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Solar Owner Help In Illinois

Illinois runs a stranded customer resources page, a complaint center, and a restitution program through its Illinois Shines program. Former customers of Sunnova (see Help For Sunnova Customers) and Solgen Power (see Help For Purelight Power And Solgen Customers) may find them useful.

Who Certifies Installers

The Illinois Commerce Commission certifies distributed generation installers under Part 468 of its rules. The Illinois Administrative Code, Part 468, Section 468.100 says the Commission may investigate activities covered by that Part on complaint or on its own motion, and that if it finds, after notice and hearing, that an entity is installing distributed generation without Commission certification, it shall issue penalties. Section 468.90 says complaints are filed under the Commission's Rules of Practice.

Where To File A Complaint

The Illinois Shines Consumer Complaint Center takes complaints about Approved Vendors, Designees, and other entities that may have violated program rules, by its online form, by email, or at (877) 708-3456. It says the team may contact the company to try to informally mediate a resolution, and that confirmed violations can lead to a warning letter, required corrective actions, suspension, or revocation. The same page says the Commerce Commission usually focuses on complaints about installers, installations, and alternative retail electric suppliers, and suggests also filing with the Commission if your problem is with an installation or a specific installer.

If Your Installer Is Gone

The Illinois Shines Stranded Customer Resources page is for Illinois Shines on-site solar customers whose vendor cannot or will not complete the installation or act as the vendor for the application, including when it has gone out of business or been suspended. It lists companies that recently ceased or limited operations, a lookup tool for your application status, and a shortlist of vendors willing to help stranded customers. It explains that an Approved Vendor can file an Illinois Shines application for you, while an installer Designee can help with maintenance or repair. It notes that its contact form does not itself connect you with a new installer.

Solar Restitution Program

The Illinois Shines Solar Restitution Program page describes a program for Illinois Shines and Illinois Solar for All customers who were financially harmed. Phase I launched in May 2025 for customers who were promised a pass through of their renewable energy credit payment by their vendor but received none of it. Phase II, launched in June 2026, covers customers who received only part of that payment. The page says per project caps are $30,000 for projects 25 kW or smaller and $50,000 for larger projects, and that as of June 2026, 170 customers had received nearly $473,000.

Net Metering Status

The Illinois Shines notice of October 10, 2024 says that under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, ComEd, Ameren, and MidAmerican customers who interconnect after December 31, 2024 are credited for excess power at their electricity supply rate instead of the full retail rate. The Citizens Utility Board Q and A of July 1, 2024 says that if you already had panels, the way you are compensated for net metering would not change. If you are on the older terms, ask your utility whether a repair, inverter swap, or added panels would affect them.

Steps For Any Orphaned System

1. Gather your contract, permit, equipment list, warranty papers, and any loan or lease documents.
2. Call each equipment maker with your serial numbers. EnergySage guide to installer bankruptcy (updated January 7, 2026) says manufacturer warranties remain valid regardless of installer status, and that the manufacturer can often point you to installers certified on its equipment. It also quotes a service coordinator warning that if an installer is not certified on your equipment, those warranties could be determined to be void, so ask the manufacturer before you hire.
3. If you lease or have a power purchase agreement, contact the company that owns the system before hiring anyone. See Solar Lease Or PPA When The Company Is Gone.
4. Check any new company's license with the agency above before you sign, and get the scope and price in writing.

Agency rules, rates, and contact details change. Treat the dates on the sources here as a snapshot and confirm on the agency's own site.

If you want a local service company to look at your system, describe it in the system check form. We name the one company before anyone contacts you.

Related: Installer Went Out Of Business, Solar Warranty Help, Solar System Not Producing.