Authority

Authority. The Department in addition to its preparation of energy contingency plans, shall also analyze, prepare, and recommend a comprehensive energy plan for the State of Illinois. The plan shall identify emerging trends related to energy supply, demand, conservation, public health and safety factors, and should specify the levels of statewide and service area energy needs, past, present, and estimated future demand, as well as the potential social, economic, or environmental effects caused by the continuation of existing trends and by the various alternatives available to the State. The plan shall also conform to the requirements of Section 8-402 of the Public Utilities Act. The Department shall design programs as necessary to achieve the purposes of this Act and the planning objectives of the Public Utilities Act. The Department's energy plan, and any programs designed pursuant to this Section shall be filed with the Commission in accordance with the Commission's planning responsibilities and hearing requirements related thereto. The Department shall periodically review the plan, objectives and programs at least every 2 years, and the results of such review and any resulting changes in the Department's plan or programs shall be filed with the Commission. The Department's plan and programs and any review thereof, shall also be filed with the Governor, the General Assembly, and the Public Counsel, and shall be available to the public upon request. The requirement for reporting to the General Assembly shall be satisfied by filing copies of the report as required by Section 3.1 of the General Assembly Organization Act, and filing such additional copies with the State Government Report Distribution Center for the General Assembly as is required under paragraph (t) of Section 7 of the State Library Act. (Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)