Illinois Adopts RPS

In July 2005 the Illinois Commerce Commission adopted Governor Rod Blagojevich’s sustainable energy plan, including a renewable portfolio standard (RPS) requiring the state’s electric utilities to meet 2% of their electricity needs with renewable sources by the end of 2006. The requirement will increase by 1% each year until it reaches 8% in 2012. An efficiency component of the plan requires utilities to create new programs that will reduce growth in electricity demand 10% by 2007 and 25% by 2015. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia have now adopted renewable portfolio standards.