  this  State
and   required   or  authorized  to  collect  the  tax,  that
self-assessing purchaser shall, on or before the 15th day  of
each month, make a return to the Department for the preceding
calendar month, stating all of the following:
         (1)  The   self-assessing   purchaser's   name   and
    principal address.
         (2)  The   aggregate  purchase  price  paid  by  the
    self-assessing purchaser for  the  distribution,  supply,
    furnishing,  sale,  transmission  and  delivery  of  such
    electricity  to or for the purchaser during the preceding
    calendar  month,  including   budget   plan   and   other
    purchaser-owned  amounts  applied  during  such  month in
    payment of charges includible in the purchase price,  and
    upon the basis of which the tax is imposed.
         (3)  Amount of tax, computed upon Item 2 at the rate
    stated in Section 2-4.
         (4)  Such   other   information  as  the  Department
    reasonably may require.
    In making such return the  self-assessing  purchaser  may
use  any  reasonable  method  to  derive reportable "purchase
price" from the self-assessing purchaser's  records.
    If   the   average   monthly   tax   liability   of   the
self-assessing purchaser to the Department  does  not  exceed
$2,500,  the  Department  may  authorize  the  self-assessing
purchaser's  returns  to  be filed on a quarter-annual basis,
with the return for January, February and March  of  a  given
year  being due by April 30 of such year; with the return for
April, May and June of a given year being due by July  31  of
such year; with the return for July, August, and September of
a  given  year being due by October 31 of such year; and with
the return for October, November and December of a given year
being due by January 31 of the following year.
    If   the   average   monthly   tax   liability   of   the
self-assessing purchaser to the Department  does  not  exceed
$1,000,  the  Department  may  authorize  the  self-assessing
purchaser's  returns to be filed on an annual basis, with the
return for a given year  being  due  by  January  31  of  the
following year.
    Such  quarter-annual  and  annual returns, as to form and
substance, shall be  subject  to  the  same  requirements  as
monthly returns.
    Notwithstanding   any   other   provision   in  this  Law
concerning the time within which a  self-assessing  purchaser
may  file  a  return,  any  such self-assessing purchaser who
ceases to be responsible for filing returns  under  this  Law
shall  file a final return under this Law with the Department
not more than one month thereafter.
    Each  self-assessing  purchaser  whose  average   monthly
liability  to  the  Department  pursuant  to this Section was
$10,000 or more during the preceding calendar year, excluding
the month of  highest  liability  and  the  month  of  lowest
liability  during  such  calendar  year,  and  which  is  not
operated  by a unit of local government, shall make estimated
payments to the Department on or before the 7th,  15th,  22nd
and  last  day of the month during which tax liability to the
Department is incurred in an amount not less than  the  lower
of either 22.5% of such self-assessing purchaser's actual tax
liability  for  the  month  or  25%  of  such  self-assessing
purchaser's  actual tax liability for the same calendar month
of the preceding year.  The amount  of  such  quarter-monthly
payments shall be credited against the final tax liability of
the  self-assessing  purchaser's  return  for that month.  An
outstanding credit approved by the  Department  or  a  credit
memorandum   issued   by  the  Department  arising  from  the
self-assessing purchaser's overpayment of the  self-assessing
purchaser's  final tax liability for any month may be applied
to  reduce  the  amount  of  any  subsequent  quarter-monthly
payment or credited against the final tax liability  of  such
self-assessing  purchaser's  return for any subsequent month.
If any quarter-monthly payment is not paid at the time or  in
the  amount  required  by  this Section, such person shall be
liable for penalty and interest on the difference between the
minimum amount due as  a  payment  and  the  amount  of  such
payment  actually  and  timely  paid,  except insofar as such
person has previously made payments for  that  month  to  the
Department in excess of the minimum payments previously due.
    If  the  Director finds that the information required for
the  making  of  an  accurate  return  cannot  reasonably  be
compiled by a self-assessing purchaser within 15  days  after
the  close  of the calendar month for which a return is to be
made, the Director may grant an extension  of  time  for  the
filing  of  such  return  for  a  period  of not to exceed 31
calendar days.  The granting of  such  an  extension  may  be
conditioned upon the deposit by such self-assessing purchaser
with  the  Department of an amount of money not exceeding the
amount estimated by the Director to be due with the return so
extended.  All such deposits shall be credited  against  such
self-assessing  purchaser's  liabilities  under this Law.  If
the deposit exceeds such self-assessing  purchaser's  present
and   probable   future   liabilities  under  this  Law,  the
Department shall issue to  such  self-assessing  purchaser  a
credit   memorandum,   which   may   be   assigned   by  such
self-assessing purchaser to a similar person under this  Law,
in  accordance  with  reasonable  rules and regulations to be
prescribed by the Department.
    The self-assessing purchaser making the  return  provided
for in this Section shall, at the time of making such return,
pay to the Department the amount of tax imposed by this Law.
    A self-assessing purchaser who has an average monthly tax
liability   of  $10,000  or  more  shall  make  all  payments
required by rules  of  the  Department  by  electronic  funds
transfer.   The term "average monthly tax liability" shall be
the sum of the self-assessing purchaser's  liabilities  under
this  Law for the immediately preceding calendar year divided
by 12.  Any self-assessing purchaser  not  required  to  make
payments  by  electronic  funds transfer may make payments by
electronic  funds  transfer  with  the  permission   of   the
Department.   All  self-assessing purchasers required to make
payments by electronic funds transfer and any  self-assessing
purchasers   authorized   to  voluntarily  make  payments  by
electronic funds transfer shall make those  payments  in  the
manner authorized by the Department.
    Each  month  the  Department  shall  pay  into the Public
Utility Fund in the State treasury an  amount  determined  by
the Director to be equal to 3.0% of the funds received by the
Department  pursuant  to  this Section.  The remainder of all
moneys received by the Department under this Section shall be
paid into the General Revenue Fund in the State treasury.

    Section 2-12.  Applicability of Retailers' Occupation Tax
Act, Public Utilities Revenue Act  and  Uniform  Penalty  and
Interest  Act.  The  Department  shall  have  full  power  to
administer  and  enforce  this  Law;  to  collect  all taxes,
penalties and interest due hereunder; to  dispose  of  taxes,
penalties  and  interest  so  collected  in the manner herein
provided; and to determine all rights to credit memoranda  or
refunds  arising  on account of the erroneous payment of tax,
penalty or interest hereunder.
    All of the provisions of Sections 4 (except that the time
limitation provisions shall run from the date when the tax is
due rather  than  from  the  date  when  gross  receipts  are
received),  5  (except that the time limitation provisions on
the issuances of notices of tax liability shall run from  the
date when the tax is due rather than from the date when gross
receipts  are  received  and  except  that  in  the case of a
failure to file a return required by this Law, no  notice  of
tax  liability  shall  be issued on and after each July 1 and
January 1 covering tax due with that return during any  month
or  period more than 6 years before that July 1 or January 1,
respectively, and except that the 30% penalty provided for in
Section 5 shall not apply), 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e,  5f,  5g,  5i
and  5j of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act, and Sections 6,
8, 9, 10 and 11 of the Public Utilities  Revenue  Act,  which
are  not  inconsistent with this Law, and the Uniform Penalty
and Interest Act shall apply, as far as practicable,  to  the
subject  matter  of  this  Law  to the same extent as if such
provisions  were  included  herein.    References   in   such
incorporated  Sections  of  the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act
and Public Utilities Revenue Act  and  to  taxpayers  and  to
persons  engaged in the business of selling tangible personal
property at  retail  means  both  purchasers  and  delivering
suppliers  maintaining  a place of business in this State, as
required by the particular context, when used  in  this  Law.
References  in  such  incorporated Sections of the Retailers'
Occupation Tax Act and Public Utilities Revenue Act to  gross
receipts  and to gross receipts received means purchase price
or kilowatt-hours used  or  consumed  by  the  purchaser,  as
required by the particular context.

    Section  2-13.   Inspection  of  books and records. Every
delivering supplier maintaining a place of business  in  this
State  who  is obligated to collect and remit the tax imposed
on  a  purchaser  by  this  Law,  and  every   self-assessing
purchaser who is obligated to pay the tax imposed by this Law
directly  to  the  Department,  shall  keep   books, records,
papers and other documents which are adequate to reflect  the
information   which  such  supplier  or  such  self-assessing
purchaser, as the case may be, is required by Section 2-9  or
Section  2-11  of  this  Law  to  report to the Department by
filing  returns with the Department. All  books  and  records
and  other  papers  and  documents required by this Law to be
kept shall be kept in the English language and shall, at  all
times  during  business  hours  of  the  day,  be  subject to
inspection by the Department or its  duly  authorized  agents
and  employees.   Books and records reflecting purchase price
paid and kilowatt-hours delivered, used  or  consumed  during
any period with respect to which the Department is authorized
to  establish  liability as provided  in Section 2-12 of this
Law shall be preserved until the expiration  of  such  period
unless   the   Department,   in   writing,  authorizes  their
destruction or disposal at an earlier date.
    The Department may, upon  written  authorization  of  the
Director,  destroy  any  returns  or  any  records, papers or
memoranda pertaining to such returns upon the  expiration  of
any  period covered by such returns with respect to which the
Department is authorized to establish liability.

    Section 2-14.  Rules  and  regulations;  hearing;  review
under  Administrative  Review  Law;  death or incompetency of
party. The Department may make, promulgate and  enforce  such
reasonable    rules   and   regulations   relating   to   the
administration and enforcement of this Law as may  be  deemed
expedient.
    Whenever  notice  to  a  purchaser  or  to  a  delivering
supplier  is  required  by  this  Law,  such  notice  may  be
personally  served  or  given  by  United States certified or
registered mail, addressed to  the  purchaser  or  delivering
supplier  concerned  at  his  or  her last known address, and
proof of such mailing shall be sufficient for the purposes of
this Law.  In the case of a notice  of  hearing,  the  notice
shall be mailed not less than 21 days prior to the date fixed
for the hearing.
    All  hearings  provided for in this Law with respect to a
purchaser or to a delivering supplier  having  its  principal
address  or principal place of business in any of the several
counties of this State shall be held in  the  county  wherein
the  purchaser  or  delivering  supplier  has  its  principal
address  or principal place of business.  If the purchaser or
delivering supplier does not have its  principal  address  or
principal  place  of  business  in  this State, such hearings
shall be held in Sangamon County.  The Circuit Court  of  any
county  wherein  a hearing is held shall have power to review
all final  administrative  decisions  of  the  Department  in
administering  the  provisions of this Law.  If, however, the
administrative proceeding which is to be reviewed  judicially
is a claim for refund proceeding commenced in accordance with
this  Law  and Section 2a of the State Officers and Employees
Money Disposition Act, the Circuit Court having  jurisdiction
of  the  action  for  judicial  review under this Section and
under the Administrative Review Law shall be the  same  court
that  entered  the temporary restraining order or preliminary
injunction which is provided for in Section 2a of  the  State
Officers  and  Employees  Money  Disposition  Act  and  which
enables such claim proceeding to be processed and disposed of
as  a  claim for refund proceeding rather than as a claim for
credit proceeding.
    The provisions of the Administrative Review Law, and  the
rules adopted pursuant thereto, shall apply to and govern all
proceedings  for  the judicial review of final administrative
decisions   of   the   Department   hereunder.    The    term
"administrative  decision"  is defined as in Section 3-101 of
the Code of Civil Procedure.
    Service upon the Director or Assistant  Director  of  the
Department  of  Revenue  of  summons  issued in any action to
review a final administrative decision is  service  upon  the
Department.   The  Department shall certify the record of its
proceedings if the person commencing such action shall pay to
it the sum of 75 cents per page of testimony taken before the
Department and  25  cents  per  page  of  all  other  matters
contained  in  such  record, except that these charges may be
waived where the Department is satisfied that  the  aggrieved
party is a poor person who cannot afford to pay such charges.
    Whenever  any  proceeding  provided  by this Law has been
begun by the Department or by a person  subject  thereto  and
such  person  thereafter dies or becomes a person under legal
disability before the  proceeding  has  been  concluded,  the
legal representative of the deceased person or a person under
legal disability shall notify the Department of such death or
legal  disability.  The  legal representative, as such, shall
then be substituted by the Department in place of and for the
person.
    Within 20 days after notice to the  legal  representative
of  the  time  fixed  for  that  purpose,  the proceeding may
proceed in all respects and with like effect  as  though  the
person   had   not  died  or  become  a  person  under  legal
disability.

    Section 2-15.   Illinois  Administrative  Procedure  Act;
application.   The  Illinois  Administrative Procedure Act is
hereby   expressly   adopted   and   shall   apply   to   all
administrative rules and procedures of the  Department  under
this  Law, except that:  (1) paragraph (b) of Section 5-10 of
the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act does not  apply  to
final  orders,  decisions and opinions of the Department, (2)
subparagraph  (a)(ii)  of  Section  5-10  of   the   Illinois
Administrative   Procedure   Act  does  not  apply  to  forms
established by the Department for use under this Law, and (3)
the   provisions   of   Section   10-45   of   the   Illinois
Administrative Procedure Act regarding proposals for decision
are excluded and not applicable to the Department under  this
Law.
    Section  2-16.   Violations.  Any purchaser or delivering
supplier who is required to but fails to make  a  return,  or
who  makes  a fraudulent return, or who wilfully violates any
other provision of this Law or any rule or regulation of  the
Department  for  the  administration  and enforcement of this
Law, is guilty of a business  offense  and,  upon  conviction
thereof,  shall  be  fined  not  less than $750 nor more than
$7,500.

    Section  2-17.   Office  of  Attorney  General;  Consumer
Utilities Unit.  From the moneys collected  under  this  Law,
the  General  Assembly shall appropriate sufficient moneys to
the Office of the Attorney General to pay the expenses of the
Consumer Utilities Unit incurred in the  performance  of  its
duties under Section 6.5 of the Attorney General Act.

                          ARTICLE 3

    Section  25.  The Public Utilities Revenue Act is amended
by changing Sections 1, 2a.1,  2a.2,  5,  and  7  and  adding
Section 1a as follows:

    (35 ILCS 620/1) (from Ch. 120, par. 468)
    Sec. 1. For the purposes of this Law:
    "Consumer Price Index" means the Consumer Price Index For
All  Urban  Consumers  for  all items published by the United
States Department of Labor; provided that if  this  index  no
longer  exists, the Department of Revenue shall prescribe the
use of a comparable, substitute index.
    "Gross receipts" means  the  consideration  received  for
electricity  distributed,  supplied,  furnished  or  sold  to
persons  for  use  or consumption and not for resale, and for
all services (including the transmission of  electricity  for
an  end-user)  rendered in connection therewith, and includes
cash, services and property of  every  kind  or  nature,  and
shall  be  determined without any deduction on account of the
cost of the service, product or commodity supplied, the  cost
of  materials  used,  labor  or  service  costs, or any other
expense  whatsoever.  However,  "gross  receipts"  shall  not
include receipts from:
         (i)  any minimum or other charge for electricity  or
    electric   service   where  the  customer  has  taken  no
    kilowatt-hours of electricity;
         (ii)  any charge for a dishonored check;
         (iii)  any finance  or  credit  charge,  penalty  or
    charge  for  delayed  payment,  or  discount  for  prompt
    payment;
         (iv)  any  charge for reconnection of service or for
    replacement or relocation of facilities;
         (v)  any  advance  or   contribution   in   aid   of
    construction;
         (vi)  repair,  inspection  or servicing of equipment
    located on customer premises;
         (vii)  leasing or rental of equipment,  the  leasing
    or  rental  of  which  is  not necessary to distributing,
    furnishing,   supplying,    selling    or    transporting
    electricity;
         (viii)  any  sale  to  a customer if the taxpayer is
    prohibited by  federal  or  State  constitution,  treaty,
    convention, statute or court decision from recovering the
    related tax liability from such customer; and
         (ix)  any charges added to customers' bills pursuant
    to  the  provisions  of Section 9-221 or Section 9-222 of
    the Public Utilities Act,  as  amended,  or  any  charges
    added  to  customers'  bills  by  taxpayers  who  are not
    subject to  rate  regulation  by  the  Illinois  Commerce
    Commission  for  the purpose of recovering any of the tax
    liabilities or other amount specified in such  provisions
    of  such  Act.  In  case  credit  is extended, the amount
    thereof shall be included only as and when  payments  are
    received.
    "Gross receipts" shall not include consideration received
from  business enterprises certified under Section 9-222.1 of
the Public Utilities Act, as amended, to the extent  of  such
exemption  and  during  the  period  of time specified by the
Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.
    "Department" means the Department of Revenue of the State
of Illinois.
    "Director"  means  the  Director  of  Revenue   for   the
Department of Revenue of the State of Illinois.
    "Distributing   electricity"  means  delivering  electric
energy to an end  user  over  facilities  owned,  leased,  or
controlled by the taxpayer.
    "Taxpayer" for purposes of the tax on the distribution of
electricity   imposed   by   this   Act   means  an  electric
cooperative, an electric utility, or  an  alternative  retail
electric supplier (other than a person that is an alternative
retail electric supplier solely pursuant to subsection (e) of
Section  16-115  of the Public Utilities Act), as those terms
are defined in the Public Utilities Act, a person engaged  in
the   business  of  distributing,  supplying,  furnishing  or
selling electricity in this State for use or consumption  and
not for resale.
    "Taxpayer"  for  purposes of the Public Utilities Revenue
Tax means a person engaged in the business  of  distributing,
supplying,  furnishing  or  selling  electricity  for  use or
consumption and not for resale.
    "Person"  means  any  natural  individual,  firm,  trust,
estate, partnership, association, joint stock company,  joint
adventure,  corporation,  limited  liability  company,  or  a
receiver, trustee, guardian or other representative appointed
by  order  of  any  court, or any city, town, county or other
political subdivision of this State.
    "Invested capital" means that amount  equal  to  (i)  the
average  of  the  balances  at  the beginning and end of each
taxable period of the taxpayer's total  stockholder's  equity
and total long-term debt, less investments in and advances to
all corporations, as set forth on the balance sheets included
in  the  taxpayer's  annual  report  to the Illinois Commerce
Commission for the  taxable  period;  (ii)  multiplied  by  a
fraction  determined  under  Sections  301  and 304(a) of the
"Illinois Income Tax Act" and reported on the Illinois income
tax return for the taxable  period  ending  in  or  with  the
taxable  period  in  question.  However,  notwithstanding the
income  tax  return  reporting  requirement   stated   above,
beginning  July  1,  1979, no taxpayer's denominators used to
compute  the  sales,  property  or  payroll   factors   under
subsection  (a) of Section 304 of the Illinois Income Tax Act
shall include payroll, property or  sales  of  any  corporate
entity   other   than   the  taxpayer  for  the  purposes  of
determining an allocation for the invested capital tax.  This
amendatory  Act  of 1982, Public Act 82-1024, is not intended
to and does not  make  any  change  in  the  meaning  of  any
provision  of  this  Act,  it  having  been the intent of the
General Assembly in  initially  enacting  the  definition  of
"invested  capital"  to  provide  for  apportionment  of  the
invested  capital  of  each  company,  based  solely upon the
sales, property and payroll of that company. in the  case  of
an electric cooperative subject to the tax imposed by Section
2a.1, "invested capital" means an amount equal to the product
determined by multiplying, (i) the average of the balances at
the beginning and end of the taxable period of the taxpayer's
total   equity  (including  memberships,  patronage  capital,
operating margins, non-operating margins, other  margins  and
other  equities), as set forth on the balance sheets included
in  the  taxpayer's  annual  report  to  the  United   States
Department    of   Agriculture   Rural   Utilities   Services
Electrification Administration (established pursuant  to  the
federal  Rural  Electrification  Act of 1936, as amended), by
(ii) the fraction determined under Sections 301 and 304(a) of
the Illinois Income Tax Act,  as  amended,  for  the  taxable
period.
    "Taxable  period"  means  each calendar year period which
ends after the effective  date  of  this  Act  and  which  is
covered  by  an annual report filed by the taxpayer with  the
Illinois Commerce Commission.  In the  case  of  an  electric
cooperative  subject  to  the  tax  imposed  by Section 2a.1,
"taxable period" means each calendar year  ending  after  the
effective  date  of  this Act and covered by an annual report
filed by the taxpayer with the United  States  Department  of
Agriculture    Rural   Utilities   Services   Electrification
Administration.
(Source: P.A. 88-480.)

    (35 ILCS 620/1a new)
    Sec.  1a.  Legislative  Intent.   The  General   Assembly
previously  imposed a tax on the invested capital of electric
utilities to replace in part the personal property  tax  that
was   abolished   by   the  Illinois  Constitution  of  1970.
Subsequent to the enactment and imposition  of  the  invested
capital  tax  on  electric  utilities, State and federal laws
regulating the provision of  electricity  have  been  enacted
which  provide  for  the  restructuring of the electric power
industry into a competitive industry.  In  response  to  this
restructuring,  this  amendatory  Act  of 1997 is intended to
provide for a replacement for the  invested  capital  tax  on
electric  utilities,  other  than  electric cooperatives, and
replace  it  with  a  new  tax  based  on  the  quantity   of
electricity  that  is  delivered  in  this State. The General
Assembly finds and declares that this new tax is a fairer and
more equitable means to replace that portion of the  personal
property  tax that was abolished by the Illinois Constitution
of 1970 and previously replaced by the invested  capital  tax
on   electric   utilities,  while  maintaining  a  comparable
allocation among electric utilities in this State for payment
of taxes imposed to replace the personal property tax.

    (35 ILCS 620/2a.1) (from Ch. 120, par. 469a.1)
    Sec. 2a.1.    Imposition of tax on invested  capital  and
on distribution of electricity.
    (a)  In addition to the tax taxes imposed by the Illinois
Income Tax Act and Section 2 of this  Act,  there  is  hereby
imposed  upon  every taxpayer persons engaged in the business
of distributing, supplying, furnishing or selling electricity
and subject to the tax imposed by this  Act  (other  than  an
electric  cooperative,  a  school  district  or unit of local
government as defined in Section 1  of  Article  VII  of  the
Illinois  Constitution of 1970 and other than persons subject
to the tax imposed by Section 2a.1 of the  "Gas  Revenue  Tax
Act), an additional tax as follows: in an amount equal to .8%
of such persons' invested capital for the taxable period.
         (i)  For   the   first   500,000,000  kilowatt-hours
    distributed by the taxpayer  in  this  State  during  the
    taxable period, 0.031 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (ii)  For   the  next  1,000,000,000  kilowatt-hours
    distributed by the taxpayer  in  this  State  during  the
    taxable period, 0.050 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (iii)  For  the  next  2,500,000,000  kilowatt-hours
    distributed  by  the  taxpayer  in  this State during the
    taxable period, 0.070 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (iv)  For  the  next  4,000,000,000  killowatt-hours
    distributed by the taxpayer  in  this  State  during  the
    taxable period, 0.140 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (v)  For   the   next  7,000,000,000  kilowatt-hours
    distributed by the taxpayer  in  this  State  during  the
    taxable period, 0.180 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (vi)  For  the  next  3,000,000,000  killowatt-hours
    distributed  by  the  taxpayer  in  this State during the
    taxable period, 0.142 cents per kilowatt-hour; and
         (vii)  For all  kilowatt-hours  distributed  by  the
    taxpayer  in  this  State  during  the  taxable period in
    excess of 18,000,000,000 kilowatt-hours, 0.131 cents  per
    killowatt-hour.
    (b)  There  is  imposed on electric cooperatives that are
required to file reports with the Rural Utilities  Service  a
tax  equal to 0.8% of such cooperative's invested capital for
the taxable period. The invested capital tax imposed by  this
subsection  shall not be imposed on electric cooperatives not
required to file reports with the Rural Utilities Service.
    (c)  If,  for  any  taxable  period,  the  total   amount
received by the Department from the tax imposed by subsection
(a) exceeds $145,279,553 plus, for taxable periods subsequent
to  1998, an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 5% or (ii) the
percentage increase in the Consumer Price  Index  during  the
immediately  preceding  taxable  period,  of the total amount
received by the Department from the tax imposed by subsection
(a) for the immediately preceding taxable period,  determined
after   allowance   of   the  credit  provided  for  in  this
subsection, the Department shall issue  credit  memoranda  in
the  aggregate  amount of the excess to each of the taxpayers
who paid any amount of tax  under  subsection  (a)  for  that
taxable period in the proportion which the amount paid by the
taxpayer   bears  to  the  total  amount  paid  by  all  such
taxpayers.  Any credit memorandum issued to a taxpayer  under
this  subsection  may  be  used  as  a credit by the taxpayer
against its liability in future taxable periods for tax under
subsection (a). Any amount credited to a taxpayer  shall  not
be  refunded to the taxpayer unless the taxpayer demonstrates
to the reasonable satisfaction of the Department that it will
not incur future liability for tax under subsection (a).  The
Department  shall  adopt  reasonable  regulations   for   the
implementation of the provisions of this subsection.
    If  such  persons  are not liable for such additional tax
for the entire taxable period, such additional tax  shall  be
computed  on  the  portion of the taxable period during which
such  persons  were  liable  for  such  additional  tax.  The
invested capital tax imposed by this  Section  shall  not  be
imposed  upon  persons  who are not regulated by the Illinois
Commerce Commission or who are not required, in the  case  of
electric   cooperatives,  to  file  reports  with  the  Rural
Electrification Administration.
(Source: P.A. 87-205; 87-313.)

    (35 ILCS 620/2a.2) (from Ch. 120, par. 469a.2)
    Sec. 2a.2.  Annual return,  collection  and  payment.   A
return  with respect to the tax imposed by Section 2a.1 shall
be made by every person for any taxable period for which such
person is liable for such tax. Such return shall be  made  on
such  forms  as  the  Department  shall  prescribe  and shall
contain the following information:
         1.  Taxpayer's name;
         2.  Address  of  taxpayer's   principal   place   of
    business,  and address of the principal place of business
    (if that is a different address) from which the  taxpayer
    engages  in  the  business  of  distributing,  supplying,
    furnishing or selling electricity in this State;
         3.  The   total   proprietary   capital   and  total
    long-term debt as of the beginning and end of the taxable
    period as set forth on the balance sheets included in the
    taxpayer's  annual  report  to  the   Illinois   Commerce
    Commission  (or,  total  equity,  in the case of electric
    cooperatives, in the annual reports filed with the  Rural
    Utilities Service Electrification Administration) for the
    taxable period;
         3a.  The   total   kilowatt-hours   of   electricity
    distributed   by  a  taxpayer,  other  than  an  electric
    cooperative, in this State for the taxable period covered
    by the return;
         4.  The taxpayer's base income allocable to Illinois
    under Sections 301 and 304(a) of the "Illinois Income Tax
    Act", for the period covered by the return;
         4. 5.  The amount of tax due for the taxable  period
    (computed  on the basis of the amounts set forth in Items
    3 and 3a 4); and
         5. 6.  Such other reasonable information as  may  be
    required  by  forms  or  regulations  prescribed  by  the
    Department.
    The  returns  prescribed by this Section shall be due and
shall be filed with the Department not later  than  the  15th
day  of  the  third  month following the close of the taxable
period.  The taxpayer making the return herein  provided  for
shall,  at  the  time  of  making  such  return,  pay  to the
Department the remaining amount of tax herein imposed and due
for the taxable period.  Each taxpayer shall  make  estimated
quarterly payments on the 15th day of the third, sixth, ninth
and  twelfth  months  of each taxable period.  Such estimated
payments  shall  be  25%  of  the  tax  liability   for   the
immediately  preceding  taxable  period  or the tax liability
that would have been imposed  in  the  immediately  preceding
taxable  period  if  this  amendatory Act of 1979 had been in
effect.  All moneys received by the Department under Sections
2a.1 and 2a.2 shall be paid into the  Personal  Property  Tax
Replacement Fund in the State Treasury.
(Source: P.A. 87-205.)

    (35 ILCS 620/5) (from Ch. 120, par. 472)
    Sec. 5. All of the provisions of Sections 4, (except that
the  time  limitation provisions shall run from the date when
the tax is due rather than from the date when gross  receipts
are  received), 5 (except that the time limitation provisions
on the issuance of notices of tax liability  shall  run  from
the  date  when the tax is due rather than from the date when
gross receipts are received and except that, in the case of a
failure to file a return required by this Act, no  notice  of
tax  liability  shall  be  issued  covering tax due with that
return more than 6 years after the original due date of  that
return,  and  except  that  the  30%  penalty provided for in
Section 5 shall not apply), 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5i
and 5j of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act,  which  are  not
inconsistent  with  this  Act, and Section 3-7 of the Uniform
Penalty and Interest Act shall apply, as far as  practicable,
to  the  subject  matter of this Act to the same extent as if
such provisions were  included  herein.  References  in  such
incorporated Sections of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to
retailers,  to  sellers or to persons engaged in the business
of selling tangible personal property mean persons engaged in
the  business  of  distributing,  supplying,  furnishing   or
selling electricity when used in this Act. References in such
incorporated Sections of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to
purchasers  of  tangible personal property mean purchasers of
electricity  when  used  in  this  Act.  References  in  such
incorporated Sections of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to
sales of tangible personal property  mean  the  distributing,
supplying,  furnishing or selling of electricity when used in
this Act.
(Source: P.A. 87-205.)

    (35 ILCS 620/7) (from Ch. 120, par. 474)
    Sec. 7. Every taxpayer under this Act shall  keep  books,
records,  papers  and  other  documents which are adequate to
reflect the information which such taxpayers are required  by
Section  2a.2  3  of  this Act to report to the Department by
filing  annual  monthly  returns  with  the  Department.  The
Department  may  adopt  rules  that  establish  requirements,
including record forms and formats, for records  required  to
be  kept  and  maintained  by taxpayers. For purposes of this
Section, "records" means all data maintained by the taxpayer,
including data on paper, microfilm, microfiche or any type of
machine-sensible data compilation. All books and records  and
other  papers  and  documents required by this Act to be kept
shall be kept in the English language and shall, at all times
during business hours of the day, be subject to inspection by
the Department or its duly authorized agents  and  employees.
Books  and  records  reflecting kilowatt-hours of electricity
distributed gross receipts received during  any  period  with
respect  to  which  the Department is authorized to establish
liability as provided in Section Sections 4 and 5 of this Act
shall be preserved until the expiration of such period unless
the Department, in writing, authorizes their  destruction  or
disposal at an earlier date.
    The  Department  may,  upon  written authorization of the
Director, destroy any  returns  or  any  records,  papers  or
memoranda  pertaining  to such returns upon the expiration of
any period covered by such returns with respect to which  the
Department is authorized to establish liability.
(Source: P.A. 88-480.)

    (35 ILCS 620/2 rep.)
    (35 ILCS 620/2a.3 rep.)
    (35 ILCS 620/3 rep.)
    Section  26.  The Public Utilities Revenue Act is amended
by repealing Sections 2, 2a.3, and 3.

    Section 30.  The  Gas  Revenue  Tax  Act  is  amended  by
changing Section 2a.1 as follows:

    (35 ILCS 615/2a.1) (from Ch. 120, par. 467.17a.1)
    Sec.  2a.1.   Imposition  of tax on invested capital.  In
addition to the taxes imposed by the Illinois Income Tax  Act
and  Section  2  of  this  Act,  there is hereby imposed upon
persons engaged in the business of  distributing,  supplying,
furnishing  or  selling gas and subject to the tax imposed by
this Act (other than a  school  district  or  unit  of  local
government  as  defined  in  Section  1 of Article VII of the
Illinois Constitution of  1970),  an  additional  tax  in  an
amount equal to .8% of such persons' invested capital for the
taxable  period.   If  such  persons  are not liable for such
additional tax for the entire taxable period, such additional
tax shall be computed on the portion of  the  taxable  period
during  which  such  persons  were liable for such additional
tax. The invested capital tax imposed by this  Section  shall
not  be  imposed  upon  persons  who are not regulated by the
Illinois Commerce Commission. Provided, in the  case  of  any
person  which  is subject to the invested capital tax imposed
by this Section and which is also subject to the tax  on  the
distribution  of  electricity  imposed by Section 2a.1 of the
Public  Utilities  Revenue  Act,  the  invested  capital  tax
imposed by this Section shall be an amount equal to  0.8%  of
such   person's  invested  capital  for  the  taxable  period
multiplied by a  fraction  the  numerator  of  which  is  the
average of the beginning and ending balances of such person's
gross  gas  utility  plant  in service and the denominator of
which is the average of the beginning and ending balances  of
such  person's  gross  electric  and  gas  utility  plant  in
service,  as  set forth in such person's annual report to the
Illinois Commerce Commission for the taxable period.
(Source: P.A. 87-205; 87-313.)
    Section 35.  The  Public  Utilities  Act  is  amended  by
changing Section 2-202 as follow:

    (220 ILCS 5/2-202) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 2-202)
    Sec. 2-202. (a) It is declared to be the public policy of
this State that in order to maintain and foster the effective
regulation   of  public  utilities  under  this  Act  in  the
interests of the People of the  State  of  Illinois  and  the
public  utilities  as  well,  the public utilities subject to
regulation under this Act and which enjoy  the  privilege  of
operating  as  public utilities in this State, shall bear the
expense of administering this Act by means of a tax  on  such
privilege measured by the annual gross revenue of such public
utilities  in  the  manner  provided  in  this  Section.  For
purposes of this Section, "expense of administering this Act"
includes  any  costs incident to studies, whether made by the
Commission or under contract entered into by the  Commission,
concerning   environmental   pollution   problems  caused  or
contributed  to  by  public  utilities  and  the  means   for
eliminating or abating those problems. Such proceeds shall be
deposited in the Public Utility Fund in the State treasury.
    (b)  All  of  the ordinary and contingent expenses of the
Commission incident to the administration of this  Act  shall
be   paid   out   of  the  Public  Utility  Fund  except  the
compensation of the members of the Commission which shall  be
paid  from  the  General  Revenue Fund. Notwithstanding other
provisions of this Act to  the  contrary,  the  ordinary  and
contingent   expenses  of  the  Commission  incident  to  the
administration of the Illinois Commercial Transportation  Law
may  be paid from appropriations from the Public Utility Fund
through the end of fiscal year 1986.
    (c)  A tax is imposed upon each public utility subject to
the provisions of this Act equal to .08% of its gross revenue
for each calendar year  commencing  with  the  calendar  year
beginning January 1, 1982, except that the Commission may, by
rule,  establish  a  different rate no greater than 0.1%. For
purposes of this Section, "gross revenue" shall  not  include
revenue  from  the  production,  transmission,  distribution,
sale, delivery, or furnishing of electricity.
    (d)  Annual  gross  revenue  returns  shall  be  filed in
accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection (d).
         (1)  Except as provided in  paragraph  (2)  of  this
    subsection (d), on or before January 10 of each year each
    public  utility  subject  to  the  provisions of this Act
    shall file with the Commission an estimated annual  gross
    revenue  return  containing  an estimate of the amount of
    its  gross  revenue  for  the  calendar  year  commencing
    January 1 of said year and a statement of the  amount  of
    tax  due  for  said  calendar  year  on the basis of that
    estimate.  Public utilities may also file revised returns
    containing updated estimates and updated amounts  of  tax
    due  during  the calendar year. These revised returns, if
    filed, shall form the basis for  quarterly  payments  due
    during  the remainder of the calendar year.  In addition,
    on or before  February  15  of  each  year,  each  public
    utility  shall  file an amended return showing the actual
    amount of gross revenues shown by the company's books and
    records as of December 31 of the previous year. Forms and
    instructions for such  estimated,  revised,  and  amended
    returns shall be devised and supplied by the Commission.
         (2)  Beginning  January 1, 1993, the requirements of
    paragraph (1) of this subsection (d) shall not  apply  to
    any  public  utility  in  any calendar year for which the
    total tax the public utility owes under this  Section  is
    less than $1,000.  For such public utilities with respect
    to  such  years,  the  public utility shall file with the
    Commission, on or before  January  31  of  the  following
    year,  an  annual gross revenue return for the year and a
    statement of the amount of  tax due for that year on  the
    basis  of  such a return. Forms and instructions for such
    returns  and  corrected  returns  shall  be  devised  and
    supplied by the Commission.
    (e)  All returns submitted to the Commission by a  public
utility  as provided in this subsection (e) or subsection (d)
of this Section shall contain or be  verified  by  a  written
declaration  by  an appropriate officer of the public utility
that the return is made under the penalties of  perjury.  The
Commission  may  audit  each  such  return submitted and may,
under the provisions of Section 5-101 of this Act, take  such
measures as are necessary to ascertain the correctness of the
returns submitted. The Commission has the power to direct the
filing  of  a corrected return by any utility which has filed
an incorrect return and to direct the filing of a  return  by
any   utility  which  has  failed  to  submit  a  return.   A
taxpayer's signing a fraudulent return under this Section  is
perjury,  as  defined in Section 32-2 of the Criminal Code of
1961.
    (f)  (1)  For all public utilities subject  to  paragraph
(1)  of  subsection  (d),  at least one quarter of the annual
amount of tax due under subsection (c) shall be paid  to  the
Commission  on  or  before  the  tenth day of January, April,
July, and October of the calendar year subject  to  tax.   In
the  event that an adjustment in the amount of tax due should
be necessary as a result of  the  filing  of  an  amended  or
corrected  return  under  subsection (d) or subsection (e) of
this Section, the amount of any deficiency shall be  paid  by
the  public  utility  together  with the amended or corrected
return and the amount of any excess shall, after  the  filing
of  a  claim for credit by the public utility, be returned to
the public utility in the form of a credit memorandum in  the
amount of such excess or be refunded to the public utility in
accordance  with  the  provisions  of  subsection (k) of this
Section.  However, if such deficiency or excess is less  than
$1,  then  the public utility need not pay the deficiency and
may not claim a credit.
    (2)  Any public  utility  subject  to  paragraph  (2)  of
subsection  (d)  shall  pay  the  amount  of  tax  due  under
subsection (c) on or before January 31 next following the end
of  the  calendar  year subject to tax.  In the event that an
adjustment in the amount of tax due should be necessary as  a
result  of  the filing of a corrected return under subsection
(e), the amount of any deficiency shall be paid by the public
utility at the time the corrected return is filed. Any excess
tax payment by the public utility shall  be  returned  to  it
after  the  filing  of  a  claim for credit, in the form of a
credit memorandum in the amount of the excess.   However,  if
such deficiency or excess is less than $1, the public utility
need not pay the deficiency and may not claim a credit.
    (g)  Each  installment  or  required  payment  of the tax
imposed by subsection (c) becomes delinquent at  midnight  of
the  date  that  it  is  due.  Failure  to  make a payment as
required by this Section shall result in the imposition of  a
late payment penalty, an underestimation penalty, or both, as
provided  by this subsection.  The late payment penalty shall
be the greater of:
         (1)  $25 for each month or portion of a  month  that
    the installment or required payment is unpaid or
         (2)  an  amount equal to the difference between what
    should have been paid on the due  date,  based  upon  the
    most recently filed estimate, and what was actually paid,
    times  1%  one  percent,  for  each month or portion of a
    month that  the  installment  or  required  payment  goes
    unpaid.   This  penalty  may  be  assessed as soon as the
    installment or required payment becomes delinquent.
    The underestimation penalty shall apply to  those  public
utilities  subject  to  paragraph  (1)  of subsection (d) and
shall be calculated after the filing of the  amended  return.
It shall be imposed if the amount actually paid on any of the
dates  specified  in  subsection (f) is not equal to at least
one-fourth of the amount actually due for the year, and shall
equal the greater of:
         (1)  $25 for each month or portion of a  month  that
    the amount due is unpaid or
         (2)  an  amount equal to the difference between what
    should have been paid, based on the amended  return,  and
    what  was  actually  paid  as  of  the  date specified in
    subsection (f), times a percentage equal to 1/12  of  the
    sum  of  10% and the percentage most recently established
    by the Commission for interest to  be  paid  on  customer
    deposits  under  83 Ill. Adm. Code 280.70(e)(1), for each
    month or portion of a month  that  the  amount  due  goes
    unpaid,  except  that no underestimation penalty shall be
    assessed if the amount actually paid on each of the dates
    specified in subsection (f) was based on an  estimate  of
    gross  revenues  at  least  equal  to  the  actual  gross
    revenues  for  the  previous  year.  The  Commission  may
    enforce  the  collection of any delinquent installment or
    payment, or portion thereof by legal  action  or  in  any
    other  manner  by  which  the collection of debts due the
    State of Illinois may be enforced under the laws of  this
    State.  The executive director or his designee may excuse
    the payment of an assessed penalty if he determines  that
    enforced collection of the penalty would be unjust.
    (h)  All  sums  collected  by  the  Commission  under the
provisions of this Section shall be paid promptly  after  the
receipt  of  the  same,  accompanied  by a detailed statement
thereof, into the Public Utility Fund in the State treasury.
    (i)  During the month of  October  of  each  odd-numbered
year the Commission shall:
         (1)  determine the amount of all moneys deposited in
    the  Public  Utility  Fund  during  the  preceding fiscal
    biennium plus the balance, if any, in that  fund  at  the
    beginning of that biennium;
         (2)  determine the sum total of the following items:
    (A)    all   moneys   expended   or   obligated   against
    appropriations made from the Public Utility  Fund  during
    the  preceding  fiscal  biennium, plus (B) the sum of the
    credit memoranda  then  outstanding  against  the  Public
    Utility Fund, if any; and
         (3)  determine  the amount, if any, by which the sum
    determined as provided in item  (1)  exceeds  the  amount
    determined as provided in item (2).
    If  the amount determined as provided in item (3) of this
subsection exceeds  $2,500,000,  the  Commission  shall  then
compute  the  proportionate amount, if any, which (x) the tax
paid hereunder by each utility during the preceding biennium,
and (y) the amount paid into the Public Utility  Fund  during
the  preceding biennium by the Department of Revenue pursuant
to Sections 2-9 and 2-11 of the Electricity Excise  Tax  Law,
bears  to  the  difference  between  the amount determined as
provided in item (3) of this subsection (i)  and  $2,500,000.
The   Commission   shall   cause   the  proportionate  amount
determined  with  respect  to   payments   made   under   the
Electricity Excise Tax Law to be transferred into the General
Revenue  Fund  in  the State Treasury, and notify each public
utility that it may file during the 3 month period after  the
date  of  notification  a  claim  for  credit for the in such
proportionate amount determined with respect to payments made
hereunder by the public utility. If the proportionate  amount
is  less  than  $10,  no  notification  will  be  sent by the
Commission, and no right to a claim exists as to that amount.
Upon the filing of a  claim  for  credit  within  the  period
provided,  the  Commission shall issue a credit memorandum in
such amount to such public  utility.  Any  claim  for  credit
filed after the period provided for in this Section is void.
    (j)  Credit  memoranda  issued pursuant to subsection (f)
and credit memoranda issued  after  notification  and  filing
pursuant  to  subsection  (i)  may  be applied for the 2 year
period from the date of issuance, against the payment of  any
amount  due  during  that  period  under  the  tax imposed by
subsection  (c),  or,  subject  to  reasonable  rule  of  the
Commission including  requirement  of  notification,  may  be
assigned  to  any  other public utility subject to regulation
under this Act. Any application of credit memoranda after the
period provided for in this Section is void.
    (k)  The chairman or executive director may  make  refund
of  fees,  taxes or other charges whenever he shall determine
that the person or public utility  will  not  be  liable  for
payment  of  such  fees,  taxes or charges during the next 24
months and he  determines  that  the  issuance  of  a  credit
memorandum would be unjust.
(Source: P.A. 86-209; 87-971.)

    Section  40.   The  Attorney  General  Act  is amended by
adding Section 6.5 as follows:

    (15 ILCS 205/6.5 new)
    Sec. 6.5. Consumer Utilities Unit.
    (a)  The General Assembly finds that the health, welfare,
and prosperity of all Illinois  citizens,  and  the  public's
interest in adequate, safe, reliable, cost-effective electric
services,  requires  effective  public  representation by the
Attorney General to protect the rights and interests  of  the
public  in  the provision of all elements of electric service
both during and after the transition to a competitive market,
and that to ensure that the benefits of  competition  in  the
provision of electric services to all consumers are attained,
there  shall  be  created  within  the Office of the Attorney
General a Consumer Utilities Unit.
    (b)  As used in this Section: "Electric  services"  means
services  sold  by  an  electric  service provider. "Electric
service provider" shall mean anyone who sells,  contracts  to
sell,  or  markets  electric power, generation, distribution,
transmission, or services (including metering and billing) in
connection  therewith.   Electric  service  providers   shall
include  any  electric  utility  and  any  alternative retail
electric supplier as defined in Section 16-102 of the  Public
Utilities Act.
    (c)  There  is  created within the Office of the Attorney
General a Consumer Utilities Unit,  consisting  of  Assistant
Attorneys  General  appointed  by  the Attorney General, who,
together with such other staff as is deemed necessary by  the
Attorney  General, shall have the power and duty on behalf of
the people of the State to intervene in,  initiate,  enforce,
and  defend  all legal proceedings on matters relating to the
provision, marketing, and sale of electric  service  whenever
the Attorney General determines that such action is necessary
to promote or protect the rights and interest of all Illinois
citizens,   classes  of  customers,  and  users  of  electric
services.
    (d)  In addition to  the  investigative  and  enforcement
powers  available  to the Attorney General, including without
limitation those  under  the  Consumer  Fraud  and  Deceptive
Business  Practices  Act  and the Illinois Antitrust Act, the
Attorney General shall be a party as a matter of right to all
proceedings, investigations, and  related  matters  involving
the  provision  of  electric  services  before  the  Illinois
Commerce  Commission  and shall, upon request, have access to
and the use of all files, records, data, and documents in the
possession or control of the Commission, which  material  the
Attorney  General's office shall maintain as confidential, to
be used for law enforcement purposes only, which material may
be shared with other law enforcement officials.   Nothing  in
this  Section  is  intended  to take away or limit any of the
powers the Attorney General has pursuant  to  common  law  or
other statutory law.

    Section  45.  The  Consumer  Fraud and Deceptive Business
Practices Act is amended by changing Section  2P  and  adding
Sections 2EE, 2FF, 2GG, and 2HH as follows:

    (815 ILCS 505/2EE new)
    Sec.  2EE.     Electric  service  provider  selection. An
electric service provider  shall  not  submit  or  execute  a
change  in a subscriber's selection of a provider of electric
service except as follows:
    The  new  electric  service  provider  has  obtained  the
customer's written authorization in a  form  that  meets  the
following requirements:
         (1)  An  electric  service provider shall obtain any
    necessary written authorization from a subscriber  for  a
    change in electric service by using a letter of agency as
    specified  in  this  Section.   Any letter of agency that
    does not conform with this Section is invalid.
         (2)  The  letter  of  agency  shall  be  a  separate
    document (an easily separable  document  containing  only
    the  authorization language described in subparagraph (5)
    of this Section) whose sole purpose is  to  authorize  an
    electric  service  provider change.  The letter of agency
    must be signed and dated by the subscriber requesting the
    electric service provider change.
         (3)  The letter of agency shall not be combined with
    inducements of any kind on the same document.
         (4)  Notwithstanding subparagraphs (1)  and  (2)  of
    this  Section,  the letter of agency may be combined with
    checks that contain only the required  letter  of  agency
    language  prescribed in paragraph (5) of this Section and
    the necessary information to make the check a  negotiable
    instrument.  The letter of agency check shall not contain
    any  promotional  language  or  material.   The letter of
    agency check shall contain in easily readable,  bold-face
    type on the face of the check, a notice that the consumer
    is  authorizing  an  electric  service provider change by
    signing the check.  The letter of  agency  language  also
    shall  be  placed  near the signature line on the back of
    the check.
         (5)  At a minimum, the  letter  of  agency  must  be
    printed  with  a  print  of sufficient size to be clearly
    legible, and must contain clear and unambiguous  language
    that confirms:
              (i) The subscriber's billing name and address;
              (ii)   The  decision  to  change  the  electric
         service provider from the current  provider  to  the
         prospective provider;
              (iii)  The terms, conditions, and nature of the
         service to be provided to  the  subscriber  must  be
         clearly and conspicuously disclosed, in writing, and
         an electric service provider must directly establish
         the  rates  for  the  service  contracted for by the
         subscriber; and
              (iv) That the subscriber  understand  that  any
         electric  service  provider selection the subscriber
         chooses may involve a charge to the  subscriber  for
         changing the subscriber's electric service provider.
         (6)  Letters  of agency shall not suggest or require
    that a subscriber take some action in order to retain the
    subscriber's current electric service provider.
         (7)  If  any  portion  of  a  letter  of  agency  is
    translated into another language, then  all  portions  of
    the  letter  of  agency  must  be  translated  into  that
    language.
    For purposes of this Section, "electric service provider"
shall  have  the  meaning given that phrase in Section 6.5 of
the Attorney General Act.

    (815 ILCS 505/2FF new)
    Sec. 2FF. Electric  service  fraud;  elderly  persons  or
disabled  persons;  additional penalties. With respect to the
advertising,   sale,   provider   selection,   billings,   or
collections relating to the provision  of  electric  service,
where the consumer is an elderly person or disabled person, a
civil  penalty  of $50,000 may be imposed for each violation.
For purposes of this Section:
    (1)  "Elderly person" means a person 60 years of  age  or
older.
    (2)  "Disabled  person" means a person who suffers from a
permanent  physical  or  mental  impairment  resulting   from
disease, injury, functional disorder or congenital condition.
    (3)  "Electric service" shall have the meaning given that
term in Section 6.5 of the Attorney General Act.

    (815 ILCS 505/2GG new)
    Sec.    2GG.      Electric   service   advertising.   Any
advertisement for electric service  that  lists  rates  shall
clearly  and  conspicuously disclose all associated costs for
such service including, but not limited to, access  fees  and
service fees.

    (815 ILCS 505/2HH new)
    Sec.  2HH.  Billing  and collection practices of electric
service   providers.   Each   person   selling    generation,
transmission,  distribution, metering, or billing of electric
service shall  display  the  name,  the  toll-free  telephone
number  of  such  service  provider, and a description of the
services provided on all bills submitted  to  subscribers  of
such  services.   All  personal  information  relating to the
subscriber   of   generation,   transmission,   distribution,
metering, or billing of electric service shall be  maintained
by the service providers solely for the purpose of generating
the  bill for such services, and shall not be divulged to any
other  persons  with  the  exception   of   credit   bureaus,
collection  agencies, and persons licensed to market electric
service in the State of Illinois, without the written consent
of the subscriber.

    (815 ILCS 505/2P) (from Ch. 121 1/2, par. 262P)
    Sec. 2P.  Offers of free prizes,  gifts,  or  gratuities;
disclosure of conditions.  It is an unlawful practice for any
person to promote or advertise any business, product, utility
service,  including  but  not  limited  to,  the provision of
electric, telecommunication, or gas service, or  interest  in
property,  by  means  of  offering  free  prizes,  gifts,  or
gratuities  to  any  consumer,  unless all material terms and
conditions  relating   to   the   offer   are   clearly   and
conspicuously  disclosed  at the outset of the offer so as to
leave no reasonable probability that the  offering  might  be
misunderstood.
(Source: P.A. 84-1308.)

    Section  65.   The  Illinois Municipal Code is amended by
changing Section 8-11-2 as follows:

    (65 ILCS 5/8-11-2) (from Ch. 24, par. 8-11-2)
    Sec.   8-11-2.  The   corporate   authorities   of    any
municipality  may tax any or all of the following occupations
or privileges:
         1.  Persons engaged in the business of  transmitting
    messages by means of electricity or radio magnetic waves,
    or  fiber optics, at a rate not to exceed 5% of the gross
    receipts  from  that  business  originating  within   the
    corporate limits of the municipality.
         2.  Persons engaged in the business of distributing,
    supplying,   furnishing,   or  selling  gas  for  use  or
    consumption within the corporate limits of a municipality
    of 500,000 or fewer population, and not for resale, at  a
    rate not to exceed 5% of the gross receipts therefrom.
         2a.  Persons    engaged    in    the   business   of
    distributing, supplying, furnishing, or selling  gas  for
    use  or  consumption  within  the  corporate  limits of a
    municipality of over  500,000  population,  and  not  for
    resale,  at a rate not to exceed 8% of the gross receipts
    therefrom.  If imposed, this tax shall be paid in monthly
    payments.
         3.  The privilege of using or consuming  electricity
    acquired  in  a  purchase  at retail and used or consumed
    within the corporate limits of the municipality at  rates
    not  to exceed the following maximum rates, calculated on
    a monthly basis for each purchaser:
         (i)  For the  first  2,000  kilowatt-hours  used  or
    consumed in a month; 0.61 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (ii)  For  the  next  48,000  kilowatt-hours used or
    consumed in a month; 0.40 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (iii)  For the next 50,000  kilowatt-hours  used  or
    consumed in a month; 0.36 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (iv)  For  the  next  400,000 kilowatt-hours used or
    consumed in a month; 0.35 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (v)  For the next  500,000  kilowatt-hours  used  or
    consumed in a month; 0.34 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (vi)  For  the next 2,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or
    consumed in a month; 0.32 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (vii)  For the next 2,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or
    consumed in a month; 0.315 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (viii)  For the next 5,000,000  kilowatt-hours  used
    or consumed in a month; 0.31 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (ix)  For the next 10,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or
    consumed in a month; 0.305 cents per kilowatt-hour; and
         (x)  For  all electricity used or consumed in excess
    of 20,000,000 kilowatt-hours in a month, 0.30  cents  per
    kilowatt-hour.
         If  a municipality imposes a tax at rates lower than
    either the maximum rates specified in this Section or the
    alternative maximum rates  promulgated  by  the  Illinois
    Commerce  Commission,  as  provided  below, the tax rates
    shall be imposed upon the kilowatt  hour  categories  set
    forth  above  with  the same proportional relationship as
    that   which   exists   among   such    maximum    rates.
    Notwithstanding  the  foregoing, until December 31, 2008,
    no municipality shall establish rates that are in  excess
    of  rates  reasonably calculated to produce revenues that
    equal the maximum total revenues such municipality  could
    have   received   under   the   tax  authorized  by  this
    subparagraph in the last full calendar year prior to  the
    effective  date  of  Section 65 of this amendatory Act of
    1997; provided that this shall not be a limitation on the
    amount  of  tax  revenues  actually  collected  by   such
    municipality.
         Upon  the  request of the corporate authorities of a
    municipality, the  Illinois  Commerce  Commission  shall,
    within  90 days after receipt of such request, promulgate
    alternative  rates  for  each  of   these   kilowatt-hour
    categories  that  will  reflect, as closely as reasonably
    practical for that municipality, the distribution of  the
    tax  among classes of purchasers as if the tax were based
    on  a  uniform  percentage  of  the  purchase  price   of
    electricity.    A   municipality   that  has  adopted  an
    ordinance imposing a tax pursuant to subparagraph 3 as it
    existed prior to the effective date of Section 65 of this
    amendatory Act of 1997 may, rather than imposing the  tax
    permitted  by  this  amendatory  Act of 1997, continue to
    impose the tax pursuant to that ordinance with respect to
    gross  receipts  received  from   residential   customers
    through July 31, 1999, and with respect to gross receipts
    from  any  non-residential  customer until the first bill
    issued  to  such  customer  for  delivery   services   in
    accordance  with  Section  16-104 of the Public Utilities
    Act but in no case later than the  last  bill  issued  to
    such  customer  before  December  31,  2000. No ordinance
    imposing the tax permitted by this amendatory Act of 1997
    shall be applicable to any non-residential customer until
    the first bill  issued  to  such  customer  for  delivery
    services  in accordance with Section 16-104 of the Public
    Utilities Act but in no case later  than  the  last  bill
    issued  to  such non-residential customer before December
    31,  2000.   Persons   engaged   in   the   business   of
    distributing,    supplying,    furnishing,   or   selling
    electricity for use or consumption within  the  corporate
    limits of the municipality, and not for resale, at a rate
    not to exceed 5% of the gross receipts therefrom.
         4.  Persons engaged in the business of distributing,
    supplying,  furnishing,  or  selling  water  for  use  or
    consumption   within   the   corporate   limits   of  the
    municipality, and not for resale, at a rate not to exceed
    5% of the gross receipts therefrom.
    None of the taxes  authorized  by  this  Section  may  be
imposed   with  respect  to  any  transaction  in  interstate
commerce or otherwise to the extent to which the business  or
privilege may not, under the constitution and statutes of the
United  States, be made the subject of taxation by this State
or any political sub-division thereof; nor shall any  persons
engaged   in   the   business   of  distributing,  supplying,
furnishing,  or  selling  or  transmitting  gas,  water,   or
electricity,  or  engaged  in  the  business  of transmitting
messages, or using or consuming  electricity  acquired  in  a
purchase   at  retail,  be  subject  to  taxation  under  the
provisions of this Section for those transactions that are or
may become subject to taxation under the  provisions  of  the
"Municipal  Retailers'  Occupation  Tax  Act"  authorized  by
Section  8-11-1; nor shall any tax authorized by this Section
be imposed upon any person engaged in a business  or  on  any
privilege unless the tax is imposed in like manner and at the
same  rate upon all persons engaged in businesses of the same
class in the municipality, whether privately  or  municipally
owned  or  operated,  or exercising the same privilege within
the municipality.
    Any of the taxes enumerated in this  Section  may  be  in
addition  to  the  payment  of money, or value of products or
services furnished to the municipality  by  the  taxpayer  as
compensation  for  the  use  of its streets, alleys, or other
public  places,  or  installation  and  maintenance  therein,
thereon  or  thereunder  of  poles,  wires,  pipes  or  other
equipment used in the operation of the taxpayer's business.
    (a)  If  the  corporate  authorities  of  any  home  rule
municipality have adopted an ordinance that imposed a tax  on
public  utility  customers, between July 1, 1971, and October
1, 1981, on the good faith belief that they  were  exercising
authority  pursuant  to  Section 6 of Article VII of the 1970
Illinois  Constitution,  that   action   of   the   corporate
authorities    shall    be    declared   legal   and   valid,
notwithstanding a  later  decision  of  a  judicial  tribunal
declaring  the  ordinance  invalid.  No municipality shall be
required to rebate, refund, or issue credits  for  any  taxes
described  in this paragraph, and those taxes shall be deemed
to have been levied and  collected  in  accordance  with  the
Constitution and laws of this State.
    (b)  In  any case in which (i) prior to October 19, 1979,
the corporate authorities of any municipality have adopted an
ordinance imposing a tax authorized by this  Section  (or  by
the predecessor provision of the "Revised Cities and Villages
Act")  and  have  explicitly or in practice interpreted gross
receipts to include either charges added to customers'  bills
pursuant  to  the provision of paragraph (a) of Section 36 of
the Public Utilities Act or charges added to customers' bills
by taxpayers who are not subject to rate  regulation  by  the
Illinois  Commerce  Commission  for the purpose of recovering
any of the tax liabilities or other amounts specified in such
paragraph (a) of Section 36 of that Act, and (ii) on or after
October 19, 1979, a judicial  tribunal  has  construed  gross
receipts  to  exclude  all  or  part  of  those charges, then
neither those municipality nor any taxpayer who paid the  tax
shall be required to rebate, refund, or issue credits for any
tax  imposed  or  charge collected from customers pursuant to
the municipality's interpretation prior to October 19,  1979.
This  paragraph  reflects a legislative finding that it would
be contrary to the public interest to require a  municipality
or  its  taxpayers to refund taxes or charges attributable to
the municipality's more  inclusive  interpretation  of  gross
receipts  prior  to  October 19, 1979, and is not intended to
prescribe or limit judicial construction of this Section. The
legislative finding set forth in  this  subsection  does  not
apply  to  taxes  imposed  after  the  effective date of this
amendatory Act of 1995.
    (c)  The  tax  authorized  by  subparagraph  3  shall  be
collected from the purchaser  by  the  person  maintaining  a
place  of business in this State who delivers the electricity
to the purchaser.  This tax shall constitute a  debt  of  the
purchaser  to  the person who delivers the electricity to the
purchaser and if unpaid, is recoverable in the same manner as
the original charge for delivering the electricity.  Any  tax
required  to be collected pursuant to an ordinance authorized
by subparagraph 3 and any such  tax  collected  by  a  person
delivering  electricity  shall  constitute a debt owed to the
municipality  by  such  person  delivering  the  electricity,
provided, that the person  delivering  electricity  shall  be
allowed   credit  for  such  tax  related  to  deliveries  of
electricity  the  charges  for  which  are  written  off   as
uncollectible, and provided further, that if such charges are
thereafter   collected,  the  delivering  supplier  shall  be
obligated to remit such tax.  For purposes of this subsection
(c), any partial payment not specifically identified  by  the
purchaser   shall  be  deemed  to  be  for  the  delivery  of
electricity. Persons delivering electricity shall collect the
tax from the purchaser by adding such tax to the gross charge
for delivering the electricity, in the manner  prescribed  by
the  municipality.  Persons delivering electricity shall also
be authorized to add to such gross charge an amount equal  to
3%  of the tax to reimburse the person delivering electricity
for  the  expenses  incurred  in  keeping  records,   billing
customers,  preparing  and  filing returns, remitting the tax
and supplying data to the municipality upon request.  If  the
person  delivering  electricity fails to collect the tax from
the purchaser, then the purchaser shall be  required  to  pay
the tax directly to the municipality in the manner prescribed
by the municipality.  Persons delivering electricity who file
returns  pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall, at the time of
filing such return, pay the municipality the  amount  of  the
tax collected pursuant to subparagraph 3. (Blank).
    (d)  For  the  purpose  of  the  taxes enumerated in this
Section:
    "Gross receipts" means the consideration received for the
transmission of  messages,  the  consideration  received  for
distributing, supplying, furnishing or selling gas for use or
consumption   and  not  for  resale,  and  the  consideration
received for distributing, supplying, furnishing  or  selling
electricity  for  use  or consumption and not for resale, and
the  consideration  received  for  distributing,   supplying,
furnishing  or  selling  water for use or consumption and not
for resale, and  for  all  services  rendered  in  connection
therewith  valued  in  money,  whether  received  in money or
otherwise, including cash, credit, services and  property  of
every  kind  and  material  and  for  all  services  rendered
therewith,  and  shall be determined without any deduction on
account of the cost of transmitting  such  messages,  without
any  deduction on account of the cost of the service, product
or commodity supplied, the cost of materials used,  labor  or
service  cost,  or  any  other  expenses  whatsoever.  "Gross
receipts" shall not include that portion of the consideration
received  for distributing, supplying, furnishing, or selling
gas, electricity, or water to, or  for  the  transmission  of
messages for, business enterprises described in paragraph (e)
of  this Section to the extent and during the period in which
the exemption authorized by paragraph (e) is in effect or for
school districts or units of local  government  described  in
paragraph  (f)  during  the  period  in  which  the exemption
authorized in paragraph  (f) is in effect.
    For utility bills issued on or after  May  1,  1996,  but
before  May  1,  1997,  and  for  receipts from those utility
bills, "gross receipts" does not  include  one-third  of  (i)
amounts  added to customers' bills under Section 9-222 of the
Public Utilities Act, or (ii)  amounts  added  to  customers'
bills  by taxpayers who are not subject to rate regulation by
the  Illinois  Commerce  Commission  for   the   purpose   of
recovering  any  of  the tax liabilities described in Section
9-222 of the Public Utilities Act. For utility  bills  issued
on  or  after  May  1,  1997, but before May 1, 1998, and for
receipts from those utility bills, "gross receipts" does  not
include  two-thirds  of (i) amounts added to customers' bills
under Section 9-222 of the  Public  Utilities  Act,  or  (ii)
amount  added  to  customers'  bills by taxpayers who are not
subject  to  rate  regulation  by   the   Illinois   Commerce
Commission  for  the  purpose  of  recovering  any of the tax
liabilities  described  in  Section  9-222  of   the   Public
Utilities  Act.  For  utility bills issued on or after May 1,
1998, and for  receipts  from  those  utility  bills,  "gross
receipts"  does  not  include (i) amounts added to customers'
bills under Section 9-222 of the  Public  Utilities  Act,  or
(ii)  amounts  added to customers' bills by taxpayers who are
not subject to  rate  regulation  by  the  Illinois  Commerce
Commission  for  the  purpose  of  recovering  any of the tax
liabilities  described  in  Section  9-222  of   the   Public
Utilities Act.
    For  purposes  of this Section "gross receipts" shall not
include (i) amounts added to customers' bills  under  Section
9-221  of  the Public Utilities Act, or (ii) charges added to
customers' bills to recover the surcharge imposed  under  the
Emergency   Telephone  System  Act.  This  paragraph  is  not
intended to nor does it make any change  in  the  meaning  of
"gross  receipts"  for  the  purposes of this Section, but is
intended to remove possible ambiguities,  thereby  confirming
the  existing  meaning  of  "gross  receipts"  prior  to  the
effective date of this amendatory Act of 1995.
    The  words  "transmitting  messages",  in addition to the
usual and popular meaning of person to person  communication,
shall   include  the  furnishing,  for  a  consideration,  of
services or facilities (whether owned or leased), or both, to
persons in connection with the transmission of messages where
those persons do not, in turn, receive any  consideration  in
connection  therewith,  but shall not include such furnishing
of services or facilities to persons for the transmission  of
messages  to  the extent that any such services or facilities
for  the  transmission  of  messages  are  furnished  for   a
consideration,  by  those  persons  to other persons, for the
transmission of messages.
    "Person" as  used  in  this  Section  means  any  natural
individual,  firm,  trust,  estate, partnership, association,
joint stock company, joint  adventure,  corporation,  limited
liability company, municipal corporation, the State or any of
its  or political subdivisions subdivision of this State, any
State university created by statute, or a receiver,  trustee,
guardian  or  other  representative appointed by order of any
court.
    "Person maintaining a place of business  in  this  State"
shall  mean  any  person  having  or  maintaining within this
State, directly or by a subsidiary  or  other  affiliate,  an
office,    generation    facility,   distribution   facility,
transmission  facility,  sales  office  or  other  place   of
business,  or  any  employee,  agent, or other representative
operating within this State under the authority of the person
or its subsidiary or other affiliate, irrespective of whether
such place of business or agent or  other  representative  is
located  in this State permanently or temporarily, or whether
such person, subsidiary or other  affiliate  is  licensed  or
qualified to do business in this State.
    "Public utility" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in
Section  3-105  of the Public Utilities Act and shall include
telecommunications carriers as defined in Section  13-202  of
that Act and alternative retail electric suppliers as defined
in Section 16-102 of that Act.
    "Purchase  at  retail"  shall  mean  any  acquisition  of
electricity   by   a   purchaser   for  purposes  of  use  or
consumption, and not for resale, but shall  not  include  the
use  of  electricity  by  a  public  utility  directly in the
generation, production, transmission,  delivery  or  sale  of
electricity.
    "Purchaser"  shall  mean any person who uses or consumes,
within the corporate limits of the municipality,  electricity
acquired in a purchase at retail.
    In  the  case  of  persons  engaged  in  the  business of
transmitting messages through the use  of  mobile  equipment,
such   as  cellular  phones  and  paging  systems,  the gross
receipts from the  business  shall  be  deemed  to  originate
within  the  corporate  limits  of a municipality only if the
address to which the bills for the service are sent is within
those corporate limits. If,  however,  that  address  is  not
located  within  a municipality that imposes a tax under this
Section, then (i) if the party responsible for  the  bill  is
not an individual, the gross receipts from the business shall
be  deemed  to  originate  within the corporate limits of the
municipality where that party's principal place  of  business
in Illinois is located, and (ii) if the party responsible for
the  bill  is  an  individual,  the  gross  receipts from the
business shall be deemed to originate  within  the  corporate
limits  of  the  municipality  where  that  party's principal
residence in Illinois is located.
    (e)  Any municipality  that  imposes  taxes  upon  public
utilities  or  upon  the  privilege  of  using  or  consuming
electricity pursuant to this Section whose territory includes
any  part  of  an  enterprise  zone  or  federally designated
Foreign Trade Zone or Sub-Zone may, by a majority vote of its
corporate authorities, exempt from those taxes for  a  period
not  exceeding  20  years  any  specified percentage of gross
receipts of public utilities received  from,  or  electricity
used or consumed by, business enterprises that:
         (1)  either  (i)  make  investments  that  cause the
    creation of a minimum of 200 full-time equivalent jobs in
    Illinois, (ii) make investments of at least  $175,000,000
    that  cause  the  creation  of a minimum of 150 full-time
    equivalent jobs in Illinois, or  (iii)  make  investments
    that  cause the retention of a minimum of 1,000 full-time
    jobs in Illinois; and
         (2)  are either (i) located in  an  Enterprise  Zone
    established  pursuant to the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act
    or (ii) Department  of  Commerce  and  Community  Affairs
    designated  High Impact Businesses located in a federally
    designated Foreign Trade Zone or Sub-Zone; and
         (3)  are certified by the Department of Commerce and
    Community Affairs  as  complying  with  the  requirements
    specified in clauses (1) and (2) of this paragraph (e).
    Upon adoption of the ordinance authorizing the exemption,
the  municipal  clerk shall transmit a copy of that ordinance
to the Department of Commerce  and  Community  Affairs.   The
Department  of Commerce and Community Affairs shall determine
whether the business enterprises located in the  municipality
meet  the  criteria  prescribed  in  this  paragraph.  If the
Department of Commerce and Community Affairs determines  that
the  business  enterprises  meet the criteria, it shall grant
certification.  The  Department  of  Commerce  and  Community
Affairs  shall act upon certification requests within 30 days
after receipt of the ordinance.
    Upon certification of  the  business  enterprise  by  the
Department  of Commerce and Community Affairs, the Department
of Commerce and Community Affairs shall notify the Department
of Revenue of the certification.  The Department  of  Revenue
shall  notify the public utilities of the exemption status of
the gross receipts received from, and the electricity used or
consumed  by,  the  certified  business  enterprises.    Such
exemption  status  shall  be  effective within 3 months after
certification.
    (f)  A  municipality  that  imposes  taxes  upon   public
utilities  or  upon  the  privilege  of  using  or  consuming
electricity  under  this Section and whose territory includes
part of another unit of local government or a school district
may by ordinance exempt the other unit of local government or
school district from those taxes.
    (g)  The amendment of this Section by Public  Act  84-127
shall  take  precedence  over  any  other  amendment  of this
Section by any  other  amendatory  Act  passed  by  the  84th
General  Assembly  before  the  effective  date of Public Act
84-127.
    (h)  In any case in which, before July 1, 1992, a  person
engaged  in the business of transmitting messages through the
use of mobile equipment, such as cellular phones  and  paging
systems,  has  determined  the  municipality within which the
gross receipts from the business originated by  reference  to
the location of its transmitting or switching equipment, then
(i)  neither  the  municipality to which tax was paid on that
basis nor the taxpayer that paid tax on that basis  shall  be
required to rebate, refund, or issue credits for any such tax
or  charge collected from customers to reimburse the taxpayer
for the tax and (ii) no municipality to which tax would  have
been  paid  with  respect  to  those  gross  receipts  if the
provisions of this amendatory Act of 1991 had been in  effect
before  July  1,  1992,  shall  have  any  claim  against the
taxpayer for any amount of the tax.
(Source: P.A. 89-325, eff. 1-1-96; 90-16, eff. 6-16-97.)

                          ARTICLE 4

    Section 75.  Effective date  of  Articles  2  and  5  and
Sections  25,  26, 30, 35 and 65.  Sections 25 and 30 of this
amendatory Act of 1997 take effect January 1, 1998.  Articles
2 and 5 and Sections 26, 35 and 65 of this amendatory Act  of
1997 take effect August 1, 1998.

                          ARTICLE 5

    Section  5-1.   Short title.  This Article shall be known
and  may  be  cited  as  the  Electricity      Infrastructure
Maintenance Fee Law.

    Section  5-2.   Legislative intent.  This Law is intended
to create a uniform system for the  imposition and collection
of fees associated with the privilege  of  using  the  public
right of way  for the delivery of electricity.

    Section 5-3.  Definitions.  For the purposes of this Law:
    (a)  "Electricity  deliverer"  means  any person who uses
any portion of any  public  rights  of  way  of  an  Illinois
municipality  for  the purpose of distributing, transmitting,
or  otherwise  delivering  electricity,  regardless  of   its
source,  for use or consumption within that municipality, and
not for resale.  For purposes of this definition, use of  the
public  rights  of  way  shall  not  include  the use of real
property pursuant to the terms  of  an  easement,  lease,  or
other  similar  property interest held over municipally-owned
property.
    (b)  "Delivery of electricity"  means  the  distribution,
transmission,  or  other  delivery of electricity through the
use of the municipality's public rights of way, regardless of
the source of the electricity, for use or consumption  within
that municipality, and not for resale.  The term includes the
delivery  of  electricity  for  use  or  consumption  by  the
electricity   deliverer,   except  for  electricity  used  or
consumed by the electricity deliverer for the  production  or
distribution of electricity.
    (c)  "Person"  means any natural individual, firm, trust,
estate, partnership, association, joint stock company,  joint
adventure,  corporation, limited liability company, municipal
corporation, the State or any of its political  subdivisions,
any  State  university  created  by  statute,  or a receiver,
trustee, guardian, or other representative appointed by order
of any court.
    (d)  "Public rights of way" means  streets,  alleys,  and
similar public ways, and all areas over and under such public
ways,  title to which is owned by the municipality, and which
are dedicated exclusively to public use.
    (e)  "Purchaser" means any person who uses  or  consumes,
within  the corporate limits of the municipality, electricity
acquired in a purchase at retail.
    (f)  "Resale" includes any and all sales  of  electricity
for  the  purpose  of a subsequent sale to another, including
the sale of electric energy within the meaning of the Federal
Power Act (16 U.S.C. 824), but excluding the distribution  of
electricity  to occupants of a building or buildings, or to a
group of customers within the municipality, by a  person  who
owns,  controls  or  manages,  or  acts  as  agent  for,  the
building, buildings, or group of customers.

    Section    5-4.  Right    to   franchise   contract.    A
municipality  shall  be  entitled  to  require  a   franchise
contract  from  an  electricity  deliverer  as a condition of
allowing the electricity deliverer to use any portion of  any
public right of way within the municipality for the placement
and maintenance of facilities for distributing, transmitting,
or  delivering electricity.  Such franchise contract shall be
established by ordinance and shall be valid when accepted  in
writing by the electricity deliverer.

    Section   5-5.    Municipal   electricity  infrastructure
maintenance fee.
    (a)  Any municipality that on the effective date of  this
Law  had  in effect a franchise agreement with an electricity
deliverer may impose an infrastructure maintenance  fee  upon
electricity   deliverers,   as   compensation   for  granting
electricity deliverers the privilege of using  public  rights
of  way,  in  an  amount  specified in subsection (b) of this
Section.   If  more  than  one   electricity   deliverer   is
responsible  for  the delivery of the same electricity to the
same consumer, the fee related to that electricity  shall  be
imposed  upon  the  electricity deliverer who last physically
uses the public way for delivery of that electricity prior to
its consumption.
    (b) (1)  In municipalities with a population greater than
500,000, the amount of  the  infrastructure  maintenance  fee
imposed  under  this  Section  shall not exceed the following
maximum  rates  for  kilowatt-hours  delivered   within   the
municipality to each purchaser:
         (i)   For   the   first   2,000   kilowatt-hours  of
    electricity used or consumed in a month: 0.53  cents  per
    kilowatt-hour;
         (ii)   For   the   next   48,000  kilowatt-hours  of
    electricity used or consumed in a month: 0.35  cents  per
    kilowatt-hour;
         (iii)   For   the   next  50,000  kilowatt-hours  of
    electricity used or consumed in a month: 0.31  cents  per
    kilowatt-hour;
         (iv)   For   the   next  400,000  kilowatt-hours  of
    electricity used or consumed in a month: 0.305 cents  per
    kilowatt-hour;
         (v)   For   the   next   500,000  kilowatt-hours  of
    electricity used or consumed in a month: 0.30  cents  per
    kilowatt-hour;
         (vi)   For  the  next  2,000,000  kilowatt-hours  of
    electricity used or consumed in a month: 0.28  cents  per
    kilowatt-hour;
         (vii)  For  the  next  2,000,000  kilowatt-hours  of
    electricity  used or consumed in a month: 0.275 cents per
    kilowatt-hour;
         (viii) For  the  next  5,000,000  kilowatt-hours  of
    electricity  used  or consumed in a month: 0.27 cents per
    kilowatt-hour;
         (ix) For the next 10,000,000 kilowatt-hours used  or
    consumed in a month: 0.265 cents per kilowatt-hour;
         (x)  For all kilowatt-hours of electricity in excess
    of 20,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month:
    0.26 cents per kilowatt-hour.
    (2) In municipalities with a  population  of  500,000  or
less,  the  amount  of  the  infrastructure  maintenance  fee
imposed  under  this  Section  shall  be imposed based on the
kilowatt-hour  categories  set  forth  above  and  shall   be
calculated   on   a   monthly  basis  for  kilowatt-hours  of
electricity delivered to each purchaser; provided,  that  if,
immediately  prior  to imposing an infrastructure maintenance
fee, such municipality receives franchise fees, permit  fees,
free  electrical  service,  or  other  forms  of compensation
pursuant  to  an  existing  franchise  agreement,  the  rates
established  for  these  kilowatt-hour  categories  for  such
infrastructure  maintenance  fee  during  the  term  of   the
franchise   agreement   shall  not  exceed  rates  reasonably
calculated, at the time such infrastructure  maintenance  fee
is  initially  imposed,  to  generate  an  amount  of revenue
equivalent to the  value  of  the  compensation  received  or
provided under the franchise agreement.
    (3)   Notwithstanding   any   other   provision  of  this
subsection (b), a fee shall not be  imposed  if  and  to  the
extent that imposition or collection of the fee would violate
the  Constitution  or  statutes  of  the United States or the
statutes or Constitution of the State of Illinois.
    (c)  Any electricity deliverer may collect the amount  of
a  fee imposed under this Section from the purchaser using or
consuming the electricity with respect to which the  fee  was
imposed.   The  fee  may  be  collected  by  the  electricity
deliverer from the purchaser as a separately stated charge on
the  purchaser's  bills or in any other manner permitted from
time to  time  by  law  or  by  the  electricity  deliverer's
tariffs.  The  electricity  deliverer shall be allowed credit
for  any  portion  of  the  fee  related  to  deliveries   of
electricity   the  charges  for  which  are  written  off  as
uncollectible, provided, that if such charges are  thereafter
collected,  the  electricity  deliverer shall be obligated to
pay such fee.  For purposes  of  this  Section,  any  partial
payment not specifically identified by the purchaser shall be
deemed  to  be for the delivery of electricity.  No ordinance
imposing the fee authorized by this Section with  respect  to
the  kilowatt-hours  delivered  to  non-residential customers
shall be effective until October 1, 1999.   For  purposes  of
this  Law, the period of time from the effective date of this
Law  through  and  including  September  30,  1999  shall  be
referred to as the "Initial Period."
    (d)  As  between  the  electricity  deliverer   and   the
municipality,  the  fee  authorized  by this Section shall be
collected, enforced, and  administered  by  the  municipality
imposing  the  fee.    Any municipality adopting an ordinance
imposing an infrastructure maintenance  fee  under  this  Law
shall  give  written  notice  to  each  electricity deliverer
subject to the fee not less than 60 days prior  to  the  date
the fee is imposed.

    Section  5-6.   Validity  of  existing franchise fees and
agreement; police powers.
    (a)  On and after the effective  date  of  this  Law,  no
electricity  deliverer  paying  an infrastructure maintenance
fee imposed under this Law may be denied the  right  to  use,
directly  or  indirectly, public rights of way because of the
failure to pay any other fee or charge for the right  to  use
those rights of way except to the extent that the electricity
deliverer  during the Initial Period fails under any existing
franchise agreement to pay franchise fees which are based  on
the   gross   receipts  or  gross  revenues  attributable  to
non-residential  customers  or  to  provide  free  electrical
service or other compensation attributable to non-residential
customers.  A municipality  that  imposes  an  infrastructure
maintenance fee pursuant to Section 5-5 shall impose no other
fees  or  charges  upon  electricity  deliverers for such use
except as provided by subsections (b) or (c) of this Section.
    (b)  Agreements  between   electricity   deliverers   and
municipalities  regarding  use of the public way shall remain
valid according to and for their  stated  terms.  However,  a
municipality  that,  pursuant  to  a  franchise  agreement in
existence on the effective date of  this  Law,  receives  any
franchise fees, permit fees, free electrical service or other
compensation  for use of the public rights of way, may impose
an infrastructure maintenance fee pursuant to this  Law  only
if  the  municipality:  (1)  waives  its right to receive all
compensation from the electricity deliverer for  use  of  the
public  rights  of  way  during  the  time the infrastructure
maintenance fee is imposed, except as provided in  subsection
(c),   and   except   that  during  the  Initial  Period  any
municipality may continue to  receive  franchise  fees,  free
electrical service or other compensation from the electricity
deliverer  which  are  equal  in  value to the Initial Period
Compensation; and (2) provides written notice of this  waiver
to the appropriate electricity deliverer at the time that the
municipality   provides  notice  of  the  imposition  of  the
infrastructure  maintenance  fee  under  subsection  (d)   of
Section  5-5.  For  purposes of this Section, "Initial Period
Compensation" shall mean the total amount of compensation due
under the existing franchise  agreement  during  the  Initial
Period  less the amount of the infrastructure maintenance fee
imposed under this Section during the Initial Period.
    (c)  Nothing in this Law prohibits  a  municipality  from
the  reasonable exercise of its police powers over the public
rights of way.  In addition, a municipality  may  require  an
electricity   deliverer   to   reimburse   any   special   or
extraordinary  expenses  or  costs reasonably incurred by the
municipality as a direct result of damages to its property or
public rights of way, such as the  costs  of  restoration  of
streets damaged by a electricity deliverer that does not make
timely  repair  of the damage, or for the loss of revenue due
to the inability to use public facilities as a direct  result
of  the actions of the electricity deliverer, such as parking
meters that are required to be removed because of work of  an
electricity deliverer.

                          ARTICLE 6

    Section  6-1.  Short  title. This Article may be cited as
the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and  Coal  Resources
Development Law of 1997.

    Section  6-2.  Findings  and intent. The General Assembly
finds and  declares  that  it  is  desirable  to  obtain  the
environmental  quality,  public  health,  and  fuel diversity
benefits of developing new  renewable  energy  resources  and
clean  coal technologies for use in Illinois and to lower the
cost of renewable energy resources and clean  coal  resources
provided to utility consumers. The General Assembly finds and
declares  that  the  benefits  of  electricity from renewable
energy resources and clean coal technologies  accrue  to  the
public  at  large,  thus consumers and electric utilities and
alternative retail electric suppliers share  an  interest  in
developing   and   using   a   significant   level  of  these
environmentally   preferable   resources   in   the   State's
electricity supply portfolio. The General Assembly finds  and
declares  that encouraging energy efficiency will improve the
environmental quality and  public  health  in  the  State  of
Illinois.

    Section 6-3. Renewable energy resources program.
    (a)  The Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, to
be  called  the  "Department"  hereinafter in this Law, shall
administer the Renewable Energy Resources Program to  provide
grants,  loans,  and other incentives to foster investment in
and the development and use of renewable energy resources.
    (b)  The Department shall establish eligibility  criteria
for  grants, loans, and other incentives to foster investment
in and the development and use of renewable energy resources.
These criteria shall be reviewed  annually  and  adjusted  as
necessary.  The criteria should promote the goal of fostering
investment in and the development and use,  in  Illinois,  of
renewable energy resources.
    (c)  The Department shall accept applications for grants,
loans,  and  other incentives to foster investment in and the
development and use of renewable energy resources.
    (d)  To  the  extent  that  funds   are   available   and
appropriated, the Department shall provide grants, loans, and
other   incentives  to  applicants  that  meet  the  criteria
specified by the Department.
    (e)  The Department shall conduct an annual study on  the
use   and  availability  of  renewable  energy  resources  in
Illinois. Each year, the Department shall submit a report  on
the  study to the General Assembly. This report shall include
suggestions  for  legislation  which   will   encourage   the
development and use of renewable energy resources.
    (f)  As  used  in  this Law, "renewable energy resources"
includes energy from wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic
cells and panels, dedicated crops grown for energy production
and organic waste biomass, hydropower that does  not  involve
new construction or significant expansion of hydropower dams,
and   other   such  alternative  sources  of  environmentally
preferable energy.  "Renewable  energy  resources"  does  not
include,  however,  energy  from the incineration, burning or
heating of waste wood,  tires,  garbage,  general  household,
institutional  and  commercial waste, industrial lunchroom or
office waste, landscape waste, or construction or  demolition
debris.

    Section 6-4. Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund.
    (a)  A  fund  to be called the Renewable Energy Resources
Trust Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury.
    (b)  The Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund  shall  be
administered  by the Department to provide grants, loans, and
other incentives to foster investment in and the  development
and  use of renewable energy resources as provided in Section
6-3 of this Law.
    (c)  All funds used by the Department for  the  Renewable
Energy Resources Program shall be subject to appropriation by
the General Assembly.

    Section   6-5.   Renewable   Energy  Resources  and  Coal
Technology Development Assistance Charge.
    (a)  Beginning January 1,  1998,  the  following  charges
shall be imposed:
         (1)  $0.05 per month on each account for residential
    electric  service  as defined in Section 13 of the Energy
    Assistance Act of 1989;
         (2)  $0.05 per month on each account for residential
    gas service as  defined  in  Section  13  of  the  Energy
    Assistance Act of 1989;
         (3)  $0.50   per   month   on   each   account   for
    nonresidential electric service, as defined in Section 13
    of the Energy Assistance Act of 1989, taking 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  of  1989,  taking 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 of 1989, taking 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 of 1989, taking 4,000,000 or
    more therms of gas during the previous calendar year.
    (b)  Except  as  provided  in  subsection  (e)  of   this
Section,  this  charge is to be collected by electric and gas
utilities, whether  owned  by  investors,  municipalities  or
cooperatives,  and alternative retail electric suppliers on a
monthly basis from their respective customers.
    (c)  Fifty percent of the moneys  collected  pursuant  to
this  Section  shall  be  deposited  in  the Renewable Energy
Resources Trust Fund. The remaining 50 percent of the  moneys
collected  pursuant to this Section shall be deposited in the
Coal Technology Development Assistance Fund for use under the
Illinois Coal Technology Development Assistance Act.
    (d)  On a monthly basis,  each  utility  and  alternative
retail  electric supplier collecting charges pursuant to this
Section shall remit to the  Department  for  deposit  in  the
Renewable  Energy Resources Trust Fund all moneys received as
payment of the charge provided for in this Section.
    (e)  The charges imposed by this Section shall only apply
to customers of municipal  electric  utilities  and  electric
cooperatives  if  the  municipal electric utility or electric
cooperative makes  an  affirmative  decision  to  impose  the
charge.   If   a   municipal  electric  utility  or  electric
cooperative does not assess this charge, its customers  shall
not be eligible for the Renewable Energy Resources Program.

    Section 6-6. Energy efficiency program.
    (a)  For   the   year  beginning  January  1,  1998,  and
thereafter as provided in this Section, each electric utility
and  each  alternative  retail  electric  supplier  supplying
electric power and energy to retail customers located in  the
State of Illinois shall contribute annually to the Department
a  pro  rata share of a total amount of $3,000,000 based upon
the number of kilowatt-hours sold by each such entity in  the
12   months   preceding  the  year  of  contribution.   These
contributions shall be  remitted  to  the  Department  on  or
before  June  30  of  each year the contribution is due.  The
funds received by the Department  pursuant  to  this  Section
shall be subject to the appropriation of funds by the General
Assembly.   The  Department  shall  place  the funds remitted
under this Section in a trust fund, that is hereby created in
the State Treasury, called the Energy Efficiency Trust Fund.
    (b)  The Department shall  disburse  the  moneys  in  the
Energy   Efficiency   Trust   Fund  to  residential  electric
customers  to  fund  projects  which   the   Department   has
determined  will  promote  energy  efficiency in the State of
Illinois.  The Department shall establish a list of  projects
eligible  for  grants  from  the Energy Efficiency Trust Fund
including, but not limited to, supporting  energy  efficiency
efforts   for   low-income   households,   replacing   energy
inefficient  windows  with  more efficient windows, replacing
energy inefficient appliances with more efficient appliances,
replacing energy inefficient  lighting  with  more  efficient
lighting,  insulating dwellings and buildings, and such other
projects which will increase energy efficiency in  homes  and
rental properties.
    (c)  The  Department  shall  establish  criteria  and  an
application process for this grant program.
    (d)  The  Department  shall  conduct  a  study  of  other
possible  energy efficiency improvements and evaluate methods
for promoting energy efficiency and conservation,  especially
for the benefit of low-income customers.
    (e)  The  Department shall submit an annual report to the
General Assembly evaluating the effectiveness of the projects
and programs  provided  in  this  Section,  and  recommending
further   legislation   which   will   encourage   additional
development  and implementation of energy efficiency projects
and programs in Illinois and other actions that help to  meet
the goals of this Section.

    Section  6-7.  Repeal.  The  provisions  of  this Law are
repealed 10 years after the effective date of this amendatory
Act of 1997 unless renewed by act of the General Assembly.

                          ARTICLE 7

    Section 80.  The  Illinois  Coal  Technology  Development
Assistance Act is amended by changing Section 3 as follows:

    (30 ILCS 730/3) (from Ch. 96 1/2, par. 8203)
    Sec.   3.    Transfers  to  Coal  Technology  Development
Assistance Funds. As soon as may  be  practicable  after  the
first  day  of  each  month,  the Department of Revenue shall
certify to the Treasurer an  amount  equal  to  1/64  of  the
revenue  realized  from  the  tax  imposed by the Electricity
Excise Tax Law, Section 2 of  the  Public  Utilities  Revenue
Act,  Section 2 of the Messages Tax Act, and Section 2 of the
Gas Revenue  Tax  Act,  during  the  preceding  month.   Upon
receipt  of  the  certification, the Treasurer shall transfer
the amount shown  on  such  certification  from  the  General
Revenue  Fund  to  the Coal Technology Development Assistance
Fund, which is hereby created as a special fund in the  State
treasury,  except that no transfer shall be made in any month
in which the Fund from moneys received under this Section has
reached the following balance:
         (1)  $7,000,000 during fiscal year 1994.
         (2)  $8,500,000 during fiscal year 1995.
         (3)  $10,000,000  during  fiscal  year 1996 and each
    year thereafter.
(Source: P.A. 88-391.)

    Section 85. The Energy Assistance Act of 1989 is  amended
by  changing  Section  5  and  adding  Sections  13 and 14 as
follows:

    (305 ILCS 20/5) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1405)
    (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec. 5.  Policy Advisory Council.
    (a)  Within the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Community
Affairs  is created a Policy Advisory Council to be comprised
of:
         (1)  the  following  ex  officio  members  or  their
    designees:   the  Director  of  Commerce  and   Community
    Affairs  who  shall  serve as Chair of the Committee, the
    Director of Natural Resources,  the  Director  of  Public
    Aid,   and   the   Chairman   of  the  Illinois  Commerce
    Commission; and
         (2)  9  persons  who  shall  be  appointed  by   the
    Governor to serve 2 year terms and until their successors
    are  appointed  and qualified, 3 of whom shall be persons
    who represent  low  income  households  or  organizations
    which  represent  such  households,  3  of  whom shall be
    representatives of public  utilities  or  other  entities
    which provide winter energy services, and 3 of whom shall
    be  representatives  of  local  agencies  engaged  by the
    Department to assist in the administration of this Act.
         (3)  6  persons  who  shall  be  appointed  by   the
    Director  of  the  Department  of  Commerce and Community
    Affairs to  serve  2  two  year  terms  and  until  their
    successors  are  appointed  and  qualified,  who shall be
    persons meeting such qualifications as may be required by
    the federal government  for  the  administration  of  the
    Weatherization  Assistance  Program  funded  by  the U.S.
    Department  of  Energy  and  any  such   related   energy
    assistance programs.
         (4)  Members  shall  serve without compensation, but
    may receive reimbursement for actual  costs  incurred  in
    fulfilling their duties as members of the Council.
    (b)  The Policy Advisory Council shall have the following
duties:
         (1)  to  monitor  the  administration of this Act to
    ensure  effective,  efficient,  and  coordinated  program
    development and implementation;
         (2)  to assist  the  Department  in  developing  and
    administering   rules  and  regulations  required  to  be
    promulgated pursuant to this Act in a  manner  consistent
    with the purpose and objectives of this Act;
         (3)  to facilitate and coordinate the collection and
    exchange of all program data and other information needed
    by  the  Department and others in fulfilling their duties
    pursuant to this Act;
         (4)  to advise the Department on the proper level of
    support required for effective administration of the Act;
         (5)  to provide a  written  opinion  concerning  any
    regulation  proposed  pursuant to this Act, and to review
    and comment on any  energy  assistance  or  related  plan
    required to be prepared by the Department; and
         (6)  on  or before March 1 of each year beginning in
    1990, to prepare and submit a report to the Governor  and
    General  Assembly  which  describes the activities of the
    Department  in  the  development  and  implementation  of
    energy assistance  and  related  policies  and  programs,
    which   characterizes   progress   towards   meeting  the
    objectives  and  requirements  of  this  Act,  and  which
    recommends any statutory changes which might be needed to
    further such progress.   The  report  submitted  in  1991
    shall   include   an   analysis  of  and  recommendations
    regarding this Act's provisions concerning State  payment
    of pre-program arrearages; and.
         (7)  to  advise  the  Department on the use of funds
    collected pursuant to Section 13 of this Act, and on  any
    changes to existing low-income energy assistance programs
    to make effective use of such funds, so long as such uses
    and  changes  are  consistent  with  the  requirements of
    subsection (a) of Section 13 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96.)

    (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 89-507)
    Sec. 5.  Policy Advisory Council.
    (a)  Within the  Department  of  Commerce  and  Community
Affairs  is created a Policy Advisory Council to be comprised
of:
         (1)  the  following  ex  officio  members  or  their
    designees:   the  Director  of  Commerce  and   Community
    Affairs  who  shall  serve as Chair of the Committee, the
    Director of Natural Resources,  the  Secretary  of  Human
    Services,  and  the  Chairman  of  the  Illinois Commerce
    Commission; and
         (2)  9  persons  who  shall  be  appointed  by   the
    Governor to serve 2 year terms and until their successors
    are  appointed  and qualified, 3 of whom shall be persons
    who represent  low  income  households  or  organizations
    which  represent  such  households,  3  of  whom shall be
    representatives of public  utilities  or  other  entities
    which provide winter energy services, and 3 of whom shall
    be  representatives  of  local  agencies  engaged  by the
    Department to assist in the administration of this Act.
         (3)  6  persons  who  shall  be  appointed  by   the
    Director  of  the  Department  of  Commerce and Community
    Affairs to  serve  2  two  year  terms  and  until  their
    successors  are  appointed  and  qualified,  who shall be
    persons meeting such qualifications as may be required by
    the federal government  for  the  administration  of  the
    Weatherization  Assistance  Program  funded  by  the U.S.
    Department  of  Energy  and  any  such   related   energy
    assistance programs.
         (4)  Members  shall  serve without compensation, but
    may receive reimbursement for actual  costs  incurred  in
    fulfilling their duties as members of the Council.
    (b)  The Policy Advisory Council shall have the following
duties:
         (1)  to  monitor  the  administration of this Act to
    ensure  effective,  efficient,  and  coordinated  program
    development and implementation;
         (2)  to assist  the  Department  in  developing  and
    administering   rules  and  regulations  required  to  be
    promulgated pursuant to this Act in a  manner  consistent
    with the purpose and objectives of this Act;
         (3)  to facilitate and coordinate the collection and
    exchange of all program data and other information needed
    by  the  Department and others in fulfilling their duties
    pursuant to this Act;
         (4)  to advise the Department on the proper level of
    support required for effective administration of the Act;
         (5)  to provide a  written  opinion  concerning  any
    regulation  proposed  pursuant to this Act, and to review
    and comment on any  energy  assistance  or  related  plan
    required to be prepared by the Department; and
         (6)  on  or before March 1 of each year beginning in
    1990, to prepare and submit a report to the Governor  and
    General  Assembly  which  describes the activities of the
    Department  in  the  development  and  implementation  of
    energy assistance  and  related  policies  and  programs,
    which   characterizes   progress   towards   meeting  the
    objectives  and  requirements  of  this  Act,  and  which
    recommends any statutory changes which might be needed to
    further such progress.   The  report  submitted  in  1991
    shall   include   an   analysis  of  and  recommendations
    regarding this Act's provisions concerning State  payment
    of pre-program arrearages; and.
         (7)  to  advise  the  Department on the use of funds
    collected pursuant to Section 13 of this Act, and on  any
    changes to existing low-income energy assistance programs
    to make effective use of such funds, so long as such uses
    and  changes  are  consistent  with  the  requirements of
    subsection (a) of Section 13 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 89-445, eff. 2-7-96; 89-507, eff. 7-1-97.)

    (305 ILCS 20/13 new)
    Sec. 13.  Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund.
    (a)  The Supplemental Low-Income Energy  Assistance  Fund
is  hereby  created  as a special fund in the State Treasury.
The  Supplemental  Low-Income  Energy  Assistance   Fund   is
authorized  to  receive,  by  statutory  deposit,  the moneys
collected   pursuant   to   this   Section.     Subject    to
appropriation,  the  Department  shall  use  moneys  from the
Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund  for  payments
to  electric  or  gas public utilities, municipal electric or
gas utilities, and electric cooperatives on behalf  of  their
customers  who  are participants in the program authorized by
Section 4 of this Act, for the  provision  of  weatherization
services   and   for   administration   of  the  Supplemental
Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund.  The  yearly  expenditures
for weatherization may not exceed 10% of the amount collected
during  the  year  pursuant  to this Section.  In determining
which  customers  will  participate  in  the   weatherization
component,  the  Department  shall  target weatherization for
those customers with the greatest energy burden, that is  the
lowest   income  and  greatest  utility  bills.   The  yearly
administrative expenses of the Supplemental Low-Income Energy
Assistance Fund may not exceed 10% of  the  amount  collected
during that year pursuant to this Section.
    (b)  Notwithstanding  the provisions of Section 16-111 of
the Public  Utilities  Act,  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 Energy
Assistance Charge  for  the  Supplemental  Low-Income  Energy
Assistance Fund.  The monthly charge shall be as follows:
         (1)  $0.40 per month on each account for residential
    electric service;
         (2)  $0.40 per month on each account for residential
    gas service;
         (3)  $4    per    month    on   each   account   for
    non-residential electric service which had less  than  10
    megawatts  of  peak  demand  during the previous calendar
    year;
         (4)  $4   per   month   on    each    account    for
    non-residential  gas  service which had distributed to it
    less than 4,000,000 therms of  gas  during  the  previous
    calendar year;
         (5)  $300    per   month   on   each   account   for
    non-residential electric service which had  10  megawatts
    or  greater  of  peak demand during the previous calendar
    year; and
         (6)  $300   per   month   on   each   account    for
    non-residential  gas  service which had 4,000,000 or more
    therms of gas  distributed  to  it  during  the  previous
    calendar year.
    (c)  For purposes of this Section:
         (1)  "residential  electric  service" means electric
    utility service for household  purposes  delivered  to  a
    dwelling  of  2  or  fewer  units which is billed under a
    residential  rate,  or  electric  utility   service   for
    household  purposes delivered to a dwelling unit or units
    which  is  billed  under  a  residential  rate   and   is
    registered by a separate meter for each dwelling unit;
         (2)  "residential  gas  service"  means  gas utility
    service for household purposes distributed to a  dwelling
    of  2  or fewer units which is billed under a residential
    rate, or  gas  utility  service  for  household  purposes
    distributed  to  a dwelling unit or units which is billed
    under a residential rate and is registered by a  separate
    meter for each dwelling unit;
         (3)  "non-residential    electric   service"   means
    electric  utility  service  which  is   not   residential
    electric service; and
         (4)  "non-residential gas service" means gas utility
    service which is not residential gas service.
    (d)  At  least 45 days prior to the date on which it must
begin  assessing  Energy  Assistance  Charges,  each   public
utility  engaged  in  the  delivery  of  electricity  or  the
distribution  of  natural  gas  shall  file with the Illinois
Commerce  Commission   tariffs   incorporating   the   Energy
Assistance Charge in other charges stated in such tariffs.
    (e)  The  Energy  Assistance  Charge assessed by electric
and gas public utilities shall be  considered  a  charge  for
public utility service.
    (f)  On  a  monthly basis, each public utility, municipal
utility,  and  electric  cooperative  shall  remit   to   the
Department  of  Revenue all moneys received as payment of the
Energy Assistance Charge.  If  a  customer  makes  a  partial
payment,  a  public  utility,  municipal utility, or electric
cooperative may elect  either:  (i)  to  apply  such  partial
payments  first to amounts owed to the utility or cooperative
for  its  services  and  then  to  payment  for  the   Energy
Assistance Charge or (ii) to apply such partial payments on a
pro-rata  basis  between  amounts  owed  to  the  utility  or
cooperative  for  its  services and to payment for the Energy
Assistance Charge.
    (g)  The Department of Revenue  shall  deposit  into  the
Supplemental  Low-Income  Energy  Assistance  Fund all moneys
remitted to it in accordance  with  subsection  (f)  of  this
Section.
    (h)  If as of December 31, 2002 the program authorized by
Section  4  of this Act has not been replaced by a new energy
assistance program which is in operation,  then  the  General
Assembly  shall  review  the  program; provided however, that
after that date, any public utility,  municipal  utility,  or
electric  cooperative  shall  continue  to  assess  an Energy
Assistance Charge which was originally assessed on or  before
December 31, 2002 and which remains unpaid.
    On  or  before  December  31,  2003, the Department shall
prepare a report for the General Assembly on the  expenditure
of  funds  appropriated from the Low-Income Energy Assistance
Block Grant Fund for the program authorized under  Section  4
of this Act.
    (i)  The  Department  of Revenue may establish such rules
as it deems necessary to implement this Section.
    (j)  The Department of Commerce and Community Affairs may
establish such rules as it deems necessary to implement  this
Section.
    (k)  The charges imposed by this Section shall only apply
to  customers  of  municipal  electric utilities and electric
cooperatives if the municipal electric  utility  or  electric
cooperative  makes  an  affirmative  decision  to  impose the
charge.   If  a  municipal  electric  utility   or   electric
cooperative  does  not assess this charge, the Department may
not  use  funds  from  the  Supplemental  Low-Income   Energy
Assistance  Fund  to  provide benefits to its customers under
the program authorized by Section 4 of this Act.

    (305 ILCS 20/14 new)
    Sec. 14.  Energy Assistance Program Design Group.
    (a)  This  Section  establishes  an   Energy   Assistance
Program  Design  Group  to  advise  the General Assembly with
respect to designing a low-income energy  assistance  program
for the period beginning on January 1, 2003.
    (b)  As  promptly  as practicable following the enactment
of this amendatory Act of 1997, the General  Assembly,  or  a
Joint Committee thereof, shall establish an Energy Assistance
Program  Design  Group.  The Energy Assistance Program Design
Group shall be chaired by the Director of the  Department  of
Commerce   and   Community  Affairs  and  shall  include  one
representative of each of the  following:  (i)  the  Illinois
Commerce   Commission;   (ii)   the   Department  of  Natural
Resources; (iii) electric public utilities; (iv)  gas  public
utilities; (v) combination gas and electric public utilities;
(vi)  municipal  utilities  and  electric cooperatives; (vii)
electricity and  natural  gas  marketers;  (viii)  low-income
energy   customers;   (ix)  local  agencies  engaged  by  the
Department of Commerce and Community Affairs to assist in the
administration of the Energy  Assistance  Act  of  1989;  (x)
residential   energy   customers;   (xi)   commercial  energy
customers; and (xii) industrial energy customers.
    (c)  Within 3 months of  its  establishment,  the  Energy
Assistance   Program   Design   Group  shall  meet  to  begin
consideration of the design and implementation of  an  energy
assistance  program  in  Illinois for the period beginning on
January 1, 2003.  Within 12 months of its establishment,  the
Program Design Group shall hold public hearings to assist its
deliberations.
    (d)  The  Program  Design  Group  shall  provide a report
containing its recommendations to the General Assembly on  or
before  January  1,  2002.   This  report  must  include  the
following:
         (1)  recommendations   on   the   definition  of  an
    eligible low-income residential customer;
         (2)  recommendations regarding the  continuation  of
    the  program  authorized by Section 4 of this Act and the
    Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund;
         (3)  recommendations    on    ensuring    low-income
    residential customers have  access  to  essential  energy
    services;
         (4)  recommendations  on addressing past due amounts
    owed to utilities by low-income persons in Illinois;
         (5)  demographic and  other  information  (including
    household consumption information) necessary to determine
    the  total  number  of customers eligible for assistance,
    the  total  number  of  customers  likely  to  apply  for
    assistance, and funding  estimates  for  any  recommended
    program;
         (6)  recommendations   on  appropriate  measures  to
    encourage   energy    conservation,    efficiency,    and
    responsibility among low-income residential customers;
         (7)  any    recommended    changes    to    existing
    legislation; and
         (8)  an  estimate  of  the  cost of implementing the
    Program Design Group's recommendations.
    (e)  The recommendations adopted by  the  Program  Design
Group  shall  be  competitively  neutral  in  their impact on
providers in the energy market and shall spread program costs
across the broadest possible base.
    (f)  The Department of  Commerce  and  Community  Affairs
shall  hold  public  hearings  on  the recommendations of the
Energy Assistance Program Design Group during  calendar  year
2002.

    Section  90.  The  State Finance Act is amended by adding
Sections 5.449, 5.450, and 5.451 as follows:

    (30 ILCS 105/5.449 new)
    Sec. 5.449. The Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund.

    (30 ILCS 105/5.450 new)
    Sec. 5.450. The Energy Efficiency Trust Fund.

    (30 ILCS 105/5.451 new)
    Sec. 5.451. The Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance
Fund.

    Section 95. The Illinois  Antitrust  Act  is  amended  by
changing Section 5 as follows:

    (740 ILCS 10/5) (from Ch. 38, par. 60-5)
    Sec.  5.  No provisions of this Act shall be construed to
make illegal:
    (1)  the activities  of  any  labor  organization  or  of
individual members thereof which are directed solely to labor
objectives  which are legitimate under the laws of either the
State of Illinois or the United States;
    (2)  the activities of any agricultural or  horticultural
cooperative    organization,    whether    incorporated    or
unincorporated,  or  of individual members thereof, which are
directed   solely   to   objectives   of   such   cooperative
organizations which are legitimate under the laws  of  either
the State of Illinois or the United States;
    (3)  the  activities of any public utility, as defined in
Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act to the extent  that
such  activities  are  subject  to  a clearly articulated and
affirmatively expressed State policy to  replace  competition
with regulation, where the conduct to be exempted is actively
supervised  by  the  State  itself  the  jurisdiction  of the
Illinois Commerce Commission;
    (4)  The activities of a telecommunications  carrier,  as
defined in Section 13-202 of the Public Utilities Act, to the
extent   those   activities   relate   to  the  provision  of
noncompetitive telecommunications services under  the  Public
Utilities  Act  and  are  subject  to the jurisdiction of the
Illinois  Commerce  Commission  or  to  the   activities   of
telephone  mutual  concerns  referred to in Section 13-202 of
the Public Utilities  Act  to  the  extent  those  activities
relate  to the provision and maintenance of telephone service
to owners and customers;
    (5)  the activities (including, but not limited  to,  the
making  of  or  participating  in joint underwriting or joint
reinsurance arrangement) of  any  insurer,  insurance  agent,
insurance  broker,  independent  insurance adjuster or rating
organization to the extent that such activities  are  subject
to  regulation  by  the  Director  of Insurance of this State
under, or are permitted or are authorized by,  the  Insurance
Code or any other law of this State;
    (6)  the  religious  and  charitable  activities  of  any
not-for-profit corporation, trust or organization established
exclusively for religious or charitable purposes, or for both
purposes;
    (7)  the  activities  of  any  not-for-profit corporation
organized  to  provide  telephone  service  on  a  mutual  or
co-operative  basis  or  electrification  on  a  co-operative
basis, to the extent such activities relate to the  marketing
and distribution of telephone or electrical service to owners
and customers;
    (8)  the  activities engaged in by securities dealers who
are (i) licensed by the State of Illinois or (ii) members  of
the  National  Association  of  Securities  Dealers  or (iii)
members of any National Securities Exchange  registered  with
the  Securities  and Exchange Commission under the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  in  the  course  of  their
business   of  offering,  selling,  buying  and  selling,  or
otherwise trading in or underwriting  securities,  as  agent,
broker,   or   principal,  and  activities  of  any  National
Securities   Exchange   so    registered,    including    the
establishment of commission rates and schedules of charges;
    (9)  the activities of any board of trade designated as a
"contract  market"  by  the  Secretary  of Agriculture of the
United States pursuant to Section 5 of the Commodity Exchange
Act, as amended;
    (10)  the activities of any motor carrier, rail  carrier,
or  common  carrier  by  pipeline,  as  defined in the Common
Carrier by Pipeline Law of the Public Utilities Act,  to  the
extent  that  such  activities are permitted or authorized by
the Act or are subject to regulation by the Illinois Commerce
Commission;
    (11)  the activities of any state or national bank to the
extent that such activities are regulated  or  supervised  by
officers of the state or federal government under the banking
laws of this State or the United States;
    (12)  the  activities of any state or federal savings and
loan association to  the  extent  that  such  activities  are
regulated  or  supervised by officers of the state or federal
government under the savings and loan laws of this  State  or
the United States;
    (13)  the  activities  of  any  bona  fide not-for-profit
association, society or board, of attorneys, practitioners of
medicine,  architects,  engineers,  land  surveyors  or  real
estate brokers licensed and regulated by  an  agency  of  the
State  of  Illinois,  in  recommending schedules of suggested
fees, rates or commissions for use solely  as  guidelines  in
determining charges for professional and technical services;
    (14)  Conduct  involving  trade  or  commerce (other than
import trade or import commerce) with foreign nations unless:
         (a)  such conduct has  a  direct,  substantial,  and
    reasonably foreseeable effect:
              (i)  on trade or commerce which is not trade or
         commerce with foreign nations, or on import trade or
         import commerce with foreign nations; or
              (ii)  on  export  trade or export commerce with
         foreign nations of a person engaged in such trade or
         commerce in the United States; and
         (b)  such effect gives rise to  a  claim  under  the
    provisions of this Act, other than this subsection (14).
         (c)  If  this  Act applies to conduct referred to in
    this subsection (14) only because of  the  provisions  of
    paragraph  (a)(ii),  then  this  Act  shall apply to such
    conduct only for injury to export business in the  United
    States which affects this State; or
    (15)  the  activities  of  a  unit of local government or
school district and the activities of the  employees,  agents
and  officers  of  a  unit  of  local  government  or  school
district.
(Source: P.A. 90-185, eff. 7-23-97.)
    Section  97.   No  acceleration or delay.  Where this Act
makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by
text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for  example,  a
Section  represented  by  multiple versions), the use of that
text does not accelerate or delay the taking  effect  of  (i)
the  changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from
any other Public Act.

                          ARTICLE 8

    Section 99.   Effective  date.   Except  as  provided  in
Article 4, this Act takes effect on becoming law.

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