Rep. Marlow H. Colvin

Filed: 10/24/2011

 

 


 

 


 
09700HB0691ham001LRB097 03519 CEL 58782 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 691

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 691 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing
5Section 9-220 as follows:
 
6    (220 ILCS 5/9-220)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 9-220)
7    Sec. 9-220. Rate changes based on changes in fuel costs.
8    (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 9-201, the
9Commission may authorize the increase or decrease of rates and
10charges based upon changes in the cost of fuel used in the
11generation or production of electric power, changes in the cost
12of purchased power, or changes in the cost of purchased gas
13through the application of fuel adjustment clauses or purchased
14gas adjustment clauses. The Commission may also authorize the
15increase or decrease of rates and charges based upon
16expenditures or revenues resulting from the purchase or sale of

 

 

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1emission allowances created under the federal Clean Air Act
2Amendments of 1990, through such fuel adjustment clauses, as a
3cost of fuel. For the purposes of this paragraph, cost of fuel
4used in the generation or production of electric power shall
5include the amount of any fees paid by the utility for the
6implementation and operation of a process for the
7desulfurization of the flue gas when burning high sulfur coal
8at any location within the State of Illinois irrespective of
9the attainment status designation of such location; but shall
10not include transportation costs of coal (i) except to the
11extent that for contracts entered into on and after the
12effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997, the cost of the
13coal, including transportation costs, constitutes the lowest
14cost for adequate and reliable fuel supply reasonably available
15to the public utility in comparison to the cost, including
16transportation costs, of other adequate and reliable sources of
17fuel supply reasonably available to the public utility, or (ii)
18except as otherwise provided in the next 3 sentences of this
19paragraph. Such costs of fuel shall, when requested by a
20utility or at the conclusion of the utility's next general
21electric rate proceeding, whichever shall first occur, include
22transportation costs of coal purchased under existing coal
23purchase contracts. For purposes of this paragraph "existing
24coal purchase contracts" means contracts for the purchase of
25coal in effect on the effective date of this amendatory Act of
261991, as such contracts may thereafter be amended, but only to

 

 

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1the extent that any such amendment does not increase the
2aggregate quantity of coal to be purchased under such contract.
3Nothing herein shall authorize an electric utility to recover
4through its fuel adjustment clause any amounts of
5transportation costs of coal that were included in the revenue
6requirement used to set base rates in its most recent general
7rate proceeding. Cost shall be based upon uniformly applied
8accounting principles. Annually, the Commission shall initiate
9public hearings to determine whether the clauses reflect actual
10costs of fuel, gas, power, or coal transportation purchased to
11determine whether such purchases were prudent, and to reconcile
12any amounts collected with the actual costs of fuel, power,
13gas, or coal transportation prudently purchased. In each such
14proceeding, the burden of proof shall be upon the utility to
15establish the prudence of its cost of fuel, power, gas, or coal
16transportation purchases and costs. The Commission shall issue
17its final order in each such annual proceeding for an electric
18utility by December 31 of the year immediately following the
19year to which the proceeding pertains, provided, that the
20Commission shall issue its final order with respect to such
21annual proceeding for the years 1996 and earlier by December
2231, 1998.
23    (b) A public utility providing electric service, other than
24a public utility described in subsections (e) or (f) of this
25Section, may at any time during the mandatory transition period
26file with the Commission proposed tariff sheets that eliminate

 

 

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1the public utility's fuel adjustment clause and adjust the
2public utility's base rate tariffs by the amount necessary for
3the base fuel component of the base rates to recover the public
4utility's average fuel and power supply costs per kilowatt-hour
5for the 2 most recent years for which the Commission has issued
6final orders in annual proceedings pursuant to subsection (a),
7where the average fuel and power supply costs per kilowatt-hour
8shall be calculated as the sum of the public utility's prudent
9and allowable fuel and power supply costs as found by the
10Commission in the 2 proceedings divided by the public utility's
11actual jurisdictional kilowatt-hour sales for those 2 years.
12Notwithstanding any contrary or inconsistent provisions in
13Section 9-201 of this Act, in subsection (a) of this Section or
14in any rules or regulations promulgated by the Commission
15pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, the Commission
16shall review and shall by order approve, or approve as
17modified, the proposed tariff sheets within 60 days after the
18date of the public utility's filing. The Commission may modify
19the public utility's proposed tariff sheets only to the extent
20the Commission finds necessary to achieve conformance to the
21requirements of this subsection (b). During the 5 years
22following the date of the Commission's order, but in any event
23no earlier than January 1, 2007, a public utility whose fuel
24adjustment clause has been eliminated pursuant to this
25subsection shall not file proposed tariff sheets seeking, or
26otherwise petition the Commission for, reinstatement of a fuel

 

 

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1adjustment clause.
2    (c) Notwithstanding any contrary or inconsistent
3provisions in Section 9-201 of this Act, in subsection (a) of
4this Section or in any rules or regulations promulgated by the
5Commission pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, a public
6utility providing electric service, other than a public utility
7described in subsection (e) or (f) of this Section, may at any
8time during the mandatory transition period file with the
9Commission proposed tariff sheets that establish the rate per
10kilowatt-hour to be applied pursuant to the public utility's
11fuel adjustment clause at the average value for such rate
12during the preceding 24 months, provided that such average rate
13results in a credit to customers' bills, without making any
14revisions to the public utility's base rate tariffs. The
15proposed tariff sheets shall establish the fuel adjustment rate
16for a specific time period of at least 3 years but not more
17than 5 years, provided that the terms and conditions for any
18reinstatement earlier than 5 years shall be set forth in the
19proposed tariff sheets and subject to modification or approval
20by the Commission. The Commission shall review and shall by
21order approve the proposed tariff sheets if it finds that the
22requirements of this subsection are met. The Commission shall
23not conduct the annual hearings specified in the last 3
24sentences of subsection (a) of this Section for the utility for
25the period that the factor established pursuant to this
26subsection is in effect.

 

 

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1    (d) A public utility providing electric service, or a
2public utility providing gas service may file with the
3Commission proposed tariff sheets that eliminate the public
4utility's fuel or purchased gas adjustment clause and adjust
5the public utility's base rate tariffs to provide for recovery
6of power supply costs or gas supply costs that would have been
7recovered through such clause; provided, that the provisions of
8this subsection (d) shall not be available to a public utility
9described in subsections (e) or (f) of this Section to
10eliminate its fuel adjustment clause. Notwithstanding any
11contrary or inconsistent provisions in Section 9-201 of this
12Act, in subsection (a) of this Section, or in any rules or
13regulations promulgated by the Commission pursuant to
14subsection (g) of this Section, the Commission shall review and
15shall by order approve, or approve as modified in the
16Commission's order, the proposed tariff sheets within 240 days
17after the date of the public utility's filing. The Commission's
18order shall approve rates and charges that the Commission,
19based on information in the public utility's filing or on the
20record if a hearing is held by the Commission, finds will
21recover the reasonable, prudent and necessary jurisdictional
22power supply costs or gas supply costs incurred or to be
23incurred by the public utility during a 12 month period found
24by the Commission to be appropriate for these purposes,
25provided, that such period shall be either (i) a 12 month
26historical period occurring during the 15 months ending on the

 

 

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1date of the public utility's filing, or (ii) a 12 month future
2period ending no later than 15 months following the date of the
3public utility's filing. The public utility shall include with
4its tariff filing information showing both (1) its actual
5jurisdictional power supply costs or gas supply costs for a 12
6month historical period conforming to (i) above and (2) its
7projected jurisdictional power supply costs or gas supply costs
8for a future 12 month period conforming to (ii) above. If the
9Commission's order requires modifications in the tariff sheets
10filed by the public utility, the public utility shall have 7
11days following the date of the order to notify the Commission
12whether the public utility will implement the modified tariffs
13or elect to continue its fuel or purchased gas adjustment
14clause in force as though no order had been entered. The
15Commission's order shall provide for any reconciliation of
16power supply costs or gas supply costs, as the case may be, and
17associated revenues through the date that the public utility's
18fuel or purchased gas adjustment clause is eliminated. During
19the 5 years following the date of the Commission's order, a
20public utility whose fuel or purchased gas adjustment clause
21has been eliminated pursuant to this subsection shall not file
22proposed tariff sheets seeking, or otherwise petition the
23Commission for, reinstatement or adoption of a fuel or
24purchased gas adjustment clause. Nothing in this subsection (d)
25shall be construed as limiting the Commission's authority to
26eliminate a public utility's fuel adjustment clause or

 

 

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1purchased gas adjustment clause in accordance with any other
2applicable provisions of this Act.
3    (e) Notwithstanding any contrary or inconsistent
4provisions in Section 9-201 of this Act, in subsection (a) of
5this Section, or in any rules promulgated by the Commission
6pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, a public utility
7providing electric service to more than 1,000,000 customers in
8this State may, within the first 6 months after the effective
9date of this amendatory Act of 1997, file with the Commission
10proposed tariff sheets that eliminate, effective January 1,
111997, the public utility's fuel adjustment clause without
12adjusting its base rates, and such tariff sheets shall be
13effective upon filing. To the extent the application of the
14fuel adjustment clause had resulted in net charges to customers
15after January 1, 1997, the utility shall also file a tariff
16sheet that provides for a refund stated on a per kilowatt-hour
17basis of such charges over a period not to exceed 6 months;
18provided however, that such refund shall not include the
19proportional amounts of taxes paid under the Use Tax Act,
20Service Use Tax Act, Service Occupation Tax Act, and Retailers'
21Occupation Tax Act on fuel used in generation. The Commission
22shall issue an order within 45 days after the date of the
23public utility's filing approving or approving as modified such
24tariff sheet. If the fuel adjustment clause is eliminated
25pursuant to this subsection, the Commission shall not conduct
26the annual hearings specified in the last 3 sentences of

 

 

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1subsection (a) of this Section for the utility for any period
2after December 31, 1996 and prior to any reinstatement of such
3clause. A public utility whose fuel adjustment clause has been
4eliminated pursuant to this subsection shall not file a
5proposed tariff sheet seeking, or otherwise petition the
6Commission for, reinstatement of the fuel adjustment clause
7prior to January 1, 2007.
8    (f) Notwithstanding any contrary or inconsistent
9provisions in Section 9-201 of this Act, in subsection (a) of
10this Section, or in any rules or regulations promulgated by the
11Commission pursuant to subsection (g) of this Section, a public
12utility providing electric service to more than 500,000
13customers but fewer than 1,000,000 customers in this State may,
14within the first 6 months after the effective date of this
15amendatory Act of 1997, file with the Commission proposed
16tariff sheets that eliminate, effective January 1, 1997, the
17public utility's fuel adjustment clause and adjust its base
18rates by the amount necessary for the base fuel component of
19the base rates to recover 91% of the public utility's average
20fuel and power supply costs for the 2 most recent years for
21which the Commission, as of January 1, 1997, has issued final
22orders in annual proceedings pursuant to subsection (a), where
23the average fuel and power supply costs per kilowatt-hour shall
24be calculated as the sum of the public utility's prudent and
25allowable fuel and power supply costs as found by the
26Commission in the 2 proceedings divided by the public utility's

 

 

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1actual jurisdictional kilowatt-hour sales for those 2 years,
2provided, that such tariff sheets shall be effective upon
3filing. To the extent the application of the fuel adjustment
4clause had resulted in net charges to customers after January
51, 1997, the utility shall also file a tariff sheet that
6provides for a refund stated on a per kilowatt-hour basis of
7such charges over a period not to exceed 6 months. Provided
8however, that such refund shall not include the proportional
9amounts of taxes paid under the Use Tax Act, Service Use Tax
10Act, Service Occupation Tax Act, and Retailers' Occupation Tax
11Act on fuel used in generation. The Commission shall issue an
12order within 45 days after the date of the public utility's
13filing approving or approving as modified such tariff sheet. If
14the fuel adjustment clause is eliminated pursuant to this
15subsection, the Commission shall not conduct the annual
16hearings specified in the last 3 sentences of subsection (a) of
17this Section for the utility for any period after December 31,
181996 and prior to any reinstatement of such clause. A public
19utility whose fuel adjustment clause has been eliminated
20pursuant to this subsection shall not file a proposed tariff
21sheet seeking, or otherwise petition the Commission for,
22reinstatement of the fuel adjustment clause prior to January 1,
232007.
24    (g) The Commission shall have authority to promulgate rules
25and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Section.
26    (h) Any Illinois gas utility may enter into a contract on

 

 

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1or before September 30, 2011 for up to 10 years of supply with
2any company for the purchase of substitute natural gas (SNG)
3produced from coal through the gasification process if the
4company has commenced construction of a clean coal SNG facility
5by July 1, 2012 and commencement of construction shall mean
6that material physical site work has occurred, such as site
7clearing and excavation, water runoff prevention, water
8retention reservoir preparation, or foundation development.
9The contract shall contain the following provisions: (i) at
10least 90% of feedstock to be used in the gasification process
11shall be coal with a high volatile bituminous rank and greater
12than 1.7 pounds of sulfur per million Btu content; (ii) at the
13time the contract term commences, the price per million Btu may
14not exceed $7.95 in 2008 dollars, adjusted annually based on
15the change in the Annual Consumer Price Index for All Urban
16Consumers for the Midwest Region as published in April by the
17United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics
18(or a suitable Consumer Price Index calculation if this
19Consumer Price Index is not available) for the previous
20calendar year; provided that the price per million Btu shall
21not exceed $9.95 at any time during the contract; (iii) the
22utility's supply contract for the purchase of SNG does not
23exceed 15% of the annual system supply requirements of the
24utility as of 2008; and (iv) the contract costs pursuant to
25subsection (h-10) of this Section shall not include any
26lobbying expenses, charitable contributions, advertising,

 

 

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1organizational memberships, carbon dioxide pipeline or
2sequestration expenses, or marketing expenses.
3    Any gas utility that is providing service to more than
4150,000 customers on August 2, 2011 (the effective date of
5Public Act 97-239) this amendatory Act of the 97th General
6Assembly shall either elect to enter into a contract on or
7before September 30, 2011 for 10 years of SNG supply with the
8owner of a clean coal SNG facility or to file biennial rate
9proceedings before the Commission in the years 2012, 2014, and
102016, with such filings made after August 2, 2011 the effective
11date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly and no
12later than September 30 of the years 2012, 2014, and 2016
13consistent with all requirements of 83 Ill. Adm. Code 255 and
14285 as though the gas utility were filing for an increase in
15its rates, without regard to whether such filing would produce
16an increase, a decrease, or no change in the gas utility's
17rates, and the Commission shall review the gas utility's filing
18and shall issue its order in accordance with the provisions of
19Section 9-201 of this Act.
20    Within 7 days after August 2, 2011 the effective date of
21this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, the owner of
22the clean coal SNG facility shall submit to the Illinois Power
23Agency and each gas utility that is providing service to more
24than 150,000 customers on August 2, 2011 the effective date of
25this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly a copy of a
26draft contract. Within 30 days after the receipt of the draft

 

 

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1contract, each such gas utility shall provide the Illinois
2Power Agency and the owner of the clean coal SNG facility with
3its comments and recommended revisions to the draft contract.
4Within 7 days after the receipt of the gas utility's comments
5and recommended revisions, the owner of the facility shall
6submit its responsive comments and a further revised draft of
7the contract to the Illinois Power Agency. The Illinois Power
8Agency shall review the draft contract and comments.
9    During its review of the draft contract, the Illinois Power
10Agency shall:
11        (1) review and confirm in writing that the terms stated
12    in this subsection (h) are incorporated in the SNG
13    contract;
14        (2) review the SNG pricing formula included in the
15    contract and approve that formula if the Illinois Power
16    Agency determines that the formula, at the time the
17    contract term commences: (A) starts with a price of $6.50
18    per MMBtu adjusted by the adjusted final capitalized plant
19    cost; (B) takes into account budgeted miscellaneous net
20    revenue after cost allowance, including sale of SNG
21    produced by the clean coal SNG facility above the nameplate
22    capacity of the facility and other by-products produced by
23    the facility, as approved by the Illinois Power Agency; (C)
24    does not include carbon dioxide transportation or
25    sequestration expenses; and (D) includes all provisions
26    required under this subsection (h); if the Illinois Power

 

 

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1    Agency does not approve of the SNG pricing formula, then
2    the Illinois Power Agency shall modify the formula to
3    ensure that it meets the requirements of this subsection
4    (h);
5        (3) review and approve the amount of budgeted
6    miscellaneous net revenue after cost allowance, including
7    sale of SNG produced by the clean coal SNG facility above
8    the nameplate capacity of the facility and other
9    by-products produced by the facility, to be included in the
10    pricing formula; the Illinois Power Agency shall approve
11    the amount of budgeted miscellaneous net revenue to be
12    included in the pricing formula if it determines the
13    budgeted amount to be reasonable and accurate;
14        (4) review and confirm in writing that using the EIA
15    Annual Energy Outlook-2011 Henry Hub Spot Price, the
16    contract terms set out in subsection (h), the
17    reconciliation account terms as set out in subsection
18    (h-15), and an estimated inflation rate of 2.5% for each
19    corresponding year, that there will be no cumulative
20    estimated increase for residential customers; and
21        (5) allocate the nameplate capacity of the clean coal
22    SNG by total therms sold to ultimate customers by each gas
23    utility in 2008; provided, however, no utility shall be
24    required to purchase more than 42% of the projected annual
25    output of the facility; additionally, the Illinois Power
26    Agency shall further adjust the allocation only as required

 

 

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1    to take into account (A) adverse consolidation,
2    derivative, or lease impacts to the balance sheet or income
3    statement of any gas utility or (B) the physical capacity
4    of the gas utility to accept SNG.
5    If the parties to the contract do not agree on the terms
6therein, then the Illinois Power Agency shall retain an
7independent mediator to mediate the dispute between the
8parties. If the parties are in agreement on the terms of the
9contract, then the Illinois Power Agency shall approve the
10contract. If after mediation the parties have failed to come to
11agreement, then the Illinois Power Agency shall revise the
12draft contract as necessary to confirm that the contract
13contains only terms that are reasonable and equitable. The
14Illinois Power Agency may, in its discretion, retain an
15independent, qualified, and experienced expert to assist in its
16obligations under this subsection (h). The Illinois Power
17Agency shall adopt and make public policies detailing the
18processes for retaining a mediator and an expert under this
19subsection (h). Any mediator or expert retained under this
20subsection (h) shall be retained no later than 60 days after
21August 2, 2011 the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
2297th General Assembly.
23    The Illinois Power Agency shall complete all of its
24responsibilities under this subsection (h) within 60 days after
25August 2, 2011 the effective date of this amendatory Act of the
2697th General Assembly. The clean coal SNG facility shall pay a

 

 

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1reasonable fee as required by the Illinois Power Agency for its
2services under this subsection (h) and shall pay the mediator's
3and expert's reasonable fees, if any. A gas utility and its
4customers shall have no obligation to reimburse the clean coal
5SNG facility or the Illinois Power Agency of any such costs.
6    Within 30 days after commercial production of SNG has
7begun, the Commission shall initiate a review to determine
8whether the final capitalized plant cost of the clean coal SNG
9facility reflects actual incurred costs and whether the
10incurred costs were reasonable. In determining the actual
11incurred costs included in the final capitalized plant cost and
12the reasonableness of those costs, the Commission may in its
13discretion retain independent, qualified, and experienced
14experts to assist in its determination. The expert shall not
15own or control any direct or indirect interest in the clean
16coal SNG facility and shall have no contractual relationship
17with the clean coal SNG facility. If an expert is retained by
18the Commission, then the clean coal SNG facility shall pay the
19expert's reasonable fees. The fees shall not be passed on to a
20utility or its customers. The Commission shall adopt and make
21public a policy detailing the process for retaining experts
22under this subsection (h).
23    Within 30 days after completion of its review, the
24Commission shall initiate a formal proceeding on the final
25capitalized plant cost of the clean coal SNG facility at which
26comments and testimony may be submitted by any interested

 

 

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1parties and the public. If the Commission finds that the final
2capitalized plant cost includes costs that were not actually
3incurred or costs that were unreasonably incurred, then the
4Commission shall disallow the amount of non-incurred or
5unreasonable costs from the SNG price under contracts entered
6into under this subsection (h). If the Commission disallows any
7costs, then the Commission shall adjust the SNG price using the
8price formula in the contract approved by the Illinois Power
9Agency under this subsection (h) to reflect the disallowed
10costs and shall enter an order specifying the revised price. In
11addition, the Commission's order shall direct the clean coal
12SNG facility to issue refunds of such sums as shall represent
13the difference between actual gross revenues and the gross
14revenue that would have been obtained based upon the same
15volume, from the price revised by the Commission. Any refund
16shall include interest calculated at a rate determined by the
17Commission and shall be returned according to procedures
18prescribed by the Commission.
19    Nothing in this subsection (h) shall preclude any party
20affected by a decision of the Commission under this subsection
21(h) from seeking judicial review of the Commission's decision.
22    (h-1) Any Illinois gas utility may enter into a sourcing
23agreement for up to 30 years of supply with the clean coal SNG
24brownfield facility if the clean coal SNG brownfield facility
25has commenced construction. Any gas utility that is providing
26service to more than 150,000 customers on July 13, 2011 (the

 

 

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1effective date of Public Act 97-096) this amendatory Act of the
297th General Assembly shall either elect to file biennial rate
3proceedings before the Commission in the years 2012, 2014, and
42016 or enter into a sourcing agreement or sourcing agreements
5with a clean coal SNG brownfield facility with an initial term
6of 30 years for either (i) a percentage of 43,500,000,000 cubic
7feet per year, such that the utilities entering into sourcing
8agreements with the clean coal SNG brownfield facility purchase
9100%, allocated by total therms sold to ultimate customers by
10each gas utility in 2008 or (ii) such lesser amount as may be
11available from the clean coal SNG brownfield facility; provided
12that no utility shall be required to purchase more than 42% of
13the projected annual output of the clean coal SNG brownfield
14facility, with the remainder of such utility's obligation to be
15divided proportionately between the other utilities, and
16provided that the Illinois Power Agency shall further adjust
17the allocation only as required to take into account adverse
18consolidation, derivative, or lease impacts to the balance
19sheet or income statement of any gas utility.
20    A gas utility electing to file biennial rate proceedings
21before the Commission must file a notice of its election with
22the Commission within 60 days after July 13, 2011 the effective
23date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly or its
24right to make the election is irrevocably waived. A gas utility
25electing to file biennial rate proceedings shall make such
26filings no later than August 1 of the years 2012, 2014, and

 

 

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12016, consistent with all requirements of 83 Ill. Adm. Code 255
2and 285 as though the gas utility were filing for an increase
3in its rates, without regard to whether such filing would
4produce an increase, a decrease, or no change in the gas
5utility's rates, and notwithstanding any other provisions of
6this Act, the Commission shall fully review the gas utility's
7filing and shall issue its order in accordance with the
8provisions of Section 9-201 of this Act, regardless of whether
9the Commission has approved a formula rate for the gas utility.
10    Within 15 days after July 13, 2011 the effective date of
11this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, the owner of
12the clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall submit to the
13Illinois Power Agency and each gas utility that is providing
14service to more than 150,000 customers on July 13, 2011 the
15effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General
16Assembly a copy of a draft sourcing agreement. Within 45 days
17after receipt of the draft sourcing agreement, each such gas
18utility shall provide the Illinois Power Agency and the owner
19of a clean coal SNG brownfield facility with its comments and
20recommended revisions to the draft sourcing agreement. Within
2115 days after the receipt of the gas utility's comments and
22recommended revisions, the owner of the clean coal SNG
23brownfield facility shall submit its responsive comments and a
24further revised draft of the sourcing agreement to the Illinois
25Power Agency. The Illinois Power Agency shall review the draft
26sourcing agreement and comments.

 

 

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1    If the parties to the sourcing agreement do not agree on
2the terms therein, then the Illinois Power Agency shall retain
3an independent mediator to mediate the dispute between the
4parties. If the parties are in agreement on the terms of the
5sourcing agreement, the Illinois Power Agency shall approve the
6final draft sourcing agreement. If after mediation the parties
7have failed to come to agreement, then the Illinois Power
8Agency shall revise the draft sourcing agreement as necessary
9to confirm that the final draft sourcing agreement contains
10only terms that are reasonable and equitable. The Illinois
11Power Agency shall adopt and make public a policy detailing the
12process for retaining a mediator under this subsection (h-1).
13Any mediator retained to assist with mediating disputes between
14the parties regarding the sourcing agreement shall be retained
15no later than 60 days after July 13, 2011 the effective date of
16this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly.
17    Upon approval of a final draft agreement, the Illinois
18Power Agency shall submit the final draft agreement to the
19Capital Development Board and the Commission no later than 90
20days after July 13, 2011 the effective date of this amendatory
21Act of the 97th General Assembly. The gas utility and the clean
22coal SNG brownfield facility shall pay a reasonable fee as
23required by the Illinois Power Agency for its services under
24this subsection (h-1) and shall pay the mediator's reasonable
25fees, if any. The Illinois Power Agency shall adopt and make
26public a policy detailing the process for retaining a mediator

 

 

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1under this Section.
2    The sourcing agreement between a gas utility and the clean
3coal SNG brownfield facility shall contain the following
4provisions:
5        (1) Any and all coal used in the gasification process
6    must be coal that has high volatile bituminous rank and
7    greater than 1.7 pounds of sulfur per million Btu content.
8        (2) Coal and petroleum coke are feedstocks for the
9    gasification process, with coal comprising at least 50% of
10    the total feedstock over the term of the sourcing agreement
11    unless the facility reasonably determines that it is
12    necessary to use additional petroleum coke to deliver net
13    consumer savings, in which case the facility shall use coal
14    for at least 35% of the total feedstock over the term of
15    any sourcing agreement and with the feedstocks to be
16    procured in accordance with requirements of Section 1-78 of
17    the Illinois Power Agency Act.
18        (3) The sourcing agreement has an initial term that
19    once entered into terminates no more than 30 years after
20    the commencement of the commercial production of SNG at the
21    clean coal SNG brownfield facility.
22        (4) The clean coal SNG brownfield facility guarantees a
23    minimum of $100,000,000 in consumer savings to customers of
24    the utilities that have entered into sourcing agreements
25    with the clean coal SNG brownfield facility, calculated in
26    real 2010 dollars at the conclusion of the term of the

 

 

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1    sourcing agreement by comparing the delivered SNG price to
2    the Chicago City-gate price on a weighted daily basis for
3    each day over the entire term of the sourcing agreement, to
4    be provided in accordance with subsection (h-2) of this
5    Section.
6        (5) Prior to the clean coal SNG brownfield facility
7    issuing a notice to proceed to construction, the clean coal
8    SNG brownfield facility shall establish a consumer
9    protection reserve account for the benefit of the customers
10    of the utilities that have entered into sourcing agreements
11    with the clean coal SNG brownfield facility pursuant to
12    this subsection (h-1), with cash principal in the amount of
13    $150,000,000. This cash principal shall only be
14    recoverable through the consumer protection reserve
15    account and not as a cost to be recovered in the delivered
16    SNG price pursuant to subsection (h-3) of this Section. The
17    consumer protection reserve account shall be maintained
18    and administered by an independent trustee that is mutually
19    agreed upon by the clean coal SNG brownfield facility, the
20    utilities, and the Commission in an interest-bearing
21    account in accordance with subsection (h-2) of this
22    Section.
23        "Consumer protection reserve account principal maximum
24    amount" shall mean the maximum amount of principal to be
25    maintained in the consumer protection reserve account.
26    During the first 2 years of operation of the facility,

 

 

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1    there shall be no consumer protection reserve account
2    maximum amount. After the first 2 years of operation of the
3    facility, the consumer protection reserve account maximum
4    amount shall be $150,000,000. After 5 years of operation,
5    and every 5 years thereafter, the trustee shall calculate
6    the 5-year average balance of the consumer protection
7    reserve account. If the trustee determines that during the
8    prior 5 years the consumer protection reserve account has
9    had an average account balance of less than $75,000,000,
10    then the consumer protection reserve account principal
11    maximum amount shall be increased by $5,000,000. If the
12    trustee determines that during the prior 5 years the
13    consumer protection reserve account has had an average
14    account balance of more than $75,000,000, then the consumer
15    protection reserve account principal maximum amount shall
16    be decreased by $5,000,000.
17        (6) The clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall
18    identify and sell economically viable by-products produced
19    by the facility.
20        (7) Fifty percent of all additional net revenue,
21    defined as miscellaneous net revenue from products
22    produced by the facility and delivered during the month
23    after cost allowance for costs associated with additional
24    net revenue that are not otherwise recoverable pursuant to
25    subsection (h-3) of this Section, including net revenue
26    from sales of substitute natural gas derived from the

 

 

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1    facility above the nameplate capacity of the facility and
2    other by-products produced by the facility, shall be
3    credited to the consumer protection reserve account
4    pursuant to subsection (h-2) of this Section.
5        (8) The delivered SNG price per million btu to be paid
6    monthly by the utility to the clean coal SNG brownfield
7    facility, which shall be based only upon the following: (A)
8    a capital recovery charge, operations and maintenance
9    costs, and sequestration costs, only to the extent approved
10    by the Commission pursuant to paragraphs (1), (2), and (3)
11    of subsection (h-3) of this Section; (B) the actual
12    delivered and processed fuel costs pursuant to paragraph
13    (4) of subsection (h-3) of this Section; (C) actual costs
14    of SNG transportation pursuant to paragraph (6) of
15    subsection (h-3) of this Section; (D) certain taxes and
16    fees imposed by the federal government, the State, or any
17    unit of local government as provided in paragraph (6) of
18    subsection (h-3) of this Section; and (E) the credit, if
19    any, from the consumer protection reserve account pursuant
20    to subsection (h-2) of this Section. The delivered SNG
21    price per million Btu shall proportionately reflect these
22    elements over the term of the sourcing agreement.
23        (9) A formula to translate the recoverable costs and
24    charges under subsection (h-3) of this Section into the
25    delivered SNG price per million btu.
26        (10) Title to the SNG shall pass at a mutually

 

 

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1    agreeable point in Illinois, and may provide that, rather
2    than the utility taking title to the SNG, a mutually agreed
3    upon third-party gas marketer pursuant to a contract
4    approved by the Illinois Power Agency or its designee may
5    take title to the SNG pursuant to an agreement between the
6    utility, the owner of the clean coal SNG brownfield
7    facility, and the third-party gas marketer.
8        (11) A utility may exit the sourcing agreement without
9    penalty if the clean coal SNG brownfield facility does not
10    commence construction by July 1, 2015.
11        (12) A utility is responsible to pay only the
12    Commission determined unit price cost of SNG that is
13    purchased by the utility. Nothing in the sourcing agreement
14    will obligate a utility to invest capital in a clean coal
15    SNG brownfield facility.
16        (13) The quality of SNG must, at a minimum, be
17    equivalent to the quality required for interstate pipeline
18    gas before a utility is required to accept and pay for SNG
19    gas.
20        (14) Nothing in the sourcing agreement will require a
21    utility to construct any facilities to accept delivery of
22    SNG. Provided, however, if a utility is required by law or
23    otherwise elects to connect the clean coal SNG brownfield
24    facility to an interstate pipeline, then the utility shall
25    be entitled to recover pursuant to its tariffs all just and
26    reasonable costs that are prudently incurred. Any costs

 

 

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1    incurred by the utility to receive, deliver, manage, or
2    otherwise accommodate purchases under the SNG sourcing
3    agreement will be fully recoverable through a utility's
4    purchased gas adjustment clause rider mechanism in
5    conjunction with a SNG brownfield facility rider
6    mechanism. The SNG brownfield facility rider mechanism (A)
7    shall be applicable to all customers who receive
8    transportation service from the utility, (B) shall be
9    designed to have an equal percent impact on the
10    transportation services rates of each class of the
11    utility's customers, and (C) shall accurately reflect the
12    net consumer savings, if any, and above-market costs, if
13    any, associated with the utility receiving, delivering,
14    managing, or otherwise accommodating purchases under the
15    SNG sourcing agreement.
16        (15) Remedies for the clean coal SNG brownfield
17    facility's failure to deliver a designated amount for a
18    designated period.
19        (16) The clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall make
20    a good faith effort to ensure that an amount equal to not
21    less than 15% of the value of its prime construction
22    contract for the facility shall be established as a goal to
23    be awarded to minority owned businesses, female owned
24    businesses, and businesses owned by a person with a
25    disability; provided that at least 75% of the amount of
26    such total goal shall be for minority owned businesses.

 

 

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1    "Minority owned business", "female owned business", and
2    "business owned by a person with a disability" shall have
3    the meanings ascribed to them in Section 2 of the Business
4    Enterprise for Minorities, Females and Persons with
5    Disabilities Act.
6        (17) Prior to the clean coal SNG brownfield facility
7    issuing a notice to proceed to construction, the clean coal
8    SNG brownfield facility shall file with the Commission a
9    certificate from an independent engineer that the clean
10    coal SNG brownfield facility has (A) obtained all
11    applicable State and federal environmental permits
12    required for construction; (B) obtained approval from the
13    Commission of a carbon capture and sequestration plan; and
14    (C) obtained all necessary permits required for
15    construction for the transportation and sequestration of
16    carbon dioxide as set forth in the Commission-approved
17    carbon capture and sequestration plan.
18    (h-2) Consumer protection reserve account. The clean coal
19SNG brownfield facility shall guarantee a minimum of
20$100,000,000 in consumer savings to customers of the utilities
21that have entered into sourcing agreements with the clean coal
22SNG brownfield facility, calculated in real 2010 dollars at the
23conclusion of the term of the sourcing agreement by comparing
24the delivered SNG price to the Chicago City-gate price on a
25weighted daily basis for each day over the entire term of the
26sourcing agreement. Prior to the clean coal SNG brownfield

 

 

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1facility issuing a notice to proceed to construction, the clean
2coal SNG brownfield facility shall establish a consumer
3protection reserve account for the benefit of the retail
4customers of the utilities that have entered into sourcing
5agreements with the clean coal SNG brownfield facility pursuant
6to subsection (h-1), with cash principal in the amount of
7$150,000,000. Such cash principal shall only be recovered
8through the consumer protection reserve account and not as a
9cost to be recovered in the delivered SNG price pursuant to
10subsection (h-3) of this Section. The consumer protection
11reserve account shall be maintained and administered by an
12independent trustee that is mutually agreed upon by the clean
13coal SNG brownfield facility, the utilities, and the Commission
14in an interest-bearing account in accordance with the
15following:
16        (1) The clean coal SNG brownfield facility monthly
17    shall calculate (A) the difference between the monthly
18    delivered SNG price and the Chicago City-gate price, by
19    comparing the delivered SNG price, which shall include the
20    cost of transportation to the delivery point, if any, to
21    the Chicago City-gate price on a weighted daily basis for
22    each day of the prior month based upon a mutually agreed
23    upon published index and (B) the overage amount, if any, by
24    calculating the annualized incremental additional cost, if
25    any, of the delivered SNG in excess of 2.015% of the
26    average annual inflation-adjusted amounts paid by all gas

 

 

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1    distribution customers in connection with natural gas
2    service during the 5 years ending May 31, 2010.
3        (2) During the first 2 years of operation of the
4    facility:
5            (A) to the extent there is an overage amount, the
6        consumer protection reserve account shall be used to
7        provide a credit to reduce the SNG price by an amount
8        equal to the overage amount; and
9            (B) to the extent the monthly delivered SNG price
10        is less than or equal to the Chicago City-gate price,
11        the utility shall credit the difference between the
12        monthly delivered SNG price and the monthly Chicago
13        City-gate price, if any, to the consumer protection
14        reserve account. Such credit issued pursuant to this
15        paragraph (B) shall be deemed prudent and reasonable
16        and not subject to a Commission prudence review;
17        (3) After 2 years of operation of the facility, and
18    monthly, on an on-going basis, thereafter:
19            (A) to the extent that the monthly delivered SNG
20        price is less than or equal to the Chicago City-gate
21        price, calculated using the weighted average of the
22        daily Chicago City-gate price on a daily basis over the
23        entire month, the utility shall credit the difference,
24        if any, to the consumer protection reserve account.
25        Such credit issued pursuant to this subparagraph (A)
26        shall be deemed prudent and reasonable and not subject

 

 

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1        to a Commission prudence review;
2            (B) any amounts in the consumer protection reserve
3        account in excess of the consumer protection reserve
4        account principal maximum amount shall be distributed
5        as follows: (i) if retail customers have not realized
6        net consumer savings, calculated by comparing the
7        delivered SNG price to the weighted average of the
8        daily Chicago City-gate price on a daily basis over the
9        entire term of the sourcing agreement to date, then 50%
10        of any amounts in the consumer protection reserve
11        account in excess of the consumer protection reserve
12        account principal maximum shall be distributed to the
13        clean coal SNG brownfield facility, with the remaining
14        50% of any such additional amounts being credited to
15        retail customers, and (ii) if retail customers have
16        realized net consumer savings, then 100% of any amounts
17        in the consumer protection reserve account in excess of
18        the consumer protection reserve account principal
19        maximum shall be distributed to the clean coal SNG
20        brownfield facility; provided, however, that under no
21        circumstances shall the total cumulative amount
22        distributed to the clean coal SNG brownfield facility
23        under this subparagraph (B) exceed $150,000,000;
24            (C) to the extent there is an overage amount, after
25        distributing the amounts pursuant to subparagraph (B)
26        of this paragraph (3), if any, the consumer protection

 

 

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1        reserve account shall be used to provide a credit to
2        reduce the SNG price by an amount equal to the overage
3        amount;
4            (D) if retail customers have realized net consumer
5        savings, calculated by comparing the delivered SNG
6        price to the weighted average of the daily Chicago
7        City-gate price on a daily basis over the entire term
8        of the sourcing agreement to date, then after
9        distributing the amounts pursuant to subparagraphs (B)
10        and (C) of this paragraph (3), 50% of any additional
11        amounts in the consumer protection reserve account in
12        excess of the consumer protection reserve account
13        principal maximum shall be distributed to the clean
14        coal SNG brownfield facility, with the remaining 50% of
15        any such additional amounts being credited to retail
16        customers; provided, however, that if retail customers
17        have not realized such net consumer savings, no such
18        distribution shall be made to the clean coal SNG
19        brownfield facility, and 100% of such additional
20        amounts shall be credited to the retail customers to
21        the extent the consumer protection reserve account
22        exceeds the consumer protection reserve account
23        principal maximum amount.
24        (4) Fifty percent of all additional net revenue,
25    defined as miscellaneous net revenue after cost allowance
26    for costs associated with additional net revenue that are

 

 

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1    not otherwise recoverable pursuant to subsection (h-3) of
2    this Section, including net revenue from sales of
3    substitute natural gas derived from the facility above the
4    nameplate capacity of the facility and other by-products
5    produced by the facility, shall be credited to the consumer
6    protection reserve account.
7        (5) At the conclusion of the term of the sourcing
8    agreement, to the extent retail customers have not saved
9    the minimum of $100,000,000 in consumer savings as
10    guaranteed in this subsection (h-2), amounts in the
11    consumer protection reserve account shall be credited to
12    retail customers to the extent the retail customers have
13    saved the minimum of $100,000,000; 50% of any additional
14    amounts in the consumer protection reserve account shall be
15    distributed to the company, and the remaining 50% shall be
16    distributed to retail customers.
17        (6) If, at the conclusion of the term of the sourcing
18    agreement, the customers have not saved the minimum
19    $100,000,000 in savings as guaranteed in this subsection
20    (h-2) and the consumer protection reserve account has been
21    depleted, then the clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall
22    be liable for any remaining amount owed to the retail
23    customers to the extent that the customers are provided
24    with the $100,000,000 in savings as guaranteed in this
25    subsection (h-2). The retail customers shall have first
26    priority in recovering that debt above any creditors,

 

 

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1    except the original senior secured lender to the extent
2    that the original senior secured lender has any senior
3    secured debt outstanding, including any clean coal SNG
4    brownfield facility parent companies or affiliates.
5        (7) The clean coal SNG brownfield facility, the
6    utilities, and the trustee shall work together to take
7    commercially reasonable steps to minimize the tax impact of
8    these transactions, while preserving the consumer
9    benefits.
10        (8) The clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall each
11    month, starting in the facility's first year of commercial
12    operation, file with the Commission, in such form as the
13    Commission shall require, a report as to the consumer
14    protection reserve account. The monthly report must
15    contain the following information:
16            (A) the extent the monthly delivered SNG price is
17        greater than, less than, or equal to the Chicago
18        City-gate price;
19            (B) the amount credited or debited to the consumer
20        protection reserve account during the month;
21            (C) the amounts credited to consumers and
22        distributed to the clean coal SNG brownfield facility
23        during the month;
24            (D) the total amount of the consumer protection
25        reserve account at the beginning and end of the month;
26            (E) the total amount of consumer savings to date;

 

 

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1            (F) a confidential summary of the inputs used to
2        calculate the additional net revenue; and
3            (G) any other additional information the
4        Commission shall require.
5        When any report is erroneous or defective or appears to
6    the Commission to be erroneous or defective, the Commission
7    may notify the clean coal SNG brownfield facility to amend
8    the report within 30 days, and, before or after the
9    termination of the 30-day period, the Commission may
10    examine the trustee of the consumer protection reserve
11    account or the officers, agents, employees, books,
12    records, or accounts of the clean coal SNG brownfield
13    facility and correct such items in the report as upon such
14    examination the Commission may find defective or
15    erroneous. All reports shall be under oath.
16        All reports made to the Commission by the clean coal
17    SNG brownfield facility and the contents of the reports
18    shall be open to public inspection and shall be deemed a
19    public record under the Freedom of Information Act. Such
20    reports shall be preserved in the office of the Commission.
21    The Commission shall publish an annual summary of the
22    reports prior to February 1 of the following year. The
23    annual summary shall be made available to the public on the
24    Commission's website and shall be submitted to the General
25    Assembly.
26        Any facility that fails to file a report required under

 

 

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1    this paragraph (8) to the Commission within the time
2    specified or to make specific answer to any question
3    propounded by the Commission within 30 days from the time
4    it is lawfully required to do so, or within such further
5    time not to exceed 90 days as may in its discretion be
6    allowed by the Commission, shall pay a penalty of $500 to
7    the Commission for each day it is in default.
8        Any person who willfully makes any false report to the
9    Commission or to any member, officer, or employee thereof,
10    any person who willfully in a report withholds or fails to
11    provide material information to which the Commission is
12    entitled under this paragraph (8) and which information is
13    either required to be filed by statute, rule, regulation,
14    order, or decision of the Commission or has been requested
15    by the Commission, and any person who willfully aids or
16    abets such person shall be guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
17    (h-3) Recoverable costs and revenue by the clean coal SNG
18brownfield facility.
19        (1) A capital recovery charge approved by the
20    Commission shall be recoverable by the clean coal SNG
21    brownfield facility under a sourcing agreement. The
22    capital recovery charge shall be comprised of capital costs
23    and a reasonable rate of return. "Capital costs" means
24    costs to be incurred in connection with the construction
25    and development of a facility, as defined in Section 1-10
26    of the Illinois Power Agency Act, and such other costs as

 

 

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1    the Capital Development Board deems appropriate to be
2    recovered in the capital recovery charge.
3            (A) Capital costs. The Capital Development Board
4        shall calculate a range of capital costs that it
5        believes would be reasonable for the clean coal SNG
6        brownfield facility to recover under the sourcing
7        agreement. In making this determination, the Capital
8        Development Board shall review the facility cost
9        report, if any, of the clean coal SNG brownfield
10        facility, adjusting the results based on the change in
11        the Annual Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers
12        for the Midwest Region as published in April by the
13        United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
14        Statistics, the final draft of the sourcing agreement,
15        and the rate of return approved by the Commission. In
16        addition, the Capital Development Board may consult as
17        much as it deems necessary with the clean coal SNG
18        brownfield facility and conduct whatever research and
19        investigation it deems necessary.
20            The Capital Development Board shall retain an
21        engineering expert to assist in determining both the
22        range of capital costs and the range of operations and
23        maintenance costs that it believes would be reasonable
24        for the clean coal SNG brownfield facility to recover
25        under the sourcing agreement. Provided, however, that
26        such expert shall: (i) not have been involved in the

 

 

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1        clean coal SNG brownfield facility's facility cost
2        report, if any, (ii) not own or control any direct or
3        indirect interest in the initial clean coal facility,
4        and (iii) have no contractual relationship with the
5        clean coal SNG brownfield facility. In order to qualify
6        as an independent expert, a person or company must
7        have:
8                (i) direct previous experience conducting
9            front-end engineering and design studies for
10            large-scale energy facilities and administering
11            large-scale energy operations and maintenance
12            contracts, which may be particularized to the
13            specific type of financing associated with the
14            clean coal SNG brownfield facility;
15                (ii) an advanced degree in economics,
16            mathematics, engineering, or a related area of
17            study;
18                (iii) ten years of experience in the energy
19            sector, including construction and risk management
20            experience;
21                (iv) expertise in assisting companies with
22            obtaining financing for large-scale energy
23            projects, which may be particularized to the
24            specific type of financing associated with the
25            clean coal SNG brownfield facility;
26                (v) expertise in operations and maintenance

 

 

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1            which may be particularized to the specific type of
2            operations and maintenance associated with the
3            clean coal SNG brownfield facility;
4                (vi) expertise in credit and contract
5            protocols;
6                (vii) adequate resources to perform and
7            fulfill the required functions and
8            responsibilities; and
9                (viii) the absence of a conflict of interest
10            and inappropriate bias for or against an affected
11            gas utility or the clean coal SNG brownfield
12            facility.
13            The clean coal SNG brownfield facility and the
14        Illinois Power Agency shall cooperate with the Capital
15        Development Board in any investigation it deems
16        necessary. The Capital Development Board shall make
17        its final determination of the range of capital costs
18        confidentially and shall submit that range to the
19        Commission in a confidential filing within 120 days
20        after July 13, 2011 (the effective date of Public Act
21        97-096) this amendatory Act of the 97th General
22        Assembly. The clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall
23        submit to the Commission its estimate of the capital
24        costs to be recovered under the sourcing agreement.
25        Only after the clean coal SNG brownfield facility has
26        submitted this estimate shall the Commission publicly

 

 

09700HB0691ham001- 39 -LRB097 03519 CEL 58782 a

1        announce the range of capital costs submitted by the
2        Capital Development Board.
3            In the event that the estimate submitted by the
4        clean coal SNG brownfield facility is within or below
5        the range submitted by the Capital Development Board,
6        the clean coal SNG brownfield facility's estimate
7        shall be approved by the Commission as the amount of
8        capital costs to be recovered under the sourcing
9        agreement. In the event that the estimate submitted by
10        the clean coal SNG brownfield facility is above the
11        range submitted by the Capital Development Board, the
12        amount of capital costs at the lowest end of the range
13        submitted by the Capital Development Board shall be
14        approved by the Commission as the amount of capital
15        costs to be recovered under the sourcing agreement.
16        Within 15 days after the Capital Development Board has
17        submitted its range and the clean coal SNG brownfield
18        facility has submitted its estimate, the Commission
19        shall approve the capital costs for the clean coal SNG
20        brownfield facility.
21            The Capital Development Board shall monitor the
22        construction of the clean coal SNG brownfield facility
23        for the full duration of construction to assess
24        potential cost overruns. The Capital Development
25        Board, in its discretion, may retain an expert to
26        facilitate such monitoring. The clean coal SNG

 

 

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1        brownfield facility shall pay a reasonable fee as
2        required by the Capital Development Board for the
3        Capital Development Board's services under this
4        subsection (h-3) to be deposited into the Capital
5        Development Board Revolving Fund, and such fee shall
6        not be passed through to a utility or its customers. If
7        an expert is retained by the Capital Development Board
8        for monitoring of construction, then the clean coal SNG
9        brownfield facility must pay for the expert's
10        reasonable fees and such costs shall not be passed
11        through to a utility or its customers.
12            (B) Rate of Return. No later than 30 days after the
13        date on which the Illinois Power Agency submits a final
14        draft sourcing agreement, the Commission shall hold a
15        public hearing to determine the rate of return to be
16        recovered under the sourcing agreement. Rate of return
17        shall be comprised of the clean coal SNG brownfield
18        facility's actual cost of debt, including
19        mortgage-style amortization, and a reasonable return
20        on equity. The Commission shall post notice of the
21        hearing on its website no later than 10 days prior to
22        the date of the hearing. The Commission shall provide
23        the public and all interested parties, including the
24        gas utilities, the Attorney General, and the Illinois
25        Power Agency, an opportunity to be heard.
26            In determining the return on equity, the

 

 

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1        Commission shall select a commercially reasonable
2        return on equity taking into account the return on
3        equity being received by developers of similar
4        facilities in or outside of Illinois, the need to
5        balance an incentive for clean-coal technology with
6        the need to protect ratepayers from high gas prices,
7        the risks being borne by the clean coal SNG brownfield
8        facility in the final draft sourcing agreement, and any
9        other information that the Commission may deem
10        relevant. The Commission may establish a return on
11        equity that varies with the amount of savings, if any,
12        to customers during the term of the sourcing agreement,
13        comparing the delivered SNG price to a daily weighted
14        average price of natural gas, based upon an index. The
15        Illinois Power Agency shall recommend a return on
16        equity to the Commission using the same criteria.
17        Within 60 days after receiving the final draft sourcing
18        agreement from the Illinois Power Agency, the
19        Commission shall approve the rate of return for the
20        clean coal brownfield facility. Within 30 days after
21        obtaining debt financing for the clean coal SNG
22        brownfield facility, the clean coal SNG brownfield
23        facility shall file a notice with the Commission
24        identifying the actual cost of debt.
25        (2) Operations and maintenance costs approved by the
26    Commission shall be recoverable by the clean coal SNG

 

 

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1    brownfield facility under the sourcing agreement. The
2    operations and maintenance costs mean costs that have been
3    incurred for the administration, supervision, operation,
4    maintenance, preservation, and protection of the clean
5    coal SNG brownfield facility's physical plant.
6        The Capital Development Board shall calculate a range
7    of operations and maintenance costs that it believes would
8    be reasonable for the clean coal SNG brownfield facility to
9    recover under the sourcing agreement, incorporating an
10    inflation index or combination of inflation indices to most
11    accurately reflect the actual costs of operating the clean
12    coal SNG brownfield facility. In making this
13    determination, the Capital Development Board shall review
14    the facility cost report, if any, of the clean coal SNG
15    brownfield facility, adjusting the results for inflation
16    based on the change in the Annual Consumer Price Index for
17    All Urban Consumers for the Midwest Region as published in
18    April by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of
19    Labor Statistics, the final draft of the sourcing
20    agreement, and the rate of return approved by the
21    Commission. In addition, the Capital Development Board may
22    consult as much as it deems necessary with the clean coal
23    SNG brownfield facility and conduct whatever research and
24    investigation it deems necessary. As set forth in
25    subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of this subsection (h-3),
26    the Capital Development Board shall retain an independent

 

 

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1    engineering expert to assist in determining both the range
2    of operations and maintenance costs that it believes would
3    be reasonable for the clean coal SNG brownfield facility to
4    recover under the sourcing agreement. The clean coal SNG
5    brownfield facility and the Illinois Power Agency shall
6    cooperate with the Capital Development Board in any
7    investigation it deems necessary. The Capital Development
8    Board shall make its final determination of the range of
9    operations and maintenance costs confidentially and shall
10    submit that range to the Commission in a confidential
11    filing within 120 days after July 13, 2011 the effective
12    date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly.
13        The clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall submit to
14    the Commission its estimate of the operations and
15    maintenance costs to be recovered under the sourcing
16    agreement. Only after the clean coal SNG brownfield
17    facility has submitted this estimate shall the Commission
18    publicly announce the range of operations and maintenance
19    costs submitted by the Capital Development Board. In the
20    event that the estimate submitted by the clean coal SNG
21    brownfield facility is within or below the range submitted
22    by the Capital Development Board, the clean coal SNG
23    brownfield facility's estimate shall be approved by the
24    Commission as the amount of operations and maintenance
25    costs to be recovered under the sourcing agreement. In the
26    event that the estimate submitted by the clean coal SNG

 

 

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1    brownfield facility is above the range submitted by the
2    Capital Development Board, the amount of operations and
3    maintenance costs at the lowest end of the range submitted
4    by the Capital Development Board shall be approved by the
5    Commission as the amount of operations and maintenance
6    costs to be recovered under the sourcing agreement. Within
7    15 days after the Capital Development Board has submitted
8    its range and the clean coal SNG brownfield facility has
9    submitted its estimate, the Commission shall approve the
10    operations and maintenance costs for the clean coal SNG
11    brownfield facility.
12        The clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall pay for
13    the independent engineering expert's reasonable fees and
14    such costs shall not be passed through to a utility or its
15    customers. The clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall pay
16    a reasonable fee as required by the Capital Development
17    Board for the Capital Development Board's services under
18    this subsection (h-3) to be deposited into the Capital
19    Development Board Revolving Fund, and such fee shall not be
20    passed through to a utility or its customers.
21        (3) Sequestration costs approved by the Commission
22    shall be recoverable by the clean coal SNG brownfield
23    facility. "Sequestration costs" means costs to be incurred
24    by the clean coal SNG brownfield facility in accordance
25    with its Commission-approved carbon capture and
26    sequestration plan to:

 

 

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1            (A) capture carbon dioxide;
2            (B) build, operate, and maintain a sequestration
3        site in which carbon dioxide may be injected;
4            (C) build, operate, and maintain a carbon dioxide
5        pipeline; and
6            (D) transport the carbon dioxide to the
7        sequestration site or a pipeline.
8        The Commission shall assess the prudency of the
9    sequestration costs for the clean coal SNG brownfield
10    facility before construction commences at the
11    sequestration site or pipeline. Any revenues the clean coal
12    SNG brownfield facility receives as a result of the
13    capture, transportation, or sequestration of carbon
14    dioxide shall be first credited against all sequestration
15    costs, with the positive balance, if any, treated as
16    additional net revenue.
17        The Commission may, in its discretion, retain an expert
18    to assist in its review of sequestration costs. The clean
19    coal SNG brownfield facility shall pay for the expert's
20    reasonable fees if an expert is retained by the Commission,
21    and such costs shall not be passed through to a utility or
22    its customers. Once made, the Commission's determination
23    of the amount of recoverable sequestration costs shall not
24    be increased unless the clean coal SNG brownfield facility
25    can show by clear and convincing evidence that (i) the
26    costs were not reasonably foreseeable; (ii) the costs were

 

 

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1    due to circumstances beyond the clean coal SNG brownfield
2    facility's control; and (iii) the clean coal SNG brownfield
3    facility took all reasonable steps to mitigate the costs.
4    If the Commission determines that sequestration costs may
5    be increased, the Commission shall provide for notice and a
6    public hearing for approval of the increased sequestration
7    costs.
8        (4) Actual delivered and processed fuel costs shall be
9    set by the Illinois Power Agency through a SNG feedstock
10    procurement, pursuant to Sections 1-20, 1-77, and 1-78 of
11    the Illinois Power Agency Act, to be performed at least
12    every 5 years and purchased by the clean coal SNG
13    brownfield facility pursuant to feedstock procurement
14    contracts developed by the Illinois Power Agency, with coal
15    comprising at least 50% of the total feedstock over the
16    term of the sourcing agreement and petroleum coke
17    comprising the remainder of the SNG feedstock. If the
18    Commission fails to approve a feedstock procurement plan or
19    fails to approve the results of a feedstock procurement
20    event, then the fuel shall be purchased by the company
21    month-by-month on the spot market and those actual
22    delivered and processed fuel costs shall be recoverable
23    under the sourcing agreement. If a supplier defaults under
24    the terms of a procurement contract, then the Illinois
25    Power Agency shall immediately initiate a feedstock
26    procurement process to obtain a replacement supply, and,

 

 

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1    prior to the conclusion of that process, fuel shall be
2    purchased by the company month-by-month on the spot market
3    and those actual delivered and processed fuel costs shall
4    be recoverable under the sourcing agreement.
5        (5) Taxes and fees imposed by the federal government,
6    the State, or any unit of local government applicable to
7    the clean coal SNG brownfield facility, excluding income
8    tax, shall be recoverable by the clean coal SNG brownfield
9    facility under the sourcing agreement to the extent such
10    taxes and fees were not applicable to the facility on July
11    13, 2011 the date of this amendatory Act of the 97th
12    General Assembly.
13        (6) The actual transportation costs, in accordance
14    with the applicable utility's tariffs, and third-party
15    marketer costs incurred by the company, if any, associated
16    with transporting the SNG from the clean coal SNG
17    brownfield facility to the Chicago City-gate to sell such
18    SNG into the natural gas markets shall be recoverable under
19    the sourcing agreement.
20        (7) Unless otherwise provided, within 30 days after a
21    decision of the Commission on recoverable costs under this
22    Section, any interested party to the Commission's decision
23    may apply for a rehearing with respect to the decision. The
24    Commission shall receive and consider the application for
25    rehearing and shall grant or deny the application in whole
26    or in part within 20 days after the date of the receipt of

 

 

09700HB0691ham001- 48 -LRB097 03519 CEL 58782 a

1    the application by the Commission. If no rehearing is
2    applied for within the required 30 days or an application
3    for rehearing is denied, then the Commission decision shall
4    be final. If an application for rehearing is granted, then
5    the Commission shall hold a rehearing within 30 days after
6    granting the application. The decision of the Commission
7    upon rehearing shall be final.
8        Any person affected by a decision of the Commission
9    under this subsection (h-3) may have the decision reviewed
10    only under and in accordance with the Administrative Review
11    Law. Unless otherwise provided, the provisions of the
12    Administrative Review Law, all amendments and
13    modifications to that Law, and the rules adopted pursuant
14    to that Law shall apply to and govern all proceedings for
15    the judicial review of final administrative decisions of
16    the Commission under this subsection (h-3). The term
17    "administrative decision" is defined as in Section 3-101 of
18    the Code of Civil Procedure.
19        (8) The Capital Development Board shall adopt and make
20    public a policy detailing the process for retaining experts
21    under this Section. Any experts retained to assist with
22    calculating the range of capital costs or operations and
23    maintenance costs shall be retained no later than 45 days
24    after July 13, 2011 the effective date of this amendatory
25    Act of the 97th General Assembly.
26    (h-4) No later than 90 days after the Illinois Power Agency

 

 

09700HB0691ham001- 49 -LRB097 03519 CEL 58782 a

1submits the final draft sourcing agreement pursuant to
2subsection (h-1), the Commission shall approve a sourcing
3agreement containing (i) the capital costs, rate of return, and
4operations and maintenance costs established pursuant to
5subsection (h-3) and (ii) all other terms and conditions,
6rights, provisions, exceptions, and limitations contained in
7the final draft sourcing agreement; provided, however, the
8Commission shall correct typographical and scrivener's errors
9and modify the contract only as necessary to provide that the
10gas utility does not have the right to terminate the sourcing
11agreement due to any future events that may occur other than
12the clean coal SNG brownfield facility's failure to timely meet
13milestones, uncured default, extended force majeure, or
14abandonment. Once the sourcing agreement is approved, then the
15gas utility subject to that sourcing agreement shall have 45
16days after the date of the Commission's approval to enter into
17the sourcing agreement.
18    (h-5) Sequestration enforcement.
19        (A) All contracts entered into under subsection (h) of
20    this Section Act and all sourcing agreements under
21    subsection (h-1) of this Section Act, regardless of
22    duration, shall require the owner of any facility supplying
23    SNG under the contract or sourcing agreement to provide
24    certified documentation to the Commission each year,
25    starting in the facility's first year of commercial
26    operation, accurately reporting the quantity of carbon

 

 

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1    dioxide emissions from the facility that have been captured
2    and sequestered and reporting any quantities of carbon
3    dioxide released from the site or sites at which carbon
4    dioxide emissions were sequestered in prior years, based on
5    continuous monitoring of those sites.
6        (B) If, in any year, the owner of the clean coal SNG
7    facility fails to demonstrate that the SNG facility
8    captured and sequestered at least 90% of the total carbon
9    dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit or
10    that sequestration of emissions from prior years has
11    failed, resulting in the release of carbon dioxide into the
12    atmosphere, then the owner of the clean coal SNG facility
13    must pay a penalty of $20 per ton of excess carbon dioxide
14    emissions not to exceed $40,000,000, in any given year
15    which shall be deposited into the Energy Efficiency Trust
16    Fund and distributed pursuant to subsection (b) of Section
17    6-6 of the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Coal
18    Resources Development Law of 1997. On or before the 5-year
19    anniversary of the execution of the contract and every 5
20    years thereafter, an expert hired by the owner of the
21    facility with the approval of the Attorney General shall
22    conduct an analysis to determine the cost of sequestration
23    of at least 90% of the total carbon dioxide emissions the
24    plant would otherwise emit. If the analysis shows that the
25    actual annual cost is greater than the penalty, then the
26    penalty shall be increased to equal the actual cost.

 

 

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1    Provided, however, to the extent that the owner of the
2    facility described in subsection (h) of this Section Act
3    can demonstrate that the failure was as a result of acts of
4    God (including fire, flood, earthquake, tornado,
5    lightning, hurricane, or other natural disaster); any
6    amendment, modification, or abrogation of any applicable
7    law or regulation that would prevent performance; war;
8    invasion; act of foreign enemies; hostilities (regardless
9    of whether war is declared); civil war; rebellion;
10    revolution; insurrection; military or usurped power or
11    confiscation; terrorist activities; civil disturbance;
12    riots; nationalization; sabotage; blockage; or embargo,
13    the owner of the facility described in subsection (h) of
14    this Section Act shall not be subject to a penalty if and
15    only if (i) it promptly provides notice of its failure to
16    the Commission; (ii) as soon as practicable and consistent
17    with any order or direction from the Commission, it submits
18    to the Commission proposed modifications to its carbon
19    capture and sequestration plan; and (iii) it carries out
20    its proposed modifications in the manner and time directed
21    by the Commission.
22        If the Commission finds that the facility has not
23    satisfied each of these requirements, then the facility
24    shall be subject to the penalty. If the owner of the clean
25    coal SNG facility captured and sequestered more than 90% of
26    the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would

 

 

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1    otherwise emit, then the owner of the facility may credit
2    such additional amounts to reduce the amount of any future
3    penalty to be paid. The penalty resulting from the failure
4    to capture and sequester at least the minimum amount of
5    carbon dioxide shall not be passed on to a utility or its
6    customers.
7        If the clean coal SNG facility fails to meet the
8    requirements specified in this subsection (h-5), then the
9    Attorney General, on behalf of the People of the State of
10    Illinois, shall bring an action to enforce the obligations
11    related to the facility set forth in this subsection (h-5),
12    including any penalty payments owed, but not including the
13    physical obligation to capture and sequester at least 90%
14    of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility
15    would otherwise emit. Such action may be filed in any
16    circuit court in Illinois. By entering into a contract
17    pursuant to subsection (h) of this Section, the clean coal
18    SNG facility agrees to waive any objections to venue or to
19    the jurisdiction of the court with regard to the Attorney
20    General's action under this subsection (h-5).
21        Compliance with the sequestration requirements and any
22    penalty requirements specified in this subsection (h-5)
23    for the clean coal SNG facility shall be assessed annually
24    by the Commission, which may in its discretion retain an
25    expert to facilitate its assessment. If any expert is
26    retained by the Commission, then the clean coal SNG

 

 

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1    facility shall pay for the expert's reasonable fees, and
2    such costs shall not be passed through to the utility or
3    its customers.
4        In addition, carbon dioxide emission credits received
5    by the clean coal SNG facility in connection with
6    sequestration of carbon dioxide from the facility must be
7    sold in a timely fashion with any revenue, less applicable
8    fees and expenses and any expenses required to be paid by
9    facility for carbon dioxide transportation or
10    sequestration, deposited into the reconciliation account
11    within 30 days after receipt of such funds by the owner of
12    the clean coal SNG facility.
13        The clean coal SNG facility is prohibited from
14    transporting or sequestering carbon dioxide unless the
15    owner of the carbon dioxide pipeline that transfers the
16    carbon dioxide from the facility and the owner of the
17    sequestration site where the carbon dioxide captured by the
18    facility is stored has acquired all applicable permits
19    under applicable State and federal laws, statutes, rules,
20    or regulations prior to the transfer or sequestration of
21    carbon dioxide. The responsibility for compliance with the
22    sequestration requirements specified in this subsection
23    (h-5) for the clean coal SNG facility shall reside solely
24    with the clean coal SNG facility, regardless of whether the
25    facility has contracted with another party to capture,
26    transport, or sequester carbon dioxide. described in

 

 

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1    subsection (h) of this Act described in subsection (h) of
2    this Act
3        (C) If, in any year, the owner of a clean coal SNG
4    brownfield facility fails to demonstrate that the clean
5    coal SNG brownfield facility captured and sequestered at
6    least 85% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the
7    facility would otherwise emit, then the owner of the clean
8    coal SNG brownfield facility must pay a penalty of $20 per
9    ton of excess carbon emissions up to $20,000,000, which
10    shall be deposited into the Energy Efficiency Trust Fund
11    and distributed pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 6-6
12    of the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and Coal
13    Resources Development Law of 1997. Provided, however, to
14    the extent that the owner of the clean coal SNG brownfield
15    facility can demonstrate that the failure was as a result
16    of acts of God (including fire, flood, earthquake, tornado,
17    lightning, hurricane, or other natural disaster); any
18    amendment, modification, or abrogation of any applicable
19    law or regulation that would prevent performance; war;
20    invasion; act of foreign enemies; hostilities (regardless
21    of whether war is declared); civil war; rebellion;
22    revolution; insurrection; military or usurped power or
23    confiscation; terrorist activities; civil disturbances;
24    riots; nationalization; sabotage; blockage; or embargo,
25    the owner of the clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall
26    not be subject to a penalty if and only if (i) it promptly

 

 

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1    provides notice of its failure to the Commission; (ii) as
2    soon as practicable and consistent with any order or
3    direction from the Commission, it submits to the Commission
4    proposed modifications to its carbon capture and
5    sequestration plan; and (iii) it carries out its proposed
6    modifications in the manner and time directed by the
7    Commission. If the Commission finds that the facility has
8    not satisfied each of these requirements, then the facility
9    shall be subject to the penalty. If the owner of a clean
10    coal SNG brownfield facility demonstrates that the clean
11    coal SNG brownfield facility captured and sequestered more
12    than 85% of the total carbon emissions that the facility
13    would otherwise emit, the owner of the clean coal SNG
14    brownfield facility may credit such additional amounts to
15    reduce the amount of any future penalty to be paid. The
16    penalty resulting from the failure to capture and sequester
17    at least the minimum amount of carbon dioxide shall not be
18    passed on to a utility or its customers.
19        In addition to any penalty for the clean coal SNG
20    brownfield facility's failure to capture and sequester at
21    least its minimum sequestration requirement, the Attorney
22    General, on behalf of the People of the State of Illinois,
23    shall bring an action for specific performance of this
24    subsection (h-5). Such action may be filed in any circuit
25    court in Illinois. By entering into a sourcing agreement
26    pursuant to subsection (h-1) of this Section, the clean

 

 

09700HB0691ham001- 56 -LRB097 03519 CEL 58782 a

1    coal SNG brownfield facility agrees to waive any objections
2    to venue or to the jurisdiction of the court with regard to
3    the Attorney General's action for specific performance
4    under this subsection (h-5). for the facility described in
5    subsection (h) of this Act described in subsection (h) of
6    this Act
7        Compliance with the sequestration requirements and
8    penalty requirements specified in this subsection (h-5)
9    for the clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall be
10    assessed annually by the Commission, which may in its
11    discretion retain an expert to facilitate its assessment.
12    If an expert is retained by the Commission, then the clean
13    coal SNG brownfield facility shall pay for the expert's
14    reasonable fees, and such costs shall not be passed through
15    to a utility or its customers. or a clean coal SNG
16    brownfield facility or requisite penalties are paid
17        Responsibility for compliance with the sequestration
18    requirements specified in this subsection (h-5) for the
19    clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall reside solely with
20    the clean coal SNG brownfield facility regardless of
21    whether the facility has contracted with another party to
22    capture, transport, or sequester carbon dioxide.
23    (h-7) Sequestration permitting, oversight, and
24investigations.
25        (1) No clean coal facility or clean coal SNG brownfield
26    facility may transport or sequester carbon dioxide unless

 

 

09700HB0691ham001- 57 -LRB097 03519 CEL 58782 a

1    the Commission approves the method of carbon dioxide
2    transportation or sequestration. Such approval shall be
3    required regardless of whether the facility has contracted
4    with another to transport or sequester the carbon dioxide.
5    Nothing in this subsection (h-7) shall release the owner or
6    operator of a carbon dioxide sequestration site or carbon
7    dioxide pipeline from any other permitting requirements
8    under applicable State and federal laws, statutes, rules,
9    or regulations.
10        (2) The Commission shall review carbon dioxide
11    transportation and sequestration methods proposed by a
12    clean coal facility or a clean coal SNG brownfield facility
13    and shall approve those methods it deems reasonable and
14    cost-effective. For purposes of this review,
15    "cost-effective" means a commercially reasonable price for
16    similar carbon dioxide transportation or sequestration
17    techniques. In determining whether sequestration is
18    reasonable and cost-effective, the Commission may consult
19    with the Illinois State Geological Survey and retain third
20    parties to assist in its determination, provided that such
21    third parties shall not own or control any direct or
22    indirect interest in the facility that is proposing the
23    carbon dioxide transportation or the carbon dioxide
24    sequestration method and shall have no contractual
25    relationship with that facility. If a third party is
26    retained by the Commission, then the facility proposing the

 

 

09700HB0691ham001- 58 -LRB097 03519 CEL 58782 a

1    carbon dioxide transportation or sequestration method
2    shall pay for the expert's reasonable fees, and these costs
3    shall not be passed through to a utility or its customers.
4        No later than 6 months prior to the date upon which the
5    owner intends to commence construction of a clean coal
6    facility or the clean coal SNG brownfield facility, the
7    owner of the facility shall file with the Commission a
8    carbon dioxide transportation or sequestration plan. The
9    Commission shall hold a public hearing within 30 days after
10    receipt of the facility's carbon dioxide transportation or
11    sequestration plan. The Commission shall post notice of the
12    review on its website upon submission of a carbon dioxide
13    transportation or sequestration method and shall accept
14    written public comments. The Commission shall take the
15    comments into account when making its decision.
16        The Commission may not approve a carbon dioxide
17    sequestration method if the owner or operator of the
18    sequestration site has not received (i) an Underground
19    Injection Control permit from the Illinois Environmental
20    Protection Agency pursuant to the Environmental Protection
21    Act; (ii) an Underground Injection Control permit from the
22    Illinois Department of Natural Resources pursuant to the
23    Illinois Oil and Gas Act; or (iii) a permit similar to
24    items (i) or (ii) from the state in which the sequestration
25    site is located if the sequestration will take place
26    outside of Illinois. The Commission shall approve or deny

 

 

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1    the carbon dioxide transportation or sequestration method
2    within 90 days after the receipt of all required
3    information.
4        (3) At least annually, the Illinois Environmental
5    Protection Agency shall inspect all carbon dioxide
6    sequestration sites in Illinois. The Illinois
7    Environmental Protection Agency may, as often as deemed
8    necessary, monitor and conduct investigations of those
9    sites. The owner or operator of the sequestration site must
10    cooperate with the Illinois Environmental Protection
11    Agency investigations of carbon dioxide sequestration
12    sites.
13        If the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
14    determines at any time a site creates conditions that
15    warrant the issuance of a seal order under Section 34 of
16    the Environmental Protection Act, then the Illinois
17    Environmental Protection Agency shall seal the site
18    pursuant to the Environmental Protection Act. If the
19    Illinois Environmental Protection Agency determines at any
20    time a carbon dioxide sequestration site creates
21    conditions that warrant the institution of a civil action
22    for an injunction under Section 43 of the Environmental
23    Protection Act, then the Illinois Environmental Protection
24    Agency shall request the State's Attorney or the Attorney
25    General institute such action. The Illinois Environmental
26    Protection Agency shall provide notice of any such actions

 

 

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1    as soon as possible on its website. The SNG facility shall
2    incur all reasonable costs associated with any such
3    inspection or monitoring of the sequestration sites, and
4    these costs shall not be recoverable from utilities or
5    their customers.
6        (4) At least annually, the Commission shall inspect all
7    carbon dioxide pipelines in Illinois that transport carbon
8    dioxide to ensure the safety and feasibility of those
9    pipelines. The Commission may, as often as deemed
10    necessary, monitor and conduct investigations of those
11    pipelines. The owner or operator of the pipeline must
12    cooperate with the Commission investigations of the carbon
13    dioxide pipelines.
14        In circumstances whereby a carbon dioxide pipeline
15    creates a substantial danger to the environment or to the
16    public health of persons or to the welfare of persons where
17    such danger is to the livelihood of such persons, the
18    State's Attorney or Attorney General, upon the request of
19    the Commission or on his or her own motion, may institute a
20    civil action for an immediate injunction to halt any
21    discharge or other activity causing or contributing to the
22    danger or to require such other action as may be necessary.
23    The court may issue an ex parte order and shall schedule a
24    hearing on the matter not later than 3 working days after
25    the date of injunction. The Commission shall provide notice
26    of any such actions as soon as possible on its website. The

 

 

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1    SNG facility shall incur all reasonable costs associated
2    with any such inspection or monitoring of the sequestration
3    sites, and these costs shall not be recoverable from a
4    utility or its customers.
5    (h-9) The clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall have the
6right to recover prudently incurred increased costs or reduced
7revenue resulting from any new or amendatory legislation or
8other action. The State of Illinois pledges that the State will
9not enact any law or take any action to:
10        (1) break, or repeal the authority for, sourcing
11    agreements approved by the Commission and entered into
12    between public utilities and the clean coal SNG brownfield
13    facility;
14        (2) deny public utilities full cost recovery for their
15    costs incurred under those sourcing agreements; or
16        (3) deny the clean coal SNG brownfield facility full
17    cost and revenue recovery as provided under those sourcing
18    agreements that are recoverable pursuant to subsection
19    (h-3) of this Section.
20    These pledges are for the benefit of the parties to those
21sourcing agreements and the issuers and holders of bonds or
22other obligations issued or incurred to finance or refinance
23the clean coal SNG brownfield facility. The clean coal SNG
24brownfield facility is authorized to include and refer to these
25pledges in any financing agreement into which it may enter in
26regard to those sourcing agreements.

 

 

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1    The State of Illinois retains and reserves all other rights
2to enact new or amendatory legislation or take any other
3action, without impairment of the right of the clean coal SNG
4brownfield facility to recover prudently incurred increased
5costs or reduced revenue resulting from the new or amendatory
6legislation or other action, including, but not limited to,
7such legislation or other action that would (i) directly or
8indirectly raise the costs the clean coal SNG brownfield
9facility must incur; (ii) directly or indirectly place
10additional restrictions, regulations, or requirements on the
11clean coal SNG brownfield facility; (iii) prohibit
12sequestration in general or prohibit a specific sequestration
13method or project; or (iv) increase minimum sequestration
14requirements for the clean coal SNG brownfield facility to the
15extent technically feasible. The clean coal SNG brownfield
16facility shall have the right to recover prudently incurred
17increased costs or reduced revenue resulting from the new or
18amendatory legislation or other action as described in this
19subsection (h-9).
20    (h-10) Contract costs for SNG incurred by an Illinois gas
21utility are reasonable and prudent and recoverable through the
22purchased gas adjustment clause and are not subject to review
23or disallowance by the Commission. Contract costs are costs
24incurred by the utility under the terms of a contract that
25incorporates the terms stated in subsection (h) of this Section
26as confirmed in writing by the Illinois Power Agency as set

 

 

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1forth in subsection (h) of this Section, which confirmation
2shall be deemed conclusive, or as a consequence of or condition
3to its performance under the contract, including (i) amounts
4paid for SNG under the SNG contract and (ii) costs of
5transportation and storage services of SNG purchased from
6interstate pipelines under federally approved tariffs. The
7Illinois gas utility shall initiate a clean coal SNG facility
8rider mechanism that (A) shall be applicable to all customers
9who receive transportation service from the utility, (B) shall
10be designed to have an equal percentage impact on the
11transportation services rates of each class of the utility's
12total customers, and (C) shall accurately reflect the net
13customer savings, if any, and above market costs, if any, under
14the SNG contract. Any contract, the terms of which have been
15confirmed in writing by the Illinois Power Agency as set forth
16in subsection (h) of this Section and the performance of the
17parties under such contract cannot be grounds for challenging
18prudence or cost recovery by the utility through the purchased
19gas adjustment clause, and in such cases, the Commission is
20directed not to consider, and has no authority to consider, any
21attempted challenges.
22    The contracts entered into by Illinois gas utilities
23pursuant to subsection (h) of this Section shall provide that
24the utility retains the right to terminate the contract without
25further obligation or liability to any party if the contract
26has been impaired as a result of any legislative,

 

 

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1administrative, judicial, or other governmental action that is
2taken that eliminates all or part of the prudence protection of
3this subsection (h-10) or denies the recoverability of all or
4part of the contract costs through the purchased gas adjustment
5clause. Should any Illinois gas utility exercise its right
6under this subsection (h-10) to terminate the contract, all
7contract costs incurred prior to termination are and will be
8deemed reasonable, prudent, and recoverable as and when
9incurred and not subject to review or disallowance by the
10Commission. Any order, issued by the State requiring or
11authorizing the discontinuation of the merchant function,
12defined as the purchase and sale of natural gas by an Illinois
13gas utility for the ultimate consumer in its service territory
14shall include provisions necessary to prevent the impairment of
15the value of any contract hereunder over its full term.
16    (h-11) All costs incurred by an Illinois gas utility in
17procuring SNG from a clean coal SNG brownfield facility
18pursuant to subsection (h-1) or a third-party marketer pursuant
19to subsection (h-1) are reasonable and prudent and recoverable
20through the purchased gas adjustment clause in conjunction with
21a SNG brownfield facility rider mechanism and are not subject
22to review or disallowance by the Commission; provided that if a
23utility is required by law or otherwise elects to connect the
24clean coal SNG brownfield facility to an interstate pipeline,
25then the utility shall be entitled to recover pursuant to its
26tariffs all just and reasonable costs that are prudently

 

 

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1incurred. Sourcing agreement costs are costs incurred by the
2utility under the terms of a sourcing agreement that
3incorporates the terms stated in subsection (h-1) of this
4Section as approved by the Commission as set forth in
5subsection (h-4) of this Section, which approval shall be
6deemed conclusive, or as a consequence of or condition to its
7performance under the contract, including (i) amounts paid for
8SNG under the SNG contract and (ii) costs of transportation and
9storage services of SNG purchased from interstate pipelines
10under federally approved tariffs. Any sourcing agreement, the
11terms of which have been approved by the Commission as set
12forth in subsection (h-4) of this Section, and the performance
13of the parties under the sourcing agreement cannot be grounds
14for challenging prudence or cost recovery by the utility, and
15in these cases, the Commission is directed not to consider, and
16has no authority to consider, any attempted challenges.
17    (h-15) Reconciliation account. The clean coal SNG facility
18shall establish a reconciliation account for the benefit of the
19retail customers of the utilities that have entered into
20contracts with the clean coal SNG facility pursuant to
21subsection (h). The reconciliation account shall be maintained
22and administered by an independent trustee that is mutually
23agreed upon by the owners of the clean coal SNG facility, the
24utilities, and the Commission in an interest-bearing account in
25accordance with the following:
26        (1) The clean coal SNG facility shall conduct an

 

 

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1    analysis annually within 60 days after receiving the
2    necessary cost information, which shall be provided by the
3    gas utility within 6 months after the end of the preceding
4    calendar year, to determine (i) the average annual contract
5    SNG cost, which shall be calculated as the total amount
6    paid for SNG purchased from the clean coal SNG facility
7    over the preceding 12 months, plus the cost to the utility
8    of the required transportation and storage services of SNG,
9    divided by the total number of MMBtus of SNG actually
10    purchased from the clean coal SNG facility in the preceding
11    12 months under the utility contract; (ii) the average
12    annual natural gas purchase cost, which shall be calculated
13    as the total annual supply costs paid for baseload natural
14    gas (excluding any SNG) purchased by such utility over the
15    preceding 12 months plus the costs of transportation and
16    storage services of such natural gas (excluding such costs
17    for SNG), divided by the total number of MMbtus of baseload
18    natural gas (excluding SNG) actually purchased by the
19    utility during the year; (iii) the cost differential, which
20    shall be the difference between the average annual contract
21    SNG cost and the average annual natural gas purchase cost;
22    and (iv) the revenue share target which shall be the cost
23    differential multiplied by the total amount of SNG
24    purchased over the preceding 12 months under such utility
25    contract.
26            (A) To the extent the annual average contract SNG

 

 

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1        cost is less than the annual average natural gas
2        purchase cost, the utility shall credit an amount equal
3        to the revenue share target to the reconciliation
4        account. Such credit payment shall be made monthly
5        starting within 30 days after the completed analysis in
6        this subsection (h-15) and based on collections from
7        all customers via a line item charge in all customer
8        bills designed to have an equal percentage impact on
9        the transportation services of each class of
10        customers. Credit payments made pursuant to this
11        subparagraph (A) shall be deemed prudent and
12        reasonable and not subject to Commission prudence
13        review.
14            (B) To the extent the annual average contract SNG
15        cost is greater than the annual average natural gas
16        purchase cost, the reconciliation account shall be
17        used to provide a credit equal to the revenue share
18        target to the utilities to be used to reduce the
19        utility's natural gas costs through the purchased gas
20        adjustment clause. Such payment shall be made within 30
21        days after the completed analysis pursuant to this
22        subsection (h-15), but only to the extent that the
23        reconciliation account has a positive balance.
24        (2) At the conclusion of the term of the SNG contracts
25    pursuant to subsection (h) and the completion of the final
26    annual analysis pursuant to this subsection (h-15), to the

 

 

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1    extent the facility owes any amount to retail customers,
2    amounts in the account shall be credited to retail
3    customers to the extent the owed amount is repaid; 50% of
4    any additional amount in the reconciliation account shall
5    be distributed to the utilities to be used to reduce the
6    utilities' natural gas costs through the purchase gas
7    adjustment clause with the remaining amount distributed to
8    the clean coal SNG facility. Such payment shall be made
9    within 30 days after the last completed analysis pursuant
10    to this subsection (h-15). If the facility has repaid all
11    owed amounts, if any, to retail customers and has
12    distributed 50% of any additional amount in the account to
13    the utilities, then the owners of the clean coal SNG
14    facility shall have no further obligation to the utility or
15    the retail customers.
16        If, at the conclusion of the term of the contracts
17    pursuant to subsection (h) and the completion of the final
18    annual analysis pursuant to this subsection (h-15), the
19    facility owes any amount to retail customers and the
20    account has been depleted, then the clean coal SNG facility
21    shall be liable for any remaining amount owed to the retail
22    customers. The clean coal SNG facility shall market the
23    daily production of SNG and distribute on a monthly basis
24    5% of the amounts collected with respect to such future
25    sales to the utilities in proportion to each utility's SNG
26    contract to be used to reduce the utility's natural gas

 

 

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1    costs through the purchase gas adjustment clause; such
2    payments to the utility shall continue until either 15
3    years after the conclusion of the contract or such time as
4    the sum of such payments equals the remaining amount owed
5    to the retail customers at the end of the contract,
6    whichever is earlier. If the debt to the retail customers
7    is not repaid within 15 years after the conclusion of the
8    contract, then the owner of the clean coal SNG facility
9    must sell the facility, and all proceeds from that sale
10    must be used to repay any amount owed to the retail
11    customers under this subsection (h-15).
12        The retail customers shall have first priority in
13    recovering that debt above any creditors, except the
14    secured lenders to the extent that the secured lenders have
15    any secured debt outstanding, including any parent
16    companies or affiliates of the clean coal SNG facility.
17        (3) 50% of all additional net revenue, defined as
18    miscellaneous net revenue after cost allowance and above
19    the budgeted estimate established for revenue pursuant to
20    subsection (h), including sale of substitute natural gas
21    derived from the clean coal SNG facility above the
22    nameplate capacity of the facility and other by-products
23    produced by the facility, shall be credited to the
24    reconciliation account on an annual basis with such payment
25    made within 30 days after the end of each calendar year
26    during the term of the contract.

 

 

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1        (4) The clean coal SNG facility shall each year,
2    starting in the facility's first year of commercial
3    operation, file with the Commission, in such form as the
4    Commission shall require, a report as to the reconciliation
5    account. The annual report must contain the following
6    information:
7            (A) the revenue share target amount;
8            (B) the amount credited or debited to the
9        reconciliation account during the year;
10            (C) the amount credited to the utilities to be used
11        to reduce the utilities natural gas costs though the
12        purchase gas adjustment clause;
13            (D) the total amount of reconciliation account at
14        the beginning and end of the year;
15            (E) the total amount of consumer savings to date;
16        and
17            (F) any additional information the Commission may
18        require.
19    When any report is erroneous or defective or appears to the
20Commission to be erroneous or defective, the Commission may
21notify the clean coal SNG facility to amend the report within
2230 days; before or after the termination of the 30-day period,
23the Commission may examine the trustee of the reconciliation
24account or the officers, agents, employees, books, records, or
25accounts of the clean coal SNG facility and correct such items
26in the report as upon such examination the Commission may find

 

 

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1defective or erroneous. All reports shall be under oath.
2    All reports made to the Commission by the clean coal SNG
3facility and the contents of the reports shall be open to
4public inspection and shall be deemed a public record under the
5Freedom of Information Act. Such reports shall be preserved in
6the office of the Commission. The Commission shall publish an
7annual summary of the reports prior to February 1 of the
8following year. The annual summary shall be made available to
9the public on the Commission's website and shall be submitted
10to the General Assembly.
11    Any facility that fails to file the report required under
12this paragraph (4) to the Commission within the time specified
13or to make specific answer to any question propounded by the
14Commission within 30 days after the time it is lawfully
15required to do so, or within such further time not to exceed 90
16days as may be allowed by the Commission in its discretion,
17shall pay a penalty of $500 to the Commission for each day it
18is in default.
19    Any person who willfully makes any false report to the
20Commission or to any member, officer, or employee thereof, any
21person who willfully in a report withholds or fails to provide
22material information to which the Commission is entitled under
23this paragraph (4) and which information is either required to
24be filed by statute, rule, regulation, order, or decision of
25the Commission or has been requested by the Commission, and any
26person who willfully aids or abets such person shall be guilty

 

 

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1of a Class A misdemeanor.
2    (h-20) The General Assembly authorizes the Illinois
3Finance Authority to issue bonds to the maximum extent
4permitted to finance coal gasification facilities described in
5this Section, which constitute both "industrial projects"
6under Article 801 of the Illinois Finance Authority Act and
7"clean coal and energy projects" under Sections 825-65 through
8825-75 of the Illinois Finance Authority Act.
9    Administrative costs incurred by the Illinois Finance
10Authority in performance of this subsection (h-20) shall be
11subject to reimbursement by the clean coal SNG facility on
12terms as the Illinois Finance Authority and the clean coal SNG
13facility may agree. The utility and its customers shall have no
14obligation to reimburse the clean coal SNG facility or the
15Illinois Finance Authority for any such costs.
16    (h-25) The State of Illinois pledges that the State may not
17enact any law or take any action to (1) break or repeal the
18authority for SNG purchase contracts entered into between
19public gas utilities and the clean coal SNG facility pursuant
20to subsection (h) of this Section or (2) deny public gas
21utilities their full cost recovery for contract costs, as
22defined in subsection (h-10), that are incurred under such SNG
23purchase contracts. These pledges are for the benefit of the
24parties to such SNG purchase contracts and the issuers and
25holders of bonds or other obligations issued or incurred to
26finance or refinance the clean coal SNG facility. The

 

 

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1beneficiaries are authorized to include and refer to these
2pledges in any finance agreement into which they may enter in
3regard to such contracts.
4    (h-30) The State of Illinois retains and reserves all other
5rights to enact new or amendatory legislation or take any other
6action, including, but not limited to, such legislation or
7other action that would (1) directly or indirectly raise the
8costs that the clean coal SNG facility must incur; (2) directly
9or indirectly place additional restrictions, regulations, or
10requirements on the clean coal SNG facility; (3) prohibit
11sequestration in general or prohibit a specific sequestration
12method or project; or (4) increase minimum sequestration
13requirements.
14    (i) If a gas utility or an affiliate of a gas utility has
15an ownership interest in any entity that produces or sells
16synthetic natural gas, Article VII of this Act shall apply.
17(Source: P.A. 96-1364, eff. 7-28-10; 97-96, eff. 7-13-11;
1897-239, eff. 8-2-11; revised 9-12-11.)
 
19    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
20becoming law.".