Illinois approves 600 MW of new energy storage procurement

The Illinois Commerce Commission has approved the state’s first utility-scale energy storage procurement under the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA). This initial round awards contracts for 600 MW of new storage projects to enhance grid reliability and manage electricity costs.

Of the total, 520 MW were procured in MISO Zone 4, exceeding the regional target of 450 MW. However, the procurement secured only 80 MW in the PJM region, falling short of its 588 MW target. These results highlight the challenges in meeting Illinois’ long-term goal of establishing 3,000 MW of storage capacity by 2030.

The selected projects consist of standalone storage resources capable of four-hour operations. Experts note that future procurement rounds may need to include a broader range of configurations, such as storage paired with existing solar assets, to meet growing electricity demands.