Frequently Asked Questions

The Smart Grid Advisory Council serves as an advisor to participating utilities. Utilities participating in the programs related to the smart grid are required to consider the recommendations provided by the Smart Grid Advisory Council, which are by law non-binding.

No

Pursuant to Illinois Compiled Statutes:

• At least one member must represent a non-profit membership organization whose mission is to cultivate innovation and technology-based economic development in Illinois by fostering public-private partnerships to develop and execute research and development projects, advocating for funding for research and development initiatives, and collaborating with public and private partners to attract and retain research and development resources and talent in Illinois;
• At least one must represent a non-profit public body corporate and politic created by law that has a duty to represent and protect residential utility consumers in Illinois;
• At least one must represent a membership organization that represents the interests of individuals and companies that own, operate, manage, and service commercial buildings in a municipality with a population of 1,000,000 or more inhabitants;
• At least one must represent an alternative retail electric supplier that has obtained a certificate of service authority pursuant to Section 16-115 of this Act and that is not an affiliate of a participating utility prior to one year after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly.

"Smart Grid" means investments and policies that together promote one or more of the following goals:

1. Increased use of digital information and controls technology to improve reliability, security, and efficiency of the electric grid.
2. Dynamic optimization of grid operations and resources, with full cyber security.
3. Deployment and integration of distributed resources and generation, including renewable resources.
4. Development and incorporation of demand-response, demand-side resources, and energy efficiency resources.
5. Deployment of "smart" technologies (real-time, automated, interactive technologies that optimize the physical operation of appliances and consumer devices) for metering, communications concerning grid operations and status, and distribution automation.
6. Integration of "smart" appliances and consumer devices.
7. Deployment and integration of advanced electricity storage and peak-shaving technologies, including plug-in electric and hybrid electric vehicles, thermal-storage air conditioning and renewable energy generation.
8. Provision to consumers of timely information and control options.
9. Development of open access standards for communication and interoperability of appliances and equipment connected to the electric grid, including the infrastructure serving the grid.
10. Identification and lowering of unreasonable or unnecessary barriers to adoption of Smart Grid technologies, practices, services, and business models that support energy efficiency, demand-response, and distributed generation.