ILLINOIS STATE PUBLIC BENEFIT FUNDS FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Effective 1998, the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund was authorized through electric utility restructuring legislation. The law directed gas and electric utilities (participation by municipal utilities and electric cooperatives is optional) to assess a monthly charge of $0.40 per month on each residential electric service account and $0.40 per month on residential gas service accounts, plus higher amounts for commercial and industrial accounts. The utilities collect the charges from customers (about $76 million yearly), and deposit them into a state fund, which the General Assembly then appropriates yearly to the state Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, the LIHEAP and weatherization grantee. About 80 percent of the fund, $65 million annually, goes for low-income bill payment assistance, and 10 percent, about $7.6 million annually, supplements the state's weatherization program. See electric utility restructuring legislation.

LEVERAGING

2001: $6.9 million
2000: $7.6 million
1999: $6.9 million