This webpage shares key information on the Agency’s Policy Study focused on energy storage, offshore wind, and high voltage direct current transmission.

• Cover Letter
• Executive Summary
• Final Policy Study
• Appendices
• Supporting Information
• Redline comparison of draft and final Policy Study

• Cover Letter
• Draft Policy Study
• Appendices
• Supporting Information

• Draft Policy Study Errata: Corrected Modeling Results (February 8, 2024)
• Draft Policy Study Announcement: Additional Time for Feedback (February 13, 2024)
• Draft Policy Study: Release of Workpapers and Modeling Update (February 16, 2024)

• Comments (February 26, 2024)

Public Act 103-0580, signed into law by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker on December 8, 2023, directs the Illinois Power Agency to conduct a Policy Study to evaluate the potential impacts of proposals made during the Illinois General Assembly’s Spring 2023 Legislative Session and provide policy recommendations for the General Assembly.

The following proposals are analyzed in the IPA Policy Study:

• Senate Bill 1587 would require the Agency to develop an energy storage procurement plan that results in electric utilities contracting for energy storage credits from contracted energy storage systems.
• House Bill 2132 would require the Agency to develop a procurement process to “procure at least 700,000 renewable energy credits, delivered annually for at least 20 years, from one new utility-scale offshore wind project [in Lake Michigan].”
• A policy requiring the Agency to procure HVDC renewable energy credits related to an HVDC line, which the Agency understands to be the SOO Green Line. 

The Agency published a draft Policy Study on January 22, 2024, followed by a 20-day open public comment period. The Agency incorporated content from public comments into the final Policy Study published on March 1, 2024.

The Agency sought input from stakeholders throughout the Policy Study development process to ensure that the Policy Study was driven by research-based knowledge coupled with objectivity and transparency, and to ensure that the Policy Study was shaped by broad involvement and representation from diverse parties.

• Announcement (August 23, 2023)
• Technical Information Requests (August 23, 2023)
• Request for Stakeholder Feedback (September 29, 2023)
• Comments (October 31, 2023)

The Agency engaged its Planning and Procurement Consultant, Levitan and Associates, to undertake the modeling and analytical work necessary for the Policy Study. The Policy Study utilized industry standard modeling tools, including GE MARS to evaluate the impacts on generation reliability and resource adequacy; PSS/E and TARA to evaluate the impacts on transmission reliability and grid resilience; Aurora production cost simulation to evaluate the impacts on electricity prices and generation related emissions; and IMPLAN to evaluate the impacts on the State’s economy.

The Agency’s Planning and Procurement Bureau worked closely with Levitan to analyze results from these modeling tools and to develop policy recommendations for the General Assembly that consider:

For questions and comments about the IPA Policy Study, please email IPA.ContactUs@illinois.gov.