Energy

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that applicable State agencies shall take final action on an application for a new small modular nuclear reactor within 150 days after the application is determined or considered to be complete. Provides that an applicable State agency may extend the final action time period for no more than an additional 150 days for good cause. Provides that, if an applicable State agency fails to take final action on an application within the initial 150-day time period and the time period is not extended, the application shall be considered approved by the State agency. Provides that, if the time period is extended and an applicable State agency fails to take final action on an application within the extended time period, the application shall be considered approved by the State agency. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. In provisions regarding clean coal, coal, energy efficiency, PACE, and renewable energy project financing, adds provisions regarding energy storage project financing. Makes changes in provisions concerning project bond authorizations and financing limits. Makes conforming changes to related provisions regarding findings, definitions, creation of reserve funds, powers and duties of the Illinois Finance Authority, criteria for program participation, securitization of bonds issued by the Authority, and other related provisions.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the End the Energy Tax Act. Amends the Public Utilities Revenue Act. Provides that provisions concerning the tax on invested capital and on distribution of electricity are repealed on January 1, 2027. Provides that provisions concerning a return with respect to the tax are repealed on January 1, 2028. Repeals provisions of the Public Utilities Act concerning energy efficiency, demand-response measures and energy efficiency analysis, and the Energy Transition Assistance Fund. Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code to make a conforming change. Repeals the Illinois Power Agency Act, the Electricity Excise Tax Law Act, and the Energy Assistance Act. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Legislative Reference Bureau shall prepare for introduction in the 2027 spring session of the General Assembly a bill effecting such changes in the statutes as may be necessary to conform the statutes to the changes in law made by the amendatory Act.

Specifies that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Uncap Affordable Power Act. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act, the Public Utilities Act, and the Environmental Protection Act. Provides, in each of those Acts, that it is the policy of the State not to regulate carbon dioxide emissions that arise from the combustion of fossil fuels for the purpose of generating electrical power. Provides that, beginning on the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Illinois Power Agency, the Illinois Commerce Commission, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency shall not regulate carbon dioxide emissions that arise from the combustion of fossil fuels for the purpose of generating electrical power. Removes carbon dioxide from the list of regulated greenhouse gases in the Environmental Protection Act. Repeals from the Environmental Protection Act a provision that provides for the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from electric generating units and large greenhouse gas-emitting units. Makes other conforming changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Counties Code. In provisions regarding commercial wind energy facilities and commercial solar energy facilities, removes changes made by Public Act 102-1123. Provides that any provision of a county zoning ordinance pertaining to wind farms, commercial wind energy facilities, or commercial solar energy facilities that was in effect before January 27, 2023 may continue in effect notwithstanding any changes made in Public Act 102-1123 and, if applicable, any provision of a county zoning ordinance pertaining to wind farms that was in effect before August 16, 2007 may continue in effect notwithstanding the changes made in Public Act 95-203.

Amends the Counties Code and the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that a county or a municipality may not adopt any ordinance or resolution or exercise any power that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the installation of a solar energy system. Limits home rule powers.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Fast-Track Nuclear Now Act. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Removes prohibitions on the construction of a new nuclear power reactor with a nameplate capacity of more than 300 megawatts of electricity that is located within the State. Amends the Illinois Nuclear Facility Safety Act. Provides that it is declared to be the policy of the State to facilitate new nuclear facility construction. Makes a conforming change. Provides that the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security shall work with any proposed project, the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and any relevant State agency to reduce regulatory barriers to new nuclear facility construction.

Specifies that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Save Our Power Plants Act. Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In a provision concerning the regulation of greenhouse gases, extends by 15 years the deadlines for attaining specified emission reductions. Effective immediately.

Restores the statutes to the form in which they existed before their amendment by Public Act 102-662. Repeals the Energy Transition Act, the Energy Community Reinvestment Act, the Community Energy, Climate, and Jobs Planning Act, and the Illinois Clean Energy Jobs and Justice Fund Act. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Defines "off-grid electricity provider" as an entity, person, private company, electric cooperative, municipal agency, or other organization that (1) is engaged in any combination of generating, transmitting, distributing, or selling electricity at retail to consumers, (2) is not connected to any existing electric transmission or distribution system within this State for either primary or backup supply, (3) operates independently of existing utilities and other regulated entities, (4) is not located within any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way, and (5) does not cross any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way or State boundaries. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider whose operation date is on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be exempt from the requirements of the Utilities Chapter of the Illinois Compiled Statutes. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider shall remain subject to all other applicable laws and regulations, including municipal and State highway safety regulations, unless specifically excluded from those laws or regulations by a separate Act. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider shall cease being an off-grid electricity provider and immediately become subject to the requirements of the Utilities Chapter of the Illinois Compiled Statutes if the off-grid electricity provider does any of the following actions: (1) the provider elects to connect to any portion of an existing electric transmission or distribution system within this State for either primary or backup supply; (2) the provider locates within or crosses any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way; or (3) the provider crosses State boundaries. Effective immediately.