- Procured: 600 MW of new standalone battery storage, just over half of the 1,038 MW sought
- Who ran it: Illinois Power Agency, under the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act
- Where: MISO (central and southern Illinois) and PJM (northern Illinois, ComEd)
- Status: Contracted, not built. Batteries are expected online by 2030
The Illinois Power Agency has secured 600 megawatts of new battery storage in the state’s first procurement under the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, according to Capitol News Illinois (September 14, 2026).
What the auction bought
Governor JB Pritzker signed the law on January 8, 2026, according to Utility Dive. It directs utilities to install 3 gigawatts of grid-scale storage by 2030 and to develop virtual power plant programs. The state had 141 megawatts of utility-scale storage installed, per SEIA data cited by Capitol News, so 600 megawatts is more than four times that.
Results split sharply by region. In central and southern Illinois, on the MISO grid, the agency bought 520 megawatts from four projects against a 450 megawatt goal. In northern Illinois, in ComEd’s PJM territory, it bought 80 megawatts from one project against a 588 megawatt goal. James Gignac of the Union of Concerned Scientists attributed the gap to “a mismatch between the commercial operation date this procurement was seeking” and project readiness. Only standalone storage was eligible in this round. More procurements are planned for 2027 and 2028, and a later round may allow paired solar and storage.
| Region | Target | Secured | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| MISO (central and southern Illinois) | 450 MW | 520 MW, four projects | Capitol News Illinois |
| PJM (northern Illinois, ComEd) | 588 MW | 80 MW, one project | Capitol News Illinois |
| Total | 1,038 MW | 600 MW | Capitol News Illinois |
What the savings estimates cover
Two estimates circulate. The Illinois Power Agency estimated the law as a whole would save consumers $13.4 billion over 20 years, Utility Dive reported, without explaining the method. Separately, the consulting firm The Power Bureau, building on an agency cost-benefit analysis, projected in November 2025 that the 3 gigawatt storage plan would reduce capacity costs by $13 billion over 20 years in the PJM and MISO regions. After about $1 billion in incentive costs paid by consumers, it put net customer savings at $12 billion. Those figures came before the law was signed and assume the full 3 gigawatts get built.
No source states a per-household amount. Savings of this kind would appear, if at all, as small changes in capacity charges over many years. Capitol News also says 600 megawatts is “roughly enough to power half a million homes,” without attributing the calculation, so treat that as rough.
Home batteries and virtual power plants
The law also directs utilities to build virtual power plant programs. One company already active is SOLRITE Energy, which Capitol News says installs paired solar and storage at no upfront cost for ComEd and Ameren customers and charges a fixed monthly rate. Pv magazine USA reported SOLRITE’s terms in August: solar energy at 12 cents per kilowatt-hour rising 2.9% a year over 25 years, or battery-only service at $20 a month over 20 years. These are the vendor’s offers, not state-set terms, and the offer is not free. The articles we read did not state what bill credits a homeowner receives.
Why It Matters to You
Most Illinois customers won’t notice anything soon. The batteries aren’t built, and the savings estimates are 20-year, system-wide projections that assume the full 3 gigawatts. Over time, more storage could show up as small changes in capacity charges. Homeowners with ComEd or Ameren who want a battery of their own can already look at offers like SOLRITE’s, though those carry monthly or per-kilowatt-hour charges.
Open questions
- The auction missed its target: 600 of 1,038 megawatts, with northern Illinois getting 80 of 588.
- The $12 billion and $13 billion figures are projections from before signing, for the full 3 GW.
- The article gives no project names, prices or contract terms, and no auction date beyond “summer.”
- More procurements are planned for 2027 and 2028, with changes under discussion this fall. An integrated resource plan is due in November.
Quick answers
Is there a set savings amount per household?
No source supports one. The state estimates are system-wide totals over 20 years and depend on the full buildout.
When will the batteries be running?
The agency expects them online by 2030. The state’s 3 GW goal also runs to the end of 2030.
Can a homeowner get a free battery?
Not free. SOLRITE’s offer has no upfront cost but carries a monthly or per-kilowatt-hour charge. Read the contract terms and ask what the program pays you for dispatching your battery.
Sources
- Capitol News Illinois: ‘Huge Step Forward’: Illinois Inches Closer on Battery Storage, Solar Goals (Sep 14, 2026)
- Utility Dive: Illinois sets 3 GW energy storage target, requires utilities to develop virtual power plants (accessed Oct 13, 2026)
- pv magazine USA: Illinois to add 3 GW of batteries, saving consumers $12 billion over 20 years (Nov 5, 2025)
- pv magazine USA: SOLRITE brings its $0 down solar and storage offering to Illinois retail electric customers (Aug 21, 2026)