ICC ComEd large-load deposit rule (2026)
Illinois Commerce Commission Approves ComEd Large-Load (Data Center) Security-Deposit Tariff and Opens Further Ratepayer-Protection Proceeding (Docket P2025-0677, Mar. 19, 2026)
Illinois · Ill. Commerce Comm'n, Docket P2025-0677 (Mar. 19, 2026)
- Status
- In effect
- Applies to
- Developers of large-load projects (e.g. data centers) in ComEd territory
- Enforced by
- Illinois Commerce Commission
Illinois' utility regulator let ComEd require bigger upfront security deposits from developers of very large electricity users such as data centers, scaled to how much power they request, so that costs of abandoned projects are less likely to land on household customers. The commission also opened a follow-up proceeding to consider stronger protections.
Who is protected: ComEd residential and other ratepayers
Legal detail
ICC Docket P2025-0677 (approved 2026-03-19): replaces ComEd's flat $1M large-load security deposit with a scaled deposit — $1M for 50-200 MW requests, plus $500,000 per additional 100 MW. Deposits are applied to development costs for completed projects and returned net of incurred expenses if a project is cancelled. Commission directed staff to file a report and draft order by 2026-04-23 opening an additional investigation into further ratepayer protections, to be completed within roughly eight months. Effective date of the tariff not stated in the source.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Illinois |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Strength | Limited |
| Enacted | March 19, 2026 |
| Citation | Ill. Commerce Comm'n, Docket P2025-0677 (Mar. 19, 2026) |
| Private right of action | No, agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Deposit required as a condition of large-load service requests |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · consumer protection |
| News report | Regulators OK ComEd's plan to increase deposit costs for large-load projects like data centers — Capitol News Illinois |
More AI rules in Illinois
- Illinois Children's Social Media Safety Act — algorithmic recommendations ban for minors · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Illinois SB 3114 — Transparency in Downcoding Act · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- AI Safety Measures Act (frontier model audits) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Algorithmic rent price-fixing ban · Expired
- Illinois HB 3851 — deepfake cyberbullying in schools (2026) · In effect
- Illinois data center tax-incentive pause (DCEO, July 2026) · In effect
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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