Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 38, September 20, 2024
Grants will be awarded by the Department to grantees following
a merit review by DCEO and pursuant to GATA requirements (44 Ill. Adm. Code
7000.350). The Department will
award up to five total grants that support the installation and operation of
energy storage facilities at the sites of up to three qualifying electric
generating facilities located in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator,
Inc. region in Illinois and the sites of up to two qualifying electric
generating facilities located in the PJM Interconnection, LLC region in
Illinois. In evaluating applications, the Department will consider the criteria
listed below:
a) Whether the applicant
and the proposed energy storage facility site meet the eligibility criteria
(Section 710.40);
b) The need to develop an energy storage
facility at the proposed site. This will be based on:
1) A demonstration of how the applicant will
engage effectively with the local community during and after
construction;
2) A justification
for the specific project location of the energy storage project beyond meeting
the qualifications established by the Act (e.g., located at a site with
generating capacity of at least 150 megawatts; sites burned or is burning coal
as its primary source of fuel);
3)
Providing documents from Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. or PJM
Interconnection, LLC, indicating proposed project may be interconnected to the
regional transmission grid, as applicable; and
4) A demonstration of a plan and commitment
to ecological site improvement;
c) A demonstration of the ability to
successfully complete the energy storage facility project. This will be based
on the following criteria:
1) Successful prior
experience in the development of energy storage facilities;
2) Significant energy storage performance
based on estimated annual MWh energy storage capacity and total estimated MWh
energy storage capacity over the life of the energy storage system as follows:
A) Energy storage capacity, or the maximum
amount of stored energy, in MWh;
B)
Storage duration in hours;
C)
Expected system life in years based on anticipated operating
conditions;
D) Estimated energy
storage in the first twelve months of system operation; and
E) Estimated annual system degradation rate,
as a percentage;
3) The
ability to provide realistic timelines for construction and the expected date
for commercial operation launch, which comply with the requirements of
20 ILCS
3855/1-75 (c-5)(10)(C)(8);
4) Energy storage capacity of at least 37
megawatts at the proposed energy storage facility site; and
5) The ability to meet the requirements of
20 ILCS
3855/1-75 (c-5)(10)(C) and this Part, as demonstrated
in the technology description.
d) A demonstration of the ability to meet the
commitments and agreements listed in
20 ILCS
3855/1-75 (c-5)(10)(C) and in this Part (Section
710.40). Evaluation will be based on the following criteria:
1) The applicant's plan for ensuring the
energy storage facility will be constructed or installed by a qualified entity
or entities consistent with the requirements of subsection (g) of Section
16-128A of the Public Utilities Act [220 ILCS
5/16-128A(g)] and any rules adopted
under that Section. Applicants should be able to demonstrate the effectiveness
of the plan;
2) Existing and
proposed relationships with workforce training partners and plans to meet
training and hiring objectives of the program, particularly how they relate to
achieving the program's diversity goals and providing employment opportunities
for employees of the coal-fueled electric generating facility. The applicant
should be able to identify current relationships with workforce training
partners and provide a quality plan to ensure that personnel operating the
energy storage facility will have the skills, knowledge, training and
experience to complete the program, as well as efforts to ensure diverse hiring
and opportunities for employees of coal plants; and
3) Previous efforts the applicant has had in
negotiating project labor agreements for the construction of projects overseen
by the applicant and the details describing efforts to meet diversity targets,
improve diversity at job sites, provide diverse apprenticeship opportunities,
and provide opportunities to employ former coal-fired power plant workers. The
applicant should describe past experiences negotiating project labor agreements
and the effectiveness of past experience in improving diversity and
apprenticeship opportunities.
e) Applicants may appeal any denial pursuant
to the process described in 44 Ill. Adm. Code
7000.350(g).
