The Illinois Power Agency finalized its first long-term plan for renewable procurements and programs for the years 2018 and 2019 to meet the state’s stronger renewable portfolio standard targets, according to an Aug. 6 filing with the Illinois Commerce Commission. The measure follows legislation enacted in 2016 that required a separate plan for procuring renewable energy certificates, or RECs, for utilities, rather than including renewable procurement in the agency’s annual plan, which now deals with electricity and wholesale products for utilities. The update retains the goal of 25 percent by 2025, but applies the goal to all retail customers beyond those on utility service, thus increasing the quantity of RECs, and phases out obligations for alternative retail electric suppliers. The revisions include a public interest criteria for RECs from neighboring states and prohibit certificates from facilities that recover costs via regulated rates. Utilities must develop an adjustable block program that includes administratively determined REC prices, a change from the prior competitive procurement model. Wind and solar carve-outs are expressed as a minimum number of RECs rather than a percentage of load. The agency seeks approval of the proposed targets, budget estimates for utilities, procurements, adjustable block program design, and community and low-income program terms.