State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
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90_SB1648

      220 ILCS 5/16-111
          Amends the  Public  Utilities  Act.   Provides  that  the
      electric rate reductions scheduled for August 1, 1998 and May
      1,  2002 shall apply to certain retail customers that receive
      service from a public utility  serving  more  than  1,000,000
      customers  and that were engaged in the practice of reselling
      or redistributing electricity  within  a  building  prior  to
      January 2, 1957.  Effective immediately.
                                                    LRB9011675JSdvA
                                              LRB9011675JSdvA
 1        AN  ACT  to  amend  the  Public Utilities Act by changing
 2    Section 16-111.
 3        Be it enacted by the People of  the  State  of  Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section  5.  The  Public  Utilities  Act  is  amended  by
 6    changing Section 16-111 as follows:
 7        (220 ILCS 5/16-111)
 8        Sec.  16-111. Rates and restructuring transactions during
 9    mandatory transition period.
10        (a)  During    the    mandatory    transition     period,
11    notwithstanding  any provision of Article IX of this Act, and
12    except as provided in subsections (b), (d), (e), and  (f)  of
13    this   Section,   the  Commission  shall  not  (i)  initiate,
14    authorize or order any change by way of increase (other  than
15    in  connection  with  a  request  for rate increase which was
16    filed after September 1, 1997 but prior to October 15,  1997,
17    by  an electric utility serving less than 12,500 customers in
18    this state),  (ii)  initiate  or,  unless  requested  by  the
19    electric  utility,  authorize  or  order any change by way of
20    decrease, restructuring or unbundling (except as provided  in
21    Section  16-109A),  in the rates of any electric utility that
22    were in effect on October 1, 1996,  or  (iii)  in  any  order
23    approving  any  application  for a merger pursuant to Section
24    7-204 that was  pending  as  of  May  16,  1997,  impose  any
25    condition  requiring any filing for an increase, decrease, or
26    change in, or other review of, an electric utility's rates or
27    enforce any such  condition  of  any  such  order;  provided,
28    however,   that   this  subsection  shall  not  prohibit  the
29    Commission from:
30             (1)  approving  the  application  of   an   electric
31        utility  to  implement  an  alternative to rate of return
                            -2-               LRB9011675JSdvA
 1        regulation or a  regulatory  mechanism  that  rewards  or
 2        penalizes  the  electric  utility  through  adjustment of
 3        rates based on utility performance, pursuant  to  Section
 4        9-244;
 5             (2)  authorizing  an  electric  utility to eliminate
 6        its fuel adjustment  clause  and  adjust  its  base  rate
 7        tariffs in accordance with subsection (b), (d), or (f) of
 8        Section  9-220  of  this  Act, to fix its fuel adjustment
 9        factor in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 9-220
10        of this Act, or to eliminate its fuel  adjustment  clause
11        in  accordance  with  subsection  (e) of Section 9-220 of
12        this Act;
13             (3)  ordering  into  effect  tariffs  for   delivery
14        services   and  transition  charges  in  accordance  with
15        Sections 16-104 and  16-108,  for  real-time  pricing  in
16        accordance  with  Section 16-107, or the options required
17        by Section 16-110 and subsection  (n) of 16-112, allowing
18        a billing experiment in accordance with  Section  16-106,
19        or modifying delivery services tariffs in accordance with
20        Section 16-109; or
21             (4)  ordering  or allowing into effect any tariff to
22        recover charges pursuant to  Sections  9-201.5,  9-220.1,
23        9-221,  9-222  (except  as  provided in Section 9-222.1),
24        16-108, and 16-114  of  this  Act,  Section  5-5  of  the
25        Electricity  Infrastructure  Maintenance Fee Law, Section
26        6-5 of the Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, and  Coal
27        Resources  Development Law of 1997, and Section 13 of the
28        Energy Assistance Act of 1989.
29        (b)  Notwithstanding the provisions  of  subsection  (a),
30    each  Illinois  electric  utility  serving  more  than 12,500
31    customers  in  Illinois  shall  file  tariffs  (i)  reducing,
32    effective August 1, 1998, each component of its base rates to
33    residential retail customers by 15% from the  base  rates  in
34    effect  immediately  prior to January 1, 1998 and (ii) if the
                            -3-               LRB9011675JSdvA
 1    public utility provides electric service to more than 500,000
 2    customers in  this  State  on  the  effective  date  of  this
 3    amendatory Act of 1997, reducing, effective May 1, 2002, each
 4    component  of  its base rates to residential retail customers
 5    by an additional 5% from the base rates in effect immediately
 6    prior to January 1, 1998. Provided, however, that (A)  if  an
 7    electric  utility's  average  residential retail rate is less
 8    than or equal to the average residential retail  rate  for  a
 9    group  of Midwest Utilities (consisting of all investor-owned
10    electric utilities with annual system peaks in excess of 1000
11    megawatts in the States of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky,
12    Michigan, Missouri,  Ohio,  and  Wisconsin),  based  on  data
13    reported   on   Form  1  to  the  Federal  Energy  Regulatory
14    Commission for calendar year 1995,  then  it  shall  only  be
15    required  to  file  tariffs (i) reducing, effective August 1,
16    1998, each component of its base rates to residential  retail
17    customers  by  5%  from  the base rates in effect immediately
18    prior to January 1, 1998, (ii) reducing, effective October 1,
19    2000, each component of its base rates to residential  retail
20    customers  by  the  lesser  of 5% of the base rates in effect
21    immediately prior to January 1, 1998  or  the  percentage  by
22    which  the electric utility's average residential retail rate
23    exceeds the average residential retail rate  of  the  Midwest
24    Utilities,  based  on  data reported on Form 1 to the Federal
25    Energy Regulatory Commission  for  calendar  year  1999,  and
26    (iii)  reducing, effective October 1, 2002, each component of
27    its  base  rates  to  residential  retail  customers  by   an
28    additional amount equal to the lesser of 5% of the base rates
29    in  effect  immediately  prior  to  January  1,  1998  or the
30    percentage  by   which   the   electric   utility's   average
31    residential  retail  rate  exceeds  the  average  residential
32    retail  rate of the Midwest Utilities, based on data reported
33    on Form 1 to the Federal  Energy  Regulatory  Commission  for
34    calendar year 2001; and (B) if the average residential retail
                            -4-               LRB9011675JSdvA
 1    rate  of  an  electric  utility  serving  between 150,000 and
 2    250,000 retail customers in this State on January 1, 1995  is
 3    less  than  or equal to 90% of the average residential retail
 4    rate for the Midwest Utilities, based  on  data  reported  on
 5    Form  1  to  the  Federal  Energy  Regulatory  Commission for
 6    calendar year 1995, then it shall only be  required  to  file
 7    tariffs   (i)   reducing,  effective  August  1,  1998,  each
 8    component of its base rates to residential  retail  customers
 9    by  2%  from  the  base  rates in effect immediately prior to
10    January 1, 1998; (ii) reducing, effective  October  1,  2000,
11    each  component  of  its  base  rates  to  residential retail
12    customers by 2% from the  base  rate  in  effect  immediately
13    prior  to  January  1,  1998;  and  (iii) reducing, effective
14    October  1,  2002,  each  component  of  its  base  rates  to
15    residential retail customers by 1% from  the  base  rates  in
16    effect  immediately  prior  to  January  1,  1998.  Provided,
17    further,  that  any  electric utility for which a decrease in
18    base rates has been or is placed into effect between  October
19    1, 1996 and the dates specified in the preceding sentences of
20    this  subsection,  other than pursuant to the requirements of
21    this subsection, shall be entitled to reduce  the  amount  of
22    any  reduction  or  reductions  in its base rates required by
23    this subsection by the amount of  such  other  decrease.  The
24    tariffs required under this subsection shall be filed 45 days
25    in advance of the effective date. Notwithstanding anything to
26    the  contrary in Section 9-220 of this Act, no restatement of
27    base rates in conjunction with  the  elimination  of  a  fuel
28    adjustment clause under that Section shall result in a lesser
29    decrease in base rates than customers would otherwise receive
30    under   this  subsection  had  the  electric  utility's  fuel
31    adjustment clause not been eliminated. For  the  purposes  of
32    this  Section,  an  entity  that  on  December  16,  1997 was
33    receiving electric service from a public utility serving more
34    than 1,000,000 customers and was engaged in the  practice  of
                            -5-               LRB9011675JSdvA
 1    resale  and  redistribution  of electricity within a building
 2    prior to January 2, 1957, but only to the extent  the  resale
 3    or  redistribution  is  authorized  by the electric utility's
 4    tariffs that were on file with the Commission on December 16,
 5    1997, shall be deemed a residential retail customer.
 6        (c)  Any utility reducing its base rates by 15% on August
 7    1,  1998  pursuant  to  subsection  (b)  shall  include   the
 8    following  statement  on  its bills for residential customers
 9    from August 1 through December 31, 1998: "Effective August 1,
10    1998, your rates have been reduced by  15%  by  the  Electric
11    Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 passed by
12    the  Illinois  General  Assembly.".  Any utility reducing its
13    base rates by 5% on August 1, 1998,  pursuant  to  subsection
14    (b)  shall  include  the following statement on its bills for
15    residential customers from  August  1  through  December  31,
16    1998:   "Effective  August  1,  1998,  your  rates  have been
17    reduced by 5% by the Electric  Service  Customer  Choice  and
18    Rate  Relief  Law  of  1997  passed  by  the Illinois General
19    Assembly.".
20        Any utility reducing its base rates by 2%  on  August  1,
21    1998  pursuant  to subsection (b) shall include the following
22    statement on its bills for residential customers from  August
23    1  through December 31, 1998: "Effective August 1, 1998, your
24    rates have  been  reduced  by  2%  by  the  Electric  Service
25    Customer  Choice  and  Rate  Relief Law of 1997 passed by the
26    Illinois General Assembly.".
27        (d)  During the  mandatory  transition  period,  but  not
28    before  January  1, 2000, and notwithstanding  the provisions
29    of  subsection  (a),  an  electric  utility  may  request  an
30    increase  in  its  base  rates  if   the   electric   utility
31    demonstrates  that  the  2-year average of its earned rate of
32    return  on  common  equity,  calculated  as  its  net  income
33    applicable to common stock divided  by  the  average  of  its
34    beginning  and  ending  balances  of common equity using data
                            -6-               LRB9011675JSdvA
 1    reported in the electric  utility's  Form  1  report  to  the
 2    Federal  Energy  Regulatory Commission but adjusted to remove
 3    the effects of accelerated depreciation  or  amortization  or
 4    other  transition  or  mitigation measures implemented by the
 5    electric utility pursuant to subsection (g) of  this  Section
 6    and  the effect of any refund paid pursuant to subsection (e)
 7    of this Section, is below the 2-year average for the  same  2
 8    years of the monthly average yields of 30-year  U.S. Treasury
 9    bonds  published  by  the  Board of Governors of the  Federal
10    Reserve System in its  weekly  H.15  Statistical  Release  or
11    successor   publication.  The  Commission  shall  review  the
12    electric utility's request, and may review the  justness  and
13    reasonableness   of  all  rates  for  tariffed  services,  in
14    accordance with the provisions of Article  IX  of  this  Act,
15    provided  that  the  Commission shall consider any special or
16    negotiated adjustments to the revenue requirement  agreed  to
17    between  the  electric  utility  and the other parties to the
18    proceeding.   In  setting  rates  under  this  Section,   the
19    Commission  shall  exclude  the  costs  and revenues that are
20    associated with  competitive  services  and  any  billing  or
21    pricing experiments conducted under Section 16-106.
22        (e)  For   the   purposes  of  this  subsection  (e)  all
23    calculations and  comparisons  shall  be  performed  for  the
24    Illinois operations of multijurisdictional utilities.  During
25    the   mandatory   transition   period,   notwithstanding  the
26    provisions of subsection (a), if the  2-year  average  of  an
27    electric  utility's  earned  rate of return on common equity,
28    calculated as its  net  income  applicable  to  common  stock
29    divided  by  the average of its beginning and ending balances
30    of  common  equity  using  data  reported  in  the   electric
31    utility's  Form  1  report  to  the Federal Energy Regulatory
32    Commission but adjusted to remove the effect  of  any  refund
33    paid  under  this  subsection  (e),  and  further adjusted to
34    include the annual amortization of any difference between the
                            -7-               LRB9011675JSdvA
 1    consideration received  by  an  affiliated  interest  of  the
 2    electric  utility in the sale of an asset which had been sold
 3    or transferred by the  electric  utility  to  the  affiliated
 4    interest  subsequent to the effective date of this amendatory
 5    Act of 1997 and the consideration for which  such  asset  had
 6    been  sold  or  transferred  to the affiliated interest, with
 7    such difference to be amortized ratably from the date of  the
 8    sale by the affiliated interest to December 31, 2006, exceeds
 9    the  2-year  average of the Index for the same 2 years by 1.5
10    or more percentage points, the electric  utility  shall  make
11    refunds to customers beginning the first billing day of April
12    in  the  following  year in the manner described in paragraph
13    (3) of this subsection. For purposes of this subsection  (e),
14    the  "Index"  shall  be the sum of (A) the average for the 12
15    months ended September 30 of the monthly  average  yields  of
16    30-year  U.S.  Treasury  bonds  published  by  the  Board  of
17    Governors  of  the  Federal Reserve System in its weekly H.15
18    Statistical Release or successor publication  for  each  year
19    1998  through  2004,  and  (B) (i) 4.00 percentage points for
20    each of  the  12-month  periods  ending  September  30,  1998
21    through  September  30, 1999 or 8.00 percentage points if the
22    electric utility's average residential retail  rate  is  less
23    than  or  equal to 90% of the average residential retail rate
24    for the "Midwest Utilities",  as  that  term  is  defined  in
25    subsection  (b)  of  this  Section, based on data reported on
26    Form 1  to  the  Federal  Energy  Regulatory  Commission  for
27    calendar  year  1995, and the electric utility served between
28    150,000 and 250,000 retail customers on January 1,  1995,  or
29    (ii)  5.00 percentage points for each of the 12-month periods
30    ending September 30, 2000 through September 30, 2004 or  9.00
31    percentage   points   if   the   electric  utility's  average
32    residential retail rate is less than or equal to 90%  of  the
33    average  residential retail rate for the "Midwest Utilities",
34    as that term is defined in subsection (b)  of  this  Section,
                            -8-               LRB9011675JSdvA
 1    based  on  data  reported  on  Form  1  to the Federal Energy
 2    Regulatory Commission for calendar year 1995 and the electric
 3    utility served between 150,000 and 250,000  retail  customers
 4    in this State on January 1, 1995.
 5             (1)  For  purposes  of  this subsection (e), "excess
 6        earnings" means the difference  between  (A)  the  2-year
 7        average  of  the electric utility's earned rate of return
 8        on common equity, less (B) the 2-year average of the  sum
 9        of  (i)  the  Index applicable to each of the 2 years and
10        (ii)  1.5  percentage  points;  provided,  that   "excess
11        earnings" shall never be less than zero.
12             (2)  On or before March 31 of each year 2000 through
13        2005  each  electric utility shall file a report with the
14        Commission showing its earned rate of  return  on  common
15        equity,  calculated  in  accordance with this subsection,
16        for the preceding calendar year and the average  for  the
17        preceding 2 calendar years.
18             (3)  If  an  electric  utility  has excess earnings,
19        determined in accordance with paragraphs (1) and  (2)  of
20        this  subsection,  the refunds which the electric utility
21        shall pay  to its customers beginning the  first  billing
22        day  of  April  in the following year shall be calculated
23        and applied as follows:
24                  (i)  The  electric  utility's  excess  earnings
25             shall be multiplied by the average of the  beginning
26             and ending balances of the electric utility's common
27             equity   for  the  2-year  period  in  which  excess
28             earnings occurred.
29                  (ii)  The result  of  the  calculation  in  (i)
30             shall  be  multiplied  by 0.50 and then divided by a
31             number equal  to  1  minus  the  electric  utility's
32             composite federal and State income tax rate.
33                  (iii)  The  result  of  the calculation in (ii)
34             shall  be  divided  by  the  sum  of  the   electric
                            -9-               LRB9011675JSdvA
 1             utility's  projected  total  kilowatt-hour  sales to
 2             retail customers plus projected kilowatt-hours to be
 3             delivered to delivery services customers over a  one
 4             year period beginning with the first billing date in
 5             April  in  the  succeeding year to determine a cents
 6             per kilowatt-hour refund factor.
 7                  (iv)  The cents per kilowatt-hour refund factor
 8             calculated  in  (iii)  shall  be  credited  to   the
 9             electric  utility's customers by applying the factor
10             on   the   customer's   monthly   bills   to    each
11             kilowatt-hour  sold  or  delivered  until  the total
12             amount  calculated  in  (ii)  has   been   paid   to
13             customers.
14        (f)  During  the mandatory transition period, an electric
15    utility may file revised tariffs reducing the  price  of  any
16    tariffed  service  offered  by  the  electric utility for all
17    customers  taking  that  tariffed  service,  which  shall  be
18    effective 7 days after filing.
19        (g)  During the mandatory transition period, an  electric
20    utility may, without obtaining any approval of the Commission
21    other   than   that  provided  for  in  this  subsection  and
22    notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or  any  rule
23    or  regulation  of  the  Commission  that  would require such
24    approval:
25             (1)  implement a reorganization, other than a merger
26        of 2 or more public utilities as defined in Section 3-105
27        or their holding companies;
28             (2)  retire generating plants from service;
29             (3)  sell,  assign,  lease  or  otherwise   transfer
30        assets  to  an  affiliated  or unaffiliated entity and as
31        part of such transaction enter into  service  agreements,
32        power  purchase  agreements, or other agreements with the
33        transferee; provided, however, that the prices, terms and
34        conditions  of  any  power  purchase  agreement  must  be
                            -10-              LRB9011675JSdvA
 1        approved or allowed into effect  by  the  Federal  Energy
 2        Regulatory Commission; or
 3             (4)  use   any   accelerated  cost  recovery  method
 4        including    accelerated    depreciation,     accelerated
 5        amortization or other capital recovery methods, or record
 6        reductions to the original cost of its assets.
 7        In order to implement a reorganization, retire generating
 8    plants  from  service,  or  sell,  assign, lease or otherwise
 9    transfer  assets  pursuant  to  this  Section,  the  electric
10    utility shall comply with subsections (c) and (d) of  Section
11    16-128,  if  applicable,  and  provide the Commission with at
12    least 30  days  notice  of  the  proposed  reorganization  or
13    transaction,   which   notice  shall  include  the  following
14    information:
15                  (i)  a complete statement of the  entries  that
16             the  electric  utility  will  make  on its books and
17             records  of  account  to  implement   the   proposed
18             reorganization   or   transaction  together  with  a
19             certification from an independent  certified  public
20             accountant  that  such  entries  are  in accord with
21             generally accepted accounting principles and, if the
22             Commission has previously  approved  guidelines  for
23             cost   allocations   between  the  utility  and  its
24             affiliates,   a   certification   from   the   chief
25             accounting officer of the utility that such  entries
26             are in accord with those cost allocation guidelines;
27                  (ii)  a description of how the electric utility
28             will  use proceeds of any sale, assignment, lease or
29             transfer to  retire  debt  or  otherwise  reduce  or
30             recover  the  costs  of  services  provided  by such
31             electric utility;
32                  (iii)  a  list  of  all  federal  approvals  or
33             approvals required from departments and agencies  of
34             this  State,  other  than  the  Commission, that the
                            -11-              LRB9011675JSdvA
 1             electric  utility  has   or   will   obtain   before
 2             implementing the reorganization or transaction;
 3                  (iv)  an irrevocable commitment by the electric
 4             utility  that  it  will  not,  as  a  result  of the
 5             transaction, impose any stranded cost  charges  that
 6             it  might  otherwise  be  allowed  to  charge retail
 7             customers  under  federal  law   or   increase   the
 8             transition  charges that it is otherwise entitled to
 9             collect under this Article XVI; and
10                  (v)  if the electric utility proposes to  sell,
11             assign,  lease  or  otherwise  transfer a generating
12             plant that  brings  the  amount  of  net  dependable
13             generating  capacity  transferred  pursuant  to this
14             subsection to an amount equal to or greater than 15%
15             of the electric utility's net dependable capacity as
16             of the effective date  of  this  amendatory  Act  of
17             1997,  and  enters  into  a power purchase agreement
18             with the entity to which such  generating  plant  is
19             sold,  assigned,  leased,  or otherwise transferred,
20             the electric  utility  also  agrees,  if   its  fuel
21             adjustment  clause  has not already been eliminated,
22             to  eliminate  its   fuel   adjustment   clause   in
23             accordance  with subsection (b) of Section 9-220 for
24             a period of time equal to the  length  of  any  such
25             power  purchase agreement or successor agreement, or
26             until January 1, 2005, whichever is longer;  if  the
27             capacity  of the generating plant so transferred and
28             related power purchase agreement does not result  in
29             the  elimination of the fuel adjustment clause under
30             this subsection, and the fuel adjustment clause  has
31             not  already  been  eliminated, the electric utility
32             shall agree  that  the  costs  associated  with  the
33             transferred   plant   that   are   included  in  the
34             calculation of the  rate  per  kilowatt-hour  to  be
                            -12-              LRB9011675JSdvA
 1             applied  pursuant  to  the  electric  utility's fuel
 2             adjustment  clause  during  such  period  shall  not
 3             exceed the per kilowatt-hour  cost  associated  with
 4             such  generating  plant  included  in  the  electric
 5             utility's  fuel  adjustment  clause  during the full
 6             calendar year  preceding  the  transfer,  with  such
 7             limit  to  be   adjusted each year thereafter by the
 8             Gross Domestic Product Implicit Price Deflator.
 9                  (vi)  In  addition,  if  the  electric  utility
10             proposes to sell, assign, or lease, (A)  either  (1)
11             an amount of generating plant that brings the amount
12             of  net  dependable  generating capacity transferred
13             pursuant to this subsection to an amount equal to or
14             greater than 15% of its net dependable  capacity  on
15             the  effective  date of this amendatory Act of 1997,
16             or (2) one or more generating plants  with  a  total
17             net  dependable  capacity  of 1100 megawatts, or (B)
18             transmission and distribution facilities that either
19             (1)   bring   the   amount   of   transmission   and
20             distribution facilities transferred pursuant to this
21             subsection to an amount equal to or greater than 15%
22             of the electric utility's total depreciated original
23             cost investment in such facilities, or (2) represent
24             an investment  of  $25,000,000  in  terms  of  total
25             depreciated  original  cost,  the  electric  utility
26             shall provide, in addition to the information listed
27             in  subparagraphs  (i)  through  (v),  the following
28             information: (A) a description of how  the  electric
29             utility will meet its service obligations under this
30             Act  in  a  safe  and  reliable  manner  and (B) the
31             electric utility's projected earned rate  of  return
32             on  common  equity,  calculated  in  accordance with
33             subsection (d) of this Section, for each  year  from
34             the  date  of  the  notice through December 31, 2004
                            -13-              LRB9011675JSdvA
 1             both with and without the proposed transaction.   If
 2             the  Commission has not issued an order initiating a
 3             hearing on the proposed transaction within  30  days
 4             after  the  date  the  electric  utility's notice is
 5             filed, the transaction  shall  be  deemed  approved.
 6             The   Commission  may,  after  notice  and  hearing,
 7             prohibit the proposed transaction if it makes either
 8             or both of the  following  findings:  (1)  that  the
 9             proposed   transaction   will  render  the  electric
10             utility unable to provide its tariffed services in a
11             safe and reliable manner, or (2)  that  there  is  a
12             strong  likelihood that consummation of the proposed
13             transaction will  result  in  the  electric  utility
14             being  entitled  to  request an increase in its base
15             rates  during  the   mandatory   transition   period
16             pursuant  to  subsection  (d)  of this Section.  Any
17             hearing  initiated  by  the  Commission   into   the
18             proposed  transaction  shall  be  completed, and the
19             Commission's final order  approving  or  prohibiting
20             the proposed transaction shall be entered, within 90
21             days  after  the  date the electric utility's notice
22             was  filed.  Provided,   however,   that   a   sale,
23             assignment,  or  lease of transmission facilities to
24             an  independent  system  operator  that  meets   the
25             requirements  of Section 16-126 shall not be subject
26             to Commission approval under this Section.
27                  In any proceeding conducted by  the  Commission
28             pursuant  to  this  subparagraph  (vi), intervention
29             shall be limited to parties with a  direct  interest
30             in  the  transaction  which  is  the  subject of the
31             hearing and any statutory consumer protection agency
32             as defined in subsection  (d)  of  Section  9-102.1.
33             Notwithstanding  the provisions of Section 10-113 of
34             this Act, any application seeking  rehearing  of  an
                            -14-              LRB9011675JSdvA
 1             order  issued  under this subparagraph (vi), whether
 2             filed by the electric utility or by  an  intervening
 3             party,  shall  be filed within 10 days after service
 4             of the order.
 5        The Commission shall not in any subsequent proceeding  or
 6    otherwise,  review such a reorganization or other transaction
 7    authorized by this Section, but shall retain the authority to
 8    allocate costs as stated in Section 16-111(i). An  entity  to
 9    which an electric utility sells, assigns, leases or transfers
10    assets pursuant to this subsection (g) shall not, as a result
11    of  the  transactions  specified  in  this subsection (g), be
12    deemed a public utility as defined in Section 3-105.  Nothing
13    in this subsection (g) shall change any requirement under the
14    jurisdiction of the Illinois  Department  of  Nuclear  Safety
15    including,  but  not limited to, the payment of fees. Nothing
16    in this subsection (g) shall exempt a utility from  obtaining
17    a  certificate  pursuant to Section 8-406 of this Act for the
18    construction of a new electric generating facility.   Nothing
19    in this subsection (g) is intended to exempt the transactions
20    hereunder   from  the  operation  of  the  federal  or  State
21    antitrust laws. Nothing in this subsection (g) shall  require
22    an  electric  utility to use the procedures specified in this
23    subsection for any of the transactions specified herein.  Any
24    other procedure available under this Act may, at the electric
25    utility's election, be used for any such transaction.
26        (h)  During  the   mandatory   transition   period,   the
27    Commission   shall   not   establish  or  use  any  rates  of
28    depreciation, which for purposes  of  this  subsection  shall
29    include  amortization,  for  any  electric utility other than
30    those established pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 5-104
31    of this Act or utilized pursuant to subsection  (g)  of  this
32    Section.  Provided, however, that in any proceeding to review
33    an electric utility's rates for tariffed services pursuant to
34    Section  9-201,  9-202,  9-250  or 16-111(d) of this Act, the
                            -15-              LRB9011675JSdvA
 1    Commission may establish new rates of  depreciation  for  the
 2    electric  utility  in  the same manner provided in subsection
 3    (d) of  Section  5-104  of  this  Act.  An  electric  utility
 4    implementing  an  accelerated  cost recovery method including
 5    accelerated depreciation, accelerated amortization  or  other
 6    capital  recovery  methods,  or  recording  reductions to the
 7    original cost of its assets, pursuant to  subsection  (g)  of
 8    this  Section,  shall  file  a  statement with the Commission
 9    describing  the  accelerated  cost  recovery  method  to   be
10    implemented  or  the  reduction  in  the original cost of its
11    assets to be recorded.  Upon the filing  of  such  statement,
12    the  accelerated cost recovery method or the reduction in the
13    original cost of assets shall be deemed to be approved by the
14    Commission as  though  an  order  had  been  entered  by  the
15    Commission.
16        (i)  Subsequent  to  the mandatory transition period, the
17    Commission, in any proceeding to establish rates and  charges
18    for  tariffed  services offered by an electric utility, shall
19    consider only (1) the then  current  or  projected  revenues,
20    costs, investments and cost of capital directly or indirectly
21    associated  with the provision of such tariffed services; (2)
22    collection of transition charges in accordance with  Sections
23    16-102  and  16-108 of this Act; (3) recovery of any employee
24    transition costs as described in  Section  16-128  which  the
25    electric  utility  is continuing to incur, including recovery
26    of any unamortized portion of such costs previously  incurred
27    or committed, with such costs to be equitably allocated among
28    bundled  services,  delivery  services,  and  contracts  with
29    alternative  retail  electric  suppliers; and (4) recovery of
30    the costs associated with the electric  utility's  compliance
31    with  decommissioning  funding  requirements;  and  shall not
32    consider any other revenues, costs, investments  or  cost  of
33    capital of either the electric utility or of any affiliate of
34    the  electric  utility  that  are  not  associated  with  the
                            -16-              LRB9011675JSdvA
 1    provision   of  tariffed  services.   In  setting  rates  for
 2    tariffed services, the Commission  shall  equitably  allocate
 3    joint  and  common costs and investments between the electric
 4    utility's competitive and tariffed services.  In  determining
 5    the  justness  and  reasonableness  of the electric power and
 6    energy component of an electric utility's rates for  tariffed
 7    services  subsequent  to  the mandatory transition period and
 8    prior to the time that the provision of such  electric  power
 9    and  energy  is  declared  competitive,  the Commission shall
10    consider the extent to which the electric utility's  tariffed
11    rates  for  such component for each customer class exceed the
12    market value determined pursuant to Section 16-112,  and,  if
13    the electric power and energy component of such tariffed rate
14    exceeds  the  market  value by more than 10% for any customer
15    class, may establish such electric power and energy component
16    at a rate equal to the market value plus  10%.  In  any  such
17    case,  the Commission may also elect to extend the provisions
18    of Section 16-111(e) for any period  in  which  the  electric
19    utility  is  collecting transition charges, using information
20    applicable to such period.
21        (j)  During the mandatory transition period, an  electric
22    utility  may  elect  to  transfer  to  a non-operating income
23    account under the Commission's  Uniform  System  of  Accounts
24    either or both of (i) an amount of unamortized investment tax
25    credit  that  is  in  addition to the ratable amount which is
26    credited to the electric utility's operating  income  account
27    for  the  year  in  accordance  with  Section 46(f)(2) of the
28    federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as in effect prior  to
29    P.L.  101-508, or (ii) "excess tax reserves", as that term is
30    defined in Section 203(e)(2)(A) of the federal Tax Reform Act
31    of 1986, provided that (A) the  amount  transferred  may  not
32    exceed  the amount of the electric utility's assets that were
33    created  pursuant  to  Statement  of   Financial   Accounting
34    Standards  No.  71 which the electric utility has written off
                            -17-              LRB9011675JSdvA
 1    during the mandatory transition period, and (B) the  transfer
 2    shall not be effective until approved by the Internal Revenue
 3    Service.   An  electric  utility  electing  to  make  such  a
 4    transfer  shall  file a statement with the Commission stating
 5    the amount and timing of the transfer for which it intends to
 6    request approval of the Internal Revenue Service, along  with
 7    a  copy  of  its  proposed  request  to  the Internal Revenue
 8    Service for a ruling.  The Commission shall  issue  an  order
 9    within 14 days after the electric utility's filing approving,
10    subject  to  receipt  of  approval  from the Internal Revenue
11    Service, the proposed transfer.
12    (Source: P.A. 90-561, eff. 12-16-97; 90-563, eff. 12-16-97.)
13        Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect  upon
14    becoming law.

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