Energy Storage FAQs Summer 2026 - FAQs | Illinois Power Agency RFPs

FAQ-Energy Storage-66

Q: Will interest be paid for cash submitted as bid assurance collateral?

As provided in Paragraph IV.2.4 of the RFP Rules, as part of the requirements for submitting bid assurance collateral in the form of cash for a Company, such Budder “must acknowledge that no interest will be paid for cash submitted as bid assurance collateral to the Company and that the Company may comingle any cash submitted with other funds. A representative of the Bidder makes these acknowledgements by completing the Cash Insert for the applicable Company prepared for this purpose and available on the procurement website.”

07-23-2026

Bid Assurance Collateral Part 2 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-65

Q: Can you give more details on the initial Performance Assurance to be posted under the ISC Contract if Seller is not eligible for unsecured credit?

If the Bid for a Project in the AIC procurement event is selected by the bid evaluation procedure and approved by the Commission, the Seller will execute the ISC Contract with AIC. If the Bid for a Project in the ComEd procurement event is selected by the bid evaluation procedure and approved by the Commission, the Seller will execute the ISC Contract with ComEd. The amount of the Performance Assurance is defined in Section 7.1 of the ISC Contract. “The amount of such Seller’s Performance Assurance shall be equal to the positive difference, if any, between: (a) the Collateral Requirement (or Increased Collateral Requirement, if applicable); and (b) the Collateral Threshold, as estimated by Buyer (“Performance Assurance Amount”).”

For an entity that is not eligible for unsecured credit under the ISC Contract, the Collateral Threshold is $0. The Collateral Requirement for the Project prior to Commercial Operation Date (“COD”), as defined in the ISC Contract, is $50,000 times the Proposed Contract Capacity. On or after COD, the Collateral Requirement will decline pursuant to Table A under Section 1.11 of the ISC Contract.

A Seller with a Project with an approved Bid must meet the creditworthiness requirements under the ISC Contract within fifteen (15) business days of the Illinois Commerce Commission decision on the results of the procurement event.

07-22-2026

Contract Post-Bid Collateral

FAQ-Energy Storage-64

Q: Which individuals are allowed to make the certification required in the Bid Form?

The certification in the Bid Form must be completed and signed by an individual authorized to submit Bid(s). This individual must be the Officer of the Seller, a Representative named in the Proposal, or the individual named in the ‘Bidder Information’ section on the General Information tab of the Bid Form.

07-21-2026

Rules Bids

FAQ-Energy Storage-63

Q: Can the Company draw upon the pre-bid collateral if the Bid for a Project is selected by the evaluation procedure, and then approved by the Commission, but the Seller does not execute the ISC Contract with the Company?

As part of the Part 2 Proposal, the Seller must certify that the Bid constitutes a binding and irrevocable commitment to accept amounts paid or owed under the terms of the ISC Contract calculated using the Strike Price specified in the Bid and the Seller agrees that, if the Project is selected in the procurement event and the Seller’s Bid on that Project is approved by the Commission, the Seller will execute the ISC Contracts with the applicable Company as instructed by the Procurement Administrator. If the Bid for a Project is selected by the evaluation procedure and approved by the Commission, and the Seller fails to execute the ISC Contract, a Company may draw upon the letter of credit or a Company may draw upon a cash deposit. If bid assurance collateral was submitted for multiple Projects and a draw is required on the bid assurance collateral for one of the Projects, the amount of the draw would not exceed the amount that would have been required as bid assurance collateral for that Project alone.

07-21-2026

Bid Assurance Collateral Contract Post-Bid Process

FAQ-Energy Storage-62

Q: During the Term of the ISC Contract can a Seller replace cash posted as performance assurance with a letter of credit?

Yes, this is possible. A Seller may substitute one form of acceptable Performance Assurance for another acceptable form during the term of the ISC Contract. It is Seller’s responsibility to ensure Seller’s Performance Assurance is maintained pursuant to Article 7 of the ISC Contract.

07-21-2026

Post-Bid Collateral Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-61

Q: What is the required amount of bid assurance collateral?

The required amount of bid assurance collateral is $20,000 times the Power Capacity in MW (AC rating) for the Project.

07-21-2026

Bid Assurance Collateral

FAQ-Energy Storage-60

Q: Is it a requirement to utilize both Equity Eligible Contractors and Equity Eligible Persons to meet the Minimum Equity Standard of 10%? Or could this requirement be met using EECs or EEPs?

There is no requirement to utilize Equity Eligible Contractors (EECs) to meet the Minimum Equity Standard. As defined in the ISC Contract, “Minimum Equity Standard” means specific requirements provided in Section 1-75(c-10) of the IPA Act, for which a minimum percentage of the Project Workforce must consist of Equity Eligible Persons or Equity Eligible Contractors”.

07-21-2026

MES Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-59

Q: What is the Minimum Equity Standard? How does it relate to the Equity Accountability System?

The Minimum Equity Standard is a minimum percentage of an applicant’s project workforce that must be comprised of Equity Eligible Persons. Please see FAQ-Energy Storage-58 and FAQ-Energy Storage-57 for definitions of “Project Workforce” and “Equity Eligible Person”, respectively.

The Equity Accountability System is the umbrella suite of policy levers and standards included in the Illinois Power Agency Act that advance “priority access to the clean energy economy for businesses and workers from communities that have been excluded from economic opportunities in the energy sector, have been subject to disproportionate levels of pollution, and have disproportionately experienced negative public health outcomes” (20 ILCS 3855/1-75(c-10)). The Equity Accountability System includes the Minimum Equity Standard (“MES”), the reserved category in the Adjustable Block Program for Equity Eligible Contractors (“EECs”), and the requirements developed by the Agency to ensure “that competitive procurement processes, including utility-scale solar, utility-scale wind, and brownfield site photovoltaic projects, advance the equity goals” of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (20 ILCS 3855/1-75(c-10(3))).

The IPA, through its 2026 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan (“Long-Term Plan” or “Plan”), requires projects bidding into competitive procurements for ISC contracts to meet the MES and provides additional prioritization for projects that employ a higher percentage of Equity Eligible Persons (“EEPs”) than that required by the MES. Thus, the MES and the equity prioritization mechanism constitute the pieces of the Equity Accountability System applicable to bidders in competitive procurements, and those steps constitute full compliance with the Equity Accountability System.

The IPA created a Minimum Equity Standard (MES) webpage to provide the most up to date MES related documents, educational resources, and training materials related to MES Compliance Plans and waiver requests. Please visit the IPA Minimum Equity Standard webpage here: https://ipa.illinois.gov/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/minimum-equity-standard.html

07-21-2026

MES

FAQ-Energy Storage-58

Q: Who makes up the “project workforce” for the purpose of the MES?

Under the ISC Contract, “Project Workforce” means employees, contractors and their employees, and subcontractors and their employees whose job duties are directly required by or substantially related to the development, construction, and operation of the Project. This shall include both project installation workforce and workforce in administrative, sales, marketing, and technical roles where those workers’ duties are directly related to the Project. For workforce in administrative, sales, marketing and technical roles, this shall apply only if those workers are located in Illinois.

The MES applies to the Project Workforce, so if the MES is 10%, EEPs must make up 10% of the Project Workforce. Therefore, compliance with MES is based on the number of workers or employees, not the work hours performed by those employees.

07-21-2026

MES Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-57

Q: Who qualifies as an Equity Eligible Person?

The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (“CEJA”) defines an equity eligible person as:

1. Persons who graduate from or are current or former participants in the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, the Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program, the Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprenticeship Program, the Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program, or the Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator Program, and the solar training pipeline and multi-cultural jobs program created in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(3) of Section 16-108.21 of the Public Utilities Act;

2. Persons who are graduates of or currently enrolled in the foster care system;

3. Persons who were formerly incarcerated; [or]

4. Persons whose primary residence is in an equity investment eligible community. (20 ILCS 3855/1-10).

A person may fall into multiple categories or only one; a person does not need to have participated in a CEJA- or FEJA-funded training program in order to be an EEP if they qualify under one of the other categories.

An “equity investment eligible community” is defined by CEJA as:

1. R3 Areas as established pursuant to Section 10-40 of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, where residents have historically been excluded from economic opportunities, including opportunities in the energy sector; and

2. Environmental justice communities, as defined by the Illinois Power Agency pursuant to the Illinois Power Agency Act, where residents have historically been subject to disproportionate burdens of pollution, including pollution from the energy sector. (20 ILCS 3855/1-10).

A map of R3 Areas can be found here, a map of environmental justice communities can be found here, and the Equity Investment Eligible Community Map that combines EJ and R3 areas can be found here.

07-21-2026

MES

FAQ-Energy Storage-56

Q: What is the Energy Workforce Equity Portal? What role does it play in a Seller’s Compliance Plan and outreach efforts?

CEJA directs the IPA to develop an Energy Workforce Portal in consultation with the Department of Commerce and Economic Development that consists of a searchable database of vendors, suppliers, and contractors that are minority and women-owned business enterprise certified or are certified as EECs. The IPA’s Energy Workforce Equity Portal is designed to help connect clean energy companies with Equity Eligible Persons looking to work in the clean energy sector in Illinois. Developers of clean energy projects can use this portal to advertise clean energy jobs and to search for Equity Eligible Persons seeking employment, as Equity Eligible Persons register on the portal. Developers can also use the portal to apply to qualify as an Equity Eligible Contractor. Please visit the IPA Energy Workforce Equity Portal here.

The Energy Workforce Equity Database should serve as a tool for applicants to find EEPs, but may not include the entire universe of available EEPs seeking clean energy work, since it will only list EEPs that voluntarily add their information to the database.

07-21-2026

MES

FAQ-Energy Storage-55

Q: What is the status of FEJA- and CEJA-funded workforce training programs?

The Department of Commerce and Economic Development (“DCEO”) has awarded funding for FEJA-funded workforce training programs, the management of which passed to DCEO under CEJA. CEJA also created several new workforce training programs to be managed by DCEO.

Please monitor the DCEO CEJA website for updates from the Department on its job training programs.

07-21-2026

MES

FAQ-Energy Storage-54

Q: What are the additional avenues for fulfilling the MES?

The IPA encourages applicants to utilize all possible means for identifying, recruiting, and hiring EEPs, especially those that qualify by virtue of their status as formerly incarcerated, a graduate of the foster care system, or a resident of an equity investment eligible community. The Long-Term Plan outlined several strategies that may be useful:

· Working with State-approved job training and workforce development programs to recruit EEPs and provide evidence of outreach

· Maintaining applications of individuals not selected for an opening for contact regarding future project openings

· Participating in job fairs and related local community events to recruit a diverse workforce

· Continuing utilization the Energy Workforce Equity Portal

· Outreach on various platforms of targeted social media, engagement in direct outreach to relevant associations or organizations to notify them of the project opportunity. (2026 Long-Term Plan at page 410).

The IPA cannot provide advice to bidders regarding the specifics of a recruitment strategy or point an entity toward specific organizations or events where it might recruit EEPs.

07-21-2026

MES

FAQ-Energy Storage-53

Q: What reports are required to comply with MES?

Under Section 6.4 of the ISC Contract, to demonstrate compliance with the MES the following reports must be submitted to the IPA, if applicable pursuant to Section 6.4(a) of the ISC Contract;

1. First MES Compliance Plan. The first MES Compliance Plan shall be submitted to the IPA within thirty (30) days of the Commission Bid Approval Date regardless of whether Construction Activities have been performed or will be performed in that delivery year. Starting with the second MES Compliance Plan, each MES Compliance Plan shall be combined with the MES Report as described in Section 6.4(c)(ii) due on July 15 each year.

2. MES Compliance Plan and MES Report. By July 15 of each delivery year, Seller shall submit to the IPA a combined report for the MES Compliance Plan and the MES Report. The submission shall include a backward-looking MES Report (for entities to demonstrate how they achieved MES compliance in the previous delivery year), as well as a forward-looking MES Compliance Plan (for entities to demonstrate how they will achieve MES compliance in the new delivery year). The MES Report portion shall include data on actual performance compared to the information previously submitted as well as any major differences from the previously submitted MES Compliance Plan for such delivery year. These differences could include information such as new and innovative ways to provide employment opportunities to low-income participants and residents within the Environmental Justice Communities. The MES Compliance Plan portion shall include: (a) a narrative description of how Seller will meet the Minimum Equity Standard and a statement of intent to comply with equity accountability standards for the applicable delivery year and to hire a diverse project workforce including Equity Eligible Persons and Equity Eligible Contractors; (b) projected number of workers and the demographic breakdown by race, gender, and participation in job training or workforce development programs, or other means of compliance with the standard for Equity Eligible Persons; (c) plans for the use of Equity Eligible Contractors, if applicable; (d) Seller classification (i.e., Minority-owned, Woman-owned, Disabled-owned, Veteran-owned, Small Business, etc.), if applicable; (e) communication plan for local outreach to increase the utilization of Equity Eligible Persons and Equity Eligible Contractors; and (f) status of any corrective actions or adjustments from the prior delivery year’s MES Compliance Plan.

3. Mid-Year MES Confirmation. No later than December 1 of each delivery year, Seller shall provide to the IPA a statement confirming that Seller is on track to meet the Minimum Equity Standard and that there exist no impediments for Seller to meet the Minimum Equity Standard for such delivery year. If Seller is unable to provide such confirmation, Seller shall explain why it is unable to meet the Minimum Equity Standard for such delivery year. The Mid-Year MES Confirmation shall be submitted to IPA in accordance with procedures established by the IPA.

07-21-2026

MES Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-52

Q: Can we submit a single MES Compliance Plan for all Projects if we have multiple projects selected and approved under an Energy Storage RFP?

The Seller must submit the reports required by Section 6.4 Minimum Equity Standard of the ISC Contract to the IPA separately for each such Project.

07-21-2026

MES

FAQ-Energy Storage-51

Q: What are the consequences under the ISC Contract for failure to meet the percentage requirement of the Minimum Equity Standard?

A Minimum Equity Standard of 10% will apply under the ISC Contract to a Project selected through this RFP.

The remedies related to a failure to meet the percentage requirement of the Minimum Equity Standard (i.e., 10%) is described in Section 10.1.6 of the IPA’s 2026 long-term renewable resources procurement plan (the “Long-Term Plan”), which is pasted below for your convenience. Further, please also note that Section 1-75(c-30) of the IPA Act provides the following: “……If the Agency concludes the entity has not met or maintained its minimum equity standards required under the applicable subparagraphs under subsection (c-10), the Agency shall deny the entity’s ability to participate in procurement programs in subsection (c), including by withholding approved vendor or designee status.”

As set forth in Section 6.4(d) of the ISC Contract, “no other remedies are contemplated under the ISC Contract for Seller’s failure to comply with the Minimum Equity Standard requirements”. As such, failure to meet the percentage requirement of the Minimum Equity Standard is not an event of default leading to contract termination or forfeiture of the performance assurance under the ISC Contract.

As noted above, and for your convenience, Section 10.1.6 of the 2026 Long-Term Plan provides that:

“If the IPA determines that an Approved Vendor, Designee, or Competitive Procurement Supplier has failed to comply with the applicable MES requirements, the entity will be notified and may face disciplinary action.

The Agency may impose consequences for violations by program participants, including, but not limited to the following:

1. Notice of Potential Violation;

2. Provision and implementation of a Corrective Action Plan;

3. Suspension of the entity’s ability to submit project applications to IPA programs or to participate in competitive procurements until compliance is achieved; and

4. For repeated violations – suspension of the entity’s ability to participate in IPA programs for an entire Program/delivery year or more or to participate in future competitive procurement events.

If an Approved Vendor or Designee in Illinois Shines fails to comply with any of the MES requirements, the entity will receive a Notice of Potential Violation (“NOPV”). If, after receiving the NOPV, the entity still does not meet the Agency’s requirements, the Agency will issue an official warning letter to the entity. If the entity does not come into compliance after receiving a warning letter, it will be issued a suspension letter.

If the Agency initially determines that a Competitive Procurement Supplier has failed to comply with the requisite MES, the Agency will notify the entity in writing. Following communication of this initial determination, the IPA may request any additional reports, information, and documentation that are reasonably necessary to determine compliance. If the requested materials are not received by the Agency within 21 days, the Agency may render a finding of noncompliance. Requests for an extension for more time to provide such additional information must be made prior any deadlines and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Suspensions of an Approved Vendor or Designee in Illinois Shines will be noted on the Program website’s lists of Approved Vendors and Designees, as well listed on the disciplinary actions report and in the Energy Workforce Equity Portal. Suspensions of Competitive Procurement Suppliers will be noted on the Procurement Administrator’s website, as well as the Energy Workforce Equity Portal.”

Please see Section 6.4 of the ISC Contract as well as the FAQs page for additional information on the MES including requirements, compliance plans, and waiver requests.

07-21-2026

MES Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-50

Q: What information will be publicly disclosed for winning applications?

Please see paragraph VI.2.15. of the RFP Rules. At the time of Commission approval of a procurement event, the names and contact information of winning Bidders, the average of the winning Bid prices, and the business address and power capacity (MW) of the Project are made public. The Public Utilities Act states that participants in the procurement process will maintain the confidentiality of all other supplier and bidding information.

07-21-2026

Results Post-Bid Process

FAQ-Energy Storage-49

Q: Can we provide an alternative form of bid assurance collateral, such as a surety bond?

Bid assurance collateral, which is due with the Part 2 Proposal, must be submitted in the form of cash or a letter of credit. Surety bonds are not an accepted form of bid assurance collateral.

07-21-2026

Bid Assurance Collateral Part 2 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-48

Q: Can the Bidder submit multiple Bids for a project?

Please see paragraph IV.6.1 of the RFP Rules which states, “Only one Bid may be submitted for a Project.”

07-21-2026

Bids Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-47

Q: What is the timeline for executing the ISC Contract?

Please refer to paragraph VI.2.16 of the RFP Rules for details on the timeline for executing the ISC Contract:

If a Seller has a Bid on a Project approved in the AIC procurement event, AIC prepares and sends a partially executed electronic copy of the ISC Contract and related documents to the Seller, as applicable. If a Seller has a Bid on a Project approved in the ComEd procurement event, ComEd prepares and sends a partially executed electronic copy of the ISC Contract and related documents to the Seller, as applicable. The applicable Company expects to provide such documents to Seller on the same day as the Commission approval, but no later than by 12 PM (noon) on the first business day after the Commission decision. The effective date of the ISC Contract shall be the date of the Commission approval of the results of the procurement event. It is expected that the signatory named in the Contract Insert for the applicable Company’s ISC Contract will sign a copy of the partially executed ISC Contract and related documents. If this individual is not available to sign the ISC Contract and related documents, the Seller will advise the applicable Company(s) of this fact, will name another individual to sign the ISC Contract and related documents, and will confirm that this individual is an officer, a director, or an individual otherwise authorized to undertake contracts (including the applicable supplier contract documents) and bind the Seller.

By 12 PM (noon) CPT (1 PM Eastern Prevailing Time) on the third business day after the Commission decision, the Seller executes the signature pages of the partially executed ISC Contracts and related documents and sends such fully executed signature pages to the applicable Company electronically. Creditworthiness requirements under the applicable ISC Contract must be met within fifteen (15) business days after the Commission decision in accordance with the terms of the ISC Contract. Upon execution of the ISC Contracts and related documents in counterparts by both parties, such ISC Contracts and related documents are fully executed.

The Procurement Administrator will provide instructions to each Bidder qualified pursuant to a successful Part 1 Proposal for executing and completing the ISC Contract should the Bidder have Bids on Projects that are approved by the Commission for a procurement event.

07-21-2026

Contract Post-Bid Process

FAQ-Energy Storage-46

Q: Can office staff related to the Project may be included in the Project Workforce for purposes of the Minimum Equity Standard (MES) requirements?

Yes, office staff related to the Project may be included in the Project Workforce for purposes of the Minimum Equity Standard (MES) requirements, provided they are located in Illinois.

As the MES of 10% is a contractual obligation, please rely on definition of “Project Workforce” in Section 1.83 of the ISC Contract for purposes of determining the percentage of EEPs in the Project Workforce:

“’Project Workforce’ means employees, contractors and their employees, and subcontractors and their employees whose job duties are directly required by or substantially related to the development, construction, and operation of the Project. This shall include both project installation workforce and workforce in administrative, sales, marketing, and technical roles where those workers’ duties are directly related to the Project. For workforce in administrative, sales, marketing and technical roles, this shall apply only if those workers are located in Illinois.”

07-21-2026

MES

FAQ-Energy Storage-45

Q: Is the Minimum Equity Standard (“MES”) of 10% subject to increase under the Term of the ISC Contract?

A Minimum Equity Standard (“MES”) of 10% will apply under the ISC Contract to a Project selected through the RFP. At least 10% of the Project Workforce in each applicable delivery year shall be Equity Eligible Persons or Equity Eligible Contractors, as these terms are defined in the ISC Contract.

For Contracts executed under this Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP, the minimum percentage indicated in the Product Order for the Minimum Equity Standard shall not change during the term of the ISC Contract.

Please review paragraph III.2.3 of the RFP Rules and Section 6.4 of the ISC Contract for additional information.

07-21-2026

MES Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-44

Q: Can a Bidder with multiple Projects in a procurement event submit a single Letter of Credit to meet the Bid Assurance Collateral requirement or is Bid Assurance Collateral required to be posted separately for each Project?

Please refer to paragraph IV.2.2 of the RFP Rules:

“A Bidder that submits Proposals for multiple Projects in a procurement event may post bid assurance collateral by effecting a single wire transfer or a single Pre-Bid Letter of Credit for all Projects in that procurement event. In this case, to determine the amount of bid assurance collateral across all Projects, the amount of bid assurance collateral for each Project should be calculated and then the amounts, each already rounded up to the nearest $100, should be summed across all Projects in that procurement event. The amount of bid assurance collateral required is $20,000 times the Power Capacity (MW) for the Project.

For the Bidder to be able to submit a Bid on a Project, the Bidder must have submitted bid assurance collateral to the applicable Company in an amount that is sufficient given the Project size. In the case where a Bidder submits Proposals for multiple Projects in a procurement event and elects to effect a wire transfer or to submit a Pre-Bid Letter of Credit that covers two (2) or more of the Bidder’s Projects, then if the Bidder fails to provide bid assurance collateral, or if the amount of the bid assurance collateral is insufficient for all of the Bidder’s Projects in that procurement event, the Part 2 Proposals for all of the Bidder’s Projects in that procurement event will be considered deficient.”

07-21-2026

Rules Bid Assurance Collateral Part 2 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-43

Q: Are the Seller and the Bidder required to be the same entity?

No, the Seller and the Bidder named in the Part 1 Proposal may be different entities.

The “Seller” is an entity that submits a bid for the Project and that will be the signatory to the ISC Contract if the bid for the Project is selected through this RFP and the bid is approved by the Commission.

The “Bidder” is the entity submitting the Proposal. The Bidder may present a Proposal for one (1) or multiple Projects with the same or different Sellers in a single procurement event or in both procurement events. If the Bidder and Seller are different entities, the Bidder must be a parent or an affiliate of the Seller and must have a Role in the Project. If an entity is involved in multiple Projects in a procurement event, this entity must serve as the Bidder and present the Proposals for all such Projects in that procurement event. If several entities are all involved in multiple Projects in a procurement event, one (1) of these entities must be selected to present the Proposals for all such Projects and serve as the Bidder in that procurement event.

07-21-2026

Part 1 Proposal Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-42

Q: What are the confidentiality certifications required with the Part 2 Proposal?

The Officer of the Seller and the Representatives of the Bidder are responsible for ensuring that the confidentiality of the Proposal is properly maintained. The Bidder or the Seller may communicate with a financial institution for purposes of arranging the posting of bid assurance collateral and may communicate with contractors, subcontractors, or other parties for purposes of meeting labor-related requirements. Other than such communications, the Officer of the Seller and the Representatives of the Bidder are responsible for ensuring that, for the period starting with the opening of the Part 1 Window through to the Commission decision on the results of the AIC or ComEd procurement event, all Contributors named for a procurement event communicate Confidential Information relating to the Proposal only with each other and not to any other party. See FAQ-Energy Storage-39 for more information on Contributors.

The certifications related to confidentiality for the AIC and ComEd procurement events are provided in the AIC P2 Confidentiality Certifications Insert (#P2-5) and the ComEd P2 Confidentiality Certifications Insert (#P2-8) posted to the Final Materials page of the RFP website and also listed in paragraph IV.4.3 and IV.5.3 of the RFP Rules, respectively.

07-21-2026

Part 2 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-41

Q: Are energy storage systems with a power capacity less than 20 MW (AC rating) eligible to participate in the Energy Storage RFP?

Under the Energy Storage RFP, a Project must have a power capacity of at least 20 MW (AC rating). Projects with a power capacity less than 20 MW (AC rating) are not eligible to participate in the Energy Storage RFP.

07-21-2026

Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-40

Q: If the Bidder is presenting Proposals for multiple Projects in a procurement event, do we provide an aggregate list of Contributors across the Proposals for our Projects?

Yes. If the Bidder is presenting Proposals for multiple Projects in a procurement event, the Bidder must identify the same Contributors for all such Proposals within a procurement event. If the Bidder is presenting Proposals for Projects in both procurement events, the Bidder may identify a different list of Contributors for the Proposals submitted in each procurement event. It is not a breach of the confidentiality provisions for a Contributor primarily concerned with the Proposal for a Project presented by a Bidder in a procurement event to communicate Confidential Information relating to the Proposal for such Project to another Contributor who is primarily concerned with the Proposal for another Project presented by the same Bidder in a procurement event. Such Bidder is only required to submit the information regarding the Contributors once, with the first Project for which a Proposal is submitted in a procurement event.

See FAQ-Energy Storage-39 for more information on Contributors.

07-21-2026

Part 1 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-39

Q: Can you give an example of an individual that is a “Contributor” for purposes of completing the Contributor Insert (#P1-3)?

It is expected that a Contributor is a representative of an entity in the Project Team, or an adviser to the Project Team. See FAQ-Energy Storage-38 for more information on the Project Team. A “Contributor” is an individual expected to make specific and material contributions to preparing and submitting the Proposal(s) presented by the Bidder. A Contributor is privy to Confidential Information relating to the Proposal by virtue of the Contributor’s involvement in the preparation or submission of the Proposal. “Confidential Information relating to the Proposal” means any information related to the Proposal which could have an effect on whether another party submits a Proposal for a procurement event, or on the contents of such Proposal that another Bidder would be willing to submit. Such information includes but is not limited to: the fact that a Proposal is presented for the Project in this procurement event; the specific contents of the Proposal for the Project including the Bid for the Project; and the estimation of the risks associated with the terms of the ISC Contract.

The Contributors include individuals already named in the Part 1 Proposal, including the Officer of the Seller and the Representatives (and all Signatories for a Joint Venture) by default. Also, individuals employed by the Seller or by the Bidder or by a Partner of a Joint Venture Project and concerned with the Project are Contributors by default. These individuals do not need to be but may be named again in the Contributor Insert (#P1-3). If there are no other Contributors other than those already named in the Part 1 Proposal then the Bidder will indicate this fact in the seventh item of Section 1 and the Contributor Insert (#P1-3) is not required.

07-21-2026

Part 1 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-38

Q: Can you give an example of an entity that would be included on the “Project Team” for purposes of completing the Project Team Insert (#P1-2)?

The “Project Team” is a list of entities currently involved in the development, construction, financing, or operation of the Project, i.e., entities that have a Role in the Project. The Project Team includes the Bidder and the Seller. The Project Team is not expected to include entities whose anticipated role in the development of the Project would begin after the Commission decision on the procurement event or whose role was already completed as of the opening of the Part 1 Window.

07-21-2026

Part 1 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-37

Q: Does bid assurance collateral in the form of cash need to be a wire transfer, or would ACH be acceptable?

Bid assurance collateral, which is due with the Part 2 Proposal, must be submitted in the form of cash or a letter of credit. For Projects that qualified through a successful Part 1 Proposal for the AIC procurement event, the participant must submit bid assurance collateral to AIC. For Projects that qualified through a successful Part 1 Proposal for the ComEd procurement event, the participant must submit bid assurance collateral to ComEd

Whether providing bid assurance collateral in the form cash or a letter of credit for a Company, the Bidder must follow all instructions provided by the Procurement Administrator for transmission of bid assurance collateral to each Company. Such instructions are provided after submission by the Bidder of a Part 1 Proposal and by the date of the Part 1 Notification. Such instructions specify that the Bidder must provide cash by wire transfer.

07-21-2026

Bid Assurance Collateral Part 2 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-36

Q: What is an Acceptable Digital Signature?

As stated in Article III of the RFP Rules, “A digital signature together with an additional document or information that verifies the identity of the signatory is an “Acceptable Digital Signature”. Additional documentation or information may include: (i) a certificate of completion if the signatory uses DocuSign; (ii) a Final Audit Report if the signatory uses Adobe Sign; (iii) evidence that the digital signature has been certified by the signatory using a document signing certificate; or (iv) other documentation or information produced by a commercially available software that can be used by the Procurement Administrator to verify the identity of the signatory. Digital signatures without a document or information verifying the identity of the signatory are not acceptable; signature images and other electronic signatures are not acceptable.”

The Procurement Administrator posted a document named “Digital Signatures Instruction with Sample DocuSign” to the Final Materials page of the procurement website:

https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/energy-storage-final-materials

07-21-2026

Rules Part 1 Proposal Part 2 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-35

Q: Will the reference price used for calculating ISC payments be published in advance of the Bid Date?

No. The reference price used to determine payments under the ISC Contract, known as the ISC Index Reference Price, means, with respect to a given day of a Vintage Month, the sum of the ISC Reference Energy Arbitrage Price and the ISC Reference Capacity Price.

The ISC Reference Energy Arbitrage Price is based on the Locational Marginal Price, which means, with respect to a given hour, the day-ahead hourly locational marginal price associated with the ISC Delivery Point. A formula for the ISC Reference Energy Arbitrage Price is provided in Section 1.52 of the ISC Contract.

The ISC Reference Capacity Price is based on the MISO’s planning resource auction clearing price in $/MW-day (or successor) applicable to the ISC Delivery Point and applicable to the Vintage Month divided by 4 hours or the PJM’s base residual auction resource clearing price in $/MW-day (or successor) applicable to the ISC Delivery Point and applicable to the Vintage Month divided by 4 hours, as applicable.

As the ISC Reference Energy Arbitrage Price and the ISC Reference Capacity Price are each calculated using inputs established during the term of the ISC Contract and are not known prior to the Bid Date, there is no reference price to publish in advance.

For more information on the ISC payment mechanism, please review slides 21-23 of the Bidder Information Webcast for the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP, which is posted to the Final Materials page of the procurement website.

07-15-2026

Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-34

Q: When is bid assurance collateral due for a Project?

Submission of bid assurance collateral for a Project is due with the Part 2 Proposal. Part 2 Proposals are due by 12 PM (noon) CST on the Part 2 Date, Wednesday, August 12, 2026.

The Part 2 Proposal requirements are described in Article IV of the RFP Rules. Please see Section IV.2. specifically for information related to posting bid assurance collateral. The RFP Rules is available on the Final Materials section of the procurement website here.

07-14-2026

Bid Assurance Collateral Part 2 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-33

Q: To meet the commercial readiness requirement in Paragraph III.1.8 of the RFP Rules, can we provide confirmation from an ISO that an energy facility is operational in lieu of providing a notice to proceed for that facility?

As stated in Paragraph III.1.8 of the RFP Rules,

“The Bidder must provide evidence of commercial readiness for each energy facility presented to fulfill the commercial readiness requirement. Each document provided must be dated on or after June 1, 2016.

A notice to proceed for the energy facility may be provided for this purpose. Such notice must identify an entity on the Project Team and affiliated with the Seller as the entity owning or operating the energy facility.
The Procurement Administrator will consider alternative evidence to demonstrate commercial readiness, as long as such evidence shows that an energy facility is further forward on the path to full operation than having the notice to proceed. Bidders that own or operate an energy facility that has reached its Commercial Operation Date and that was selected by a competitive procurement process held by the IPA are encouraged to include such energy facilities for purposes of meeting the commercial readiness requirement.”

Documented confirmation from an ISO that the energy facility is operational would be acceptable evidence that the energy facility is further forward on the path to full operation than having the notice to proceed. The documented confirmation must confirm that the notice to proceed for the energy facility was issued on or after June 1, 2016 or the energy facility was further forward on the path to full operation than having the notice to proceed on or after June 1, 2016. Such confirmation must identify an entity on the Project Team and affiliated with the Seller as the entity owning or operating the energy facility.

Additionally, such documented confirmation(s) must be for a facility or facilities with a combined nameplate capacity of at least 100 MW (AC rating). If the Bidder is providing such evidence for multiple energy facilities that aggregate to at least 100 MW, each energy facility must have a nameplate capacity of at least 20 MW (AC rating). There is no restriction on the location or fuel type of the energy facility.

07-10-2026

Part 1 Proposal Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-32

Q: Can a bidder provide a notice to proceed for a solar project to use towards meeting the commercial readiness requirement in the Part 1 Proposal?

The Bidder must demonstrate that the Seller, or the Bidder, or another entity on the Project Team that is affiliated with the Seller (e.g., a parent, subsidiary, or affiliate) has experience in developing energy facilities to commercial readiness. The Bidder must provide evidence of experience in developing energy facilities to commercial readiness for energy facilities with a combined nameplate capacity of at least 100 MW (AC rating). If the Bidder is providing such evidence for multiple energy facilities that aggregate to at least 100 MW, each such energy facility must have a nameplate capacity of at least 20 MW (AC rating). There is no restriction on the location or fuel type for the energy facility.

A notice to proceed for a solar project may be provided to use towards meeting the commercial readiness requirement if the solar project has a nameplate capacity of at least 20 MW (AC rating). Additionally, the document must be dated on or after June 1, 2016.

07-10-2026

Part 1 Proposal Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-31

Q: When is the bid assurance collateral returned if we submit a Bid and the Project is selected and in the case the Project is not selected?

All bid assurance collateral remains in place until the Commission has rendered a decision on the results of the procurement event. For Bidders that have Bids on Projects approved by the Commission in either the AIC or the ComEd procurement event, bid assurance collateral remains in place with a Company until all of the following have occurred: (i) full execution of the ISC Contract with the Company; (ii) posting of Seller’s Performance Assurance under the ISC Contract with the Company; and (iii) receipt of payment of the Supplier Fees by the IPA. The Commission is expected to render its decision on the results of the procurement event on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

If the Bid for a Project is not selected by the evaluation procedure, the bid assurance collateral for that Project will be returned as stated in Paragraph V.2.18 of the RFP Rules, “A Pre-Bid Letter of Credit will expire on the date stated as part of its terms, twenty-one (21) business days after the anticipated date of the Commission decision on the procurement events and cash provided as bid assurance collateral will be returned in the same general timeframe.” Return of cash tendered as bid assurance to a Company is not initiated until the Company receives a fully executed request for return of cash in a form acceptable to the Company. AIC requires additionally that an account in AIC's vendor portal be set up for the entity to which cash is returned. Please note that for a Bidder who is not yet set up on AIC’s portal used for the return of cash, account set up may take six (6) business days after the ICC’s decision on the procurement results.

Please note that cash posted as bid assurance collateral under the RFP may be used towards meeting the performance assurance requirement under the contract. In this case, the Bidder needs only to make a second wire for the difference between the performance assurance requirement and the bid assurance collateral already posted. A Bidder indicates whether it elects for cash to be retained by applicable Company in the AIC or ComEd Contract Insert, as applicable depending on the procurement event in which the Project participates, as further described in paragraphs IV.4.1 and IV.5.1 of the Energy Storage RFP Rules, respectively.

Please see paragraph IV.2.3. of the RFP Rules for the conditions under which a draw on cash posted as bid assurance collateral may be made.

Please see FAQ-Energy Storage-30 for additional information on the return of bid assurance collateral if the Bidder chooses to not submit a Bid on the Bid date.

07-09-2026

Bid Assurance Collateral Post-Bid Process

FAQ-Energy Storage-30

Q: Will a Bidder’s bid assurance collateral be returned in full if they choose not to submit a Bid on the Bid date?

If a Bidder posts bid assurance collateral by the Part 2 Date and does not submit a Bid on the Bid Date, the full amount of the bid assurance collateral will be returned within the timeframes provided in the Energy Storage RFP as if the Bid for the Project was not selected. All bid assurance collateral remains in place until the Commission has rendered a decision on the results of the procurement event. The Commission renders its decision on the results of the AIC and ComEd procurement events on Tuesday, September 1, 2026.

A Company may draw upon the letter of credit or a cash deposit if: (i) the Bidder or a Seller has disclosed information relating to the Proposal for a Project publicly or to any other party (excluding disclosures required by a federal, state, or local agency, or by a court of competent jurisdiction) before the Illinois Commerce Commission has rendered its decision on the results of the procurement event; or (ii) the Bidder or a Seller has made a material omission or misrepresentation in the Part 1 Proposal or the Part 2 Proposal for a Project submitted in connection with the procurement event; or (iii) a Seller has failed to execute the applicable supplier contract for a Project within three (3) business days of being notified that the Illinois Commerce Commission has approved the Bid on that Project or has failed to meet the creditworthiness requirements of the applicable supplier contract within fifteen (15) business days of such Illinois Commerce Commission decision; or (iv) the Bidder or a Seller has failed to pay to the Illinois Power Agency the applicable Supplier Fee for a Project within seven (7) business days of being notified that the Illinois Commerce Commission has approved the Bid on that Project.

Please see FAQ-Energy Storage-31 for additional information on timing of the return of bid assurance collateral.

07-09-2026

Bid Assurance Collateral Part 2 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-29

Q: Does the ISC Contract prohibit Seller from selling the capacity associated with the Project through a separate bi-lateral agreement? Is Seller required to disclose such an agreement under Section 5.7 of the ISC Contract?

The ISC Contract does not prohibit Seller from selling the capacity associated with the Project through a separate bi-lateral agreement. The Seller must disclose such an agreement to the IPA, within thirty (30) days of receipt or commitment, as described in Section 5.7 of the ISC Contract. Section 5.7 states “Seller shall disclose to IPA, within thirty (30) days of receipt or commitment, any corporate offtake payments or other economic support received or anticipated for the Project that compensates for development costs, operating costs, capacity value, or for the availability, operations or performance of the Project during the Term of this Agreement, except for payments received from the RTO.”

07-09-2026

Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-28

Q: Will stakeholders have an opportunity to provide comments on elements of future procurement events held in 2027 and 2028?

The eligibility criteria and other procurement elements for the future procurements in 2027 and 2028 will be developed in accordance with requirements in CRGA, and will be informed by the results of the Integrated Resources Planning Process and stakeholder feedback.

· Keep up with IRP process here:

https://www.icc.illinois.gov/informal-processes/Integrated-Resource-Plan

· Updates on future energy storage procurements will be posted here:

https://ipa.illinois.gov/renewableresources/energy-storage.html

· Sign up for IPA email updates here:

https://ipa.illinois.gov/recent-announcements/sign-up-for-ourannouncements-and-newsletter.html

07-07-2026

General

FAQ-Energy Storage-27

Q: Can an energy storage resource associated with a solar photovoltaic system participate in the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP?

A Project in the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP must be a Stand-alone energy storage resource. “Stand-alone” is defined in the IPA Act as systems that are (i) separately metered by a revenue-quality meter that satisfies the requirements of the RTO; (ii) operate independently without constraints or hindrances from other generation units; and (iii) demonstrate the ability to charge and discharge independent of any generation unit output.

As part of the Proposal, an Officer of the Seller will be required to certify that the Project is a new Stand-alone energy storage resource as this term is defined in the IPA Act and the Seller has made all investigations it deems necessary to make this determination. The presence of an existing generation unit at the same location as the Project may not impact the Seller’s ability to make this certification.

07-07-2026

Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-26

Q: Can a Bidder propose modifications to the final ISC Contract issued on June 29, 2026?

The final ISC Contract issued on June 29, 2026 is final for the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP and no further comments or proposed modifications will be accepted. Each Seller must accept the terms of the ISC Contract as a condition of participation.

Stakeholder feedback was received through three stakeholder workshops and two rounds of written comments held from March through June 2026 and was considered in finalizing the ISC Contract that was issued on June 29, 2026.

07-07-2026

General Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-25

Q: Will the Commercial Operations Deadline of December 31, 2029 be the same for future procurements?

The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (“CRGA”) establishes an initial target of 3,000 MW of cumulative nameplate capacity committed to reaching commercial operation by December 31, 2030. This timeline under CRGA would be considered for future procurements. No specific Commercial Operations Deadlines for future procurements have been determined at this time.

07-07-2026

General

FAQ-Energy Storage-24

Q: Can a Project interconnected in MISO LRZ3 participate in the Energy Storage RFP?

Pursuant to the IPA Act and as stated in Paragraph I.2.3 of the RFP Rules, “Projects must be physically interconnected with the transmission system operated by MISO or PJM and must be interconnected within the MISO LRZ 4 or the PJM ComEd LDA, which will determine whether the Project qualifies for participation in the AIC procurement event or the ComEd procurement event, respectively.” As such, a Project interconnected with MISO LRZ3 would not be eligible to participate.

07-07-2026

Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-23

Q: Can a Project participate in the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP if the Project is expected to achieve Commercial Operation after December 31, 2029?

If the Project has not yet achieved Commercial Operation as of the submission of the Part 1 Proposal, the expected Commercial Operation Date must be on or before December 31, 2029. As part of the Part 1 Proposals, an Officer of the Seller will be required to certify that the Project has reached the appropriate development milestones to fully expect that the Project will achieve Commercial Operations by December 31, 2029.

07-07-2026

Rules Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-22

Q: For what purpose are the disclosures of additional support to the IPA as required by Section 5.7 of the ISC Contract?

Information disclosed pursuant to Section 5.7 of the ISC Contract is for informational purposes only. As stated in the ISC Contract, “Information submitted pursuant to this Section 5.7 is intended solely for review by the IPA.”

07-07-2026

Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-21

Q: Are Projects with a duration of greater than 4 hours of continuous discharge (e.g., 6) eligible to participate in the Energy Storage RFP?

As part of the initial and ongoing operational requirements for the Project described in Sections 2.5 and 2.6 of the ISC Contract, the Project must have a duration of four (4) hours of continuous discharge. This requirement is based on the 2025 Staff Report submitted by ICC Staff in accordance with the requirements of Section 16-135(g) of the Public Utilities Act. Public Act 104-0458 (the “Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act” or “CRGA”) directs this initial procurement to adopt an indexed storage credit contract and process modeled after the process from this report.

07-07-2026

Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-20

Q: Is the Buyer purchasing energy, capacity, ancillary services, or the Project itself through the ISC Contract?

Buyer is not purchasing energy, capacity, ancillary services, or the Project itself. Seller owns and operates the Project and may independently participate (or not participate) in wholesale energy, capacity, and ancillary service markets.

07-07-2026

Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-19

Q: When is Performance Assurance Collateral due?

Creditworthiness requirements under the ISC Contract must be met within fifteen (15) business days after the Commission decision in accordance the terms of the ISC Contract.

07-07-2026

Post-Bid Collateral

FAQ-Energy Storage-18

Q: How much is the Bid Participation Fee and Supplier Fee and who is required to pay these fees?

The Bidder is required to pay a non-refundable Bid Participation Fee of $10,000 to the IPA for each Project presented in the RFP. The Bid Participation Fee is due by the Part 1 Date and such Bidder must provide evidence of compliance with this requirement with its Part 1 Proposal. The Procurement Administrator will issue instructions for the payment of the Bid Participation Fee prior to the opening of the Part 1 Window that will include the available methods of payment. Instructions for submission of the Bid Participation Fee are available from the Procurement Administrator upon request.

Projects with winning Bids approved by the Commission will be assessed a Supplier Fee per MW that reflects a portion of the cost of conducting the procurement events. The exact amount of the Supplier Fee per MW will be announced no later than two (2) business days before the Bid Date. Payment of the Supplier Fees to the IPA by the Bidder or Seller will be due within seven (7) business days after Commission approval of the Bids. An estimate of the Supplier Fee per MW was provided in the bidder information webcast held on June 30, 2026, which is posted to the Final Materials page of the Energy Storage section of the procurement website.

07-07-2026

General Part 1 Proposal Post-Bid Process

FAQ-Energy Storage-17

Q: How are benchmarks calculated?

The Act requires that benchmarks are kept confidential. Benchmarks are developed by the Procurement Administrator, in consultation with the IPA, the Procurement Monitor, and the ICC staff. The benchmark is subject to review and approval by the Commission.

The Act states that, “The Agency shall procure cost-effective energy storage credits or other contract instruments intended to facilitate the successful development of energy storage projects. The procurement administrator shall establish confidential price benchmarks based on publicly available data on regional technology costs. Confidential price benchmarks shall be developed by the procurement administrator, in consultation with Commission staff, Agency staff, and the procurement monitor, and shall be subject to Commission review and approval. Price benchmarks shall reflect development costs, financing costs, and related costs resulting from requirements imposed through other provisions of State law. As used in this paragraph (5), "cost-effective" means a bidder's bid price that does not exceed confidential price benchmarks.”

07-07-2026

General

FAQ-Energy Storage-16

Q: Will a Project with a Strike Price that fails to meet or beat the benchmark for the procurement event be eliminated from consideration under the evaluation procedure?

All Projects with Strike Prices that fail to meet or beat the benchmark for the procurement event are eliminated from further consideration. The evaluation procedure is described in paragraph V.2.9.

07-07-2026

Bid Evaluation

FAQ-Energy Storage-15

Q: Where can I find materials from the bidder information webcast?

The Procurement Administrator posted the presentation materials and the audio recording from the bidder information webcast held on June 30, 2026 to the Final Materials page of the Energy Storage section of the procurement website.

07-07-2026

General

FAQ-Energy Storage-14

Q: How will the ISC Contract account for potential delays in project development that arise from interconnection or permitting delays?

The ISC Contract addresses development delay primarily through the Commercial Operations Deadline provisions in Section 2.3 of the ISC Contract. The baseline requirement is that the Project is expected to achieve Commercial Operations by December 31, 2029. However, the Contract provides a defined one-time extension mechanism: if Seller submits a written extension request before December 31, 2029 and posts Performance Assurance sufficient to satisfy the Increased Collateral Requirement by that date, the Commercial Operations Deadline is extended to December 31, 2030. Beyond that, the rights and obligations of the Parties are governed by the terms of the ISC Contract, and any determination regarding the applicability of those provisions would necessarily depend on the specific facts and circumstances. Under the ISC Contract, further extensions are not generally available for ordinary development, interconnection or permitting delays.

07-07-2026

Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-13

Q: How do I register for an account(s) to participate in the AIC or ComEd procurement event under the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP?

To register for an account(s) to participate in the AIC or ComEd procurement event under the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP, please complete and submit the Qualification Registration form on the Contact Us page of the RFP website found here: https://www.ipa-energyrfp.com/forms/qualification-registration.

07-07-2026

Part 1 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-12

Q: Are we required to submit a separate Proposal for each Project?

A separate Proposal must be submitted for each Project. Each Project in the ComEd procurement event must be associated with a unique interconnection request with PJM (i.e. a Project under PJM’s New Services Requests process must be associated with a unique Queue/OASIS ID issued by PJM). Each project in the AIC procurement event must be associated with a unique interconnection request with MISO (i.e. a Project under a MISO Definitive Planning Phase (DPP) cycle must be associated with a unique Project Number issued by MISO). The Part 1 Proposal requirements related to interconnection, including required information and supporting documentation, is provided in paragraph III.4.1 and III.5.1 of the RFP Rules, respectively, for the AIC and ComEd procurement events.

07-07-2026

Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-11

Q: Can a Project that will be physically interconnected to the distribution system and complete the interconnection process with AIC participate in the AIC procurement event if it is located in Illinois and within MISO LRZ 4?

An energy storage resource physically interconnected with a distribution system is not eligible to participate in the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP.

As part of the Part 1 Proposal for a Project participating in the AIC procurement event, an officer of the Seller will be required to certify that the Project is interconnected within LRZ 4 as defined by MISO, and the physical interconnection is with the transmission system operated by MISO and is not with a distribution system. Additionally, as part of the Part 1 Proposal, the Bidder must provide the Project Number issued by MISO under a Definitive Planning Phase (DPP) cycle. If the Project does not have a Project Number under a DPP cycle, the Bidder must provide evidence that the Project has been accepted into an alternative MISO interconnection process as described in paragraph III.4.1 of the RFP Rules.

07-07-2026

Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-10

Q: Where can I find the qualifying Energy Transition Community Grant Areas for the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP?

A list of the qualifying plants and mines associated with the Energy Transition Community Grant Areas for the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP were posted to the Final Materials page of the procurement website on June 29, 2026 as Appendix 14 to the RFP Rules.

07-01-2026

Part 1 Proposal Rules

FAQ-Energy Storage-9

Q: Can the Procurement Administrator provide a sample of a confidentiality agreement and a confidentiality process that Bidders and Sellers can use, at their option, to ensure that the confidentiality of the Proposal is properly maintained in accordance with the Energy Storage RFP by the Contributors identified in the Proposal?

The Officer of the Seller and the Representatives of the Bidder are responsible for ensuring that, for the period starting with the opening of the Part 1 Window through the Commission decision on the results of a procurement event, all Contributors communicate Confidential Information relating to the Proposals only with each other and not to any other party. In the Part 2 Proposal, the Officer of the Seller and a representative of the Bidder are required to acknowledge this obligation and to certify that all necessary measures to meet this obligation have been undertaken.

Attached is a sample of a confidentiality agreement and a confidentiality process that Bidders and Sellers can use, at their option, to ensure that the confidentiality of the Proposal is properly maintained in accordance with the Energy Storage RFP. It is not a requirement of the Proposal to provide evidence of use of this sample or process. These documents are provided for the convenience of Bidders and Sellers.

06-29-2026

Rules Part 1 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-8

Q: Are there any requirements for Interconnection Service to be Network Resource Interconnection Service or Energy Resource Interconnection Service?

There is no specific requirement related to NRIS or ERIS status under the ISC Contract.

05-15-2026

Rules Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-7

Q: Can a Seller with a Project selected in the RFP develop additional battery storage adjacent to the Project and sell capacity from that addition under a different arrangement?

A “Project” that would be eligible to participate in the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP is a new “Stand-alone” energy storage resource. As defined in the Act, Stand-alone means systems that are (i) separately metered by a revenue-quality meter that satisfies the requirements of the RTO; (ii) operate independently without constraints or hindrances from other generation units; and (iii) demonstrate the ability to charge and discharge independent of any generation unit output.

An energy storage resource selected in the RFP must continue to meet this definition during the term of the ISC Contract. Thus, there would be no prohibition to develop additional battery storage adjacent to the Project, as long as it does not impact any of the conditions from the definition above and in particular, the additional battery storage must have a separate revenue quality meter.

05-12-2026

Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-6

Q: Are Projects using PJM’s Surplus Interconnection Service eligible to participate in the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP?

Please refer to Section III.5.1. of the RFP Rules for the Part 1 Proposal requirements for Projects that are using PJM’s Surplus Interconnection Service (SIS) process. The Bidder must provide documented evidence issued by PJM that the Project has been accepted into the SIS process. Additionally, the Bidder must explain the milestones that have been completed under the SIS process and the steps and timeline remaining for the Project to complete the SIS process. The explanation must provide reasonable assurances that the Project will achieve Commercial Operations by December 31, 2029.

05-08-2026

Rules Part 1 Proposal

FAQ-Energy Storage-5

Q: Will the ISC Reference Energy Arbitrage Price ($/MWh) and the ISC Reference Capacity Price ($/MWh) be calculated based ISC Delivery Point or a pnode specific to the Project?

Under the ISC Contract, the ISC Reference Energy Arbitrage Price ($/MWh) and the ISC Reference Capacity Price ($/MWh) will be calculated based on the ISC Delivery Point, either MISO CP Node AMIL.BGS6 or PJM Pnode ID 116472935 COMED_RESID_AGG as applicable, and not based on the pnode specific to the Project. The ISC Delivery Point will be an input to the Product Order.

04-27-2026

Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-4

Q: What will be the cadence of future procurements?

Please refer to the FAQ posted to the Energy Storage section of the IPA website.

This will be determined after the initial 2026 procurement has taken place. Timing of future procurements will necessarily follow timing outlined in CRGA which notes that procurements “shall be conducted in calendar years 2027 and 2028” in order to meet the 3,000 MW goal and that “the Agency shall conduct additional energy storage procurements in 2028, 2029, 2030” if, through the integrated resource planning process set to conclude in 2027, it is determined that more storage resources are needed beyond the 3,000 MW goal set by CRGA.

04-13-2026

General

FAQ-Energy Storage-3

Q: Will the utility apply for and maintain Network Integration Transmission Service (NITS) on behalf of the Project, including providing transmission service coverage for charging load, and will the utility bear the cost of any network upgrades associated with transmission service or interconnection?

The Agreement does not address NITS and does not require the utility to provide or maintain transmission service coverage for charging load. Likewise, the Agreement does not alter the default allocation of network upgrade costs under the applicable interconnection and transmission service arrangements. Accordingly, participants should not assume that NITS coverage will be provided by the utility or that network upgrade costs will be borne by the utility unless otherwise provided under separate arrangements or applicable tariff provisions.

For current provisions related to ComEd, please see the PJM OATT, Attachment M-2 for ComEd. OATT, OATT Attachment M-2 (ComEd)Determination of Capacity Peak Load Contributions and Network Service Peak Load Contributions

For current provisions related to AIC, please see the BPM 13 – Module B – Transmission Service Business Practice Manual for MISO.

04-03-2026

Contract

FAQ-Energy Storage-2

Q: Will the stakeholder workshops be recorded?

Recordings of the presentation portions of the stakeholder workshops will be posted to the Draft Documents page of the Energy Storage section of the procurement website.

03-20-2026

General

FAQ-Energy Storage-1

Q: Are the stakeholder workshops held in person?

No, the Summer 2026 Energy Storage RFP Stakeholder Workshops will be held virtually via Zoom. Interested parties may RSVP to attend the stakeholder workshops here. In addition to attending the live workshops, the Procurement Administrator will post the presentation materials and the audio recordings to the Draft Documents page of the Energy Storage section of the procurement website for interested stakeholders to review.

03-05-2026

General

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