Solar Answers → Incentives & Programs
How does ComEd's virtual power plant program work?
ComEd's first virtual power plant — called the Scheduled Dispatch VPP — was approved by Illinois regulators in June 2026. Starting in 2027, it will pay homeowners with home batteries for sending stored power back to the electric grid on summer weekday afternoons. The approved rate is $10 for every kilowatt (a unit of electric power) you commit each season. Enrollment isn't open yet.
Independent public sources we cite and link — The Day Company is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them.
What is a virtual power plant?
A virtual power plant is a group of home batteries working together like one big power plant. Instead of building a new power plant, the electric company asks many homeowners to share small amounts of stored battery power at the same time. The U.S. Department of Energy describes this as linking many small energy resources so they act as one resource for the grid.
Illinois passed a law in 2026 — the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, or CRGA — that requires electric utilities like ComEd to build programs like this one. ComEd's version is called the Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant, or SDVPP for short.
How does ComEd's SDVPP actually work?
Every summer, ComEd calls this period the "Season" — it runs from June 1 to September 30. During the Season, on weekday afternoons from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Central time, your battery is scheduled to send stored power to the grid. ComEd measures how much you send using your smart inverter, then pays you once a year, after each Season ends.
The program's full name — Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant — tells you the important part. The window is fixed and known in advance, every weekday, all Season. This isn't a surprise call during an emergency. It's a set daily appointment, the same two hours every weekday.
How much does ComEd pay?
The approved rate is $10 per kilowatt-Season. A kilowatt is a unit of electric power; "kW-Season" means you get paid $10 for each kilowatt of power your battery is committed to sending, on average, during the dispatch window, for that whole Season. This rate is a floor — the minimum set by law — and could be raised later.
Illustrative math from the approved rate: if your battery is committed to sending an average of 3 kW during the dispatch window across the whole Season, your payment would be 3 × $10 = $30 for that Season. This is arithmetic on the published rate only — not a promise, an estimate, or a typical figure. ComEd hasn't published real-world earnings data, so we won't guess at one.
Be honest with yourself about what this program is: a modest bonus, not the reason to buy a battery. The bigger financial pieces are ComEd's battery storage rebate and how you use your battery day to day under your rate plan — see our net metering guide for that side of the math.
What are you committing to?
Joining the SDVPP means a 5-year commitment: five Seasons in a row. If you join partway through a Season, that partial Season counts as your first, plus four full Seasons after it. Your battery has to stay in place at your home for the whole 5 years — you can't move it or take it out.
If you intentionally interfere with ComEd's ability to measure your dispatch, ComEd can remove you immediately and stop paying you. If you're in the program because you took the battery rebate and you choose to leave, that takes effect on December 31 of the year you give notice.
Two things ComEd hasn't published yet: what happens if you sell your home or move, and whether leaving early costs you money. We won't guess at either one — ask ComEd directly before you sign a 5-year commitment.
Who can join?
Any ComEd customer can join if they have a battery behind their electric meter that can measure how much power it sends to the grid, connected through a qualifying smart inverter. You need a smart electric meter — customers on ComEd's Rider NAM, a rate for customers without a smart meter, can't join. There's no minimum battery size.
One agreement covers every battery at your home. If your battery is leased or under a power purchase agreement, ComEd's rules let the battery's owner — not necessarily you — be named to receive the payment, through something the rider calls a "Project Owner" designation. Exactly how that payment gets shared with you isn't fully spelled out, so get it in writing before you sign anything.
Does the battery rebate force you into the VPP?
Yes — and this is something few other sources tell you. Under the 2026 law, if you take ComEd's battery storage rebate, you're required to join the Scheduled Dispatch VPP. If you don't take that rebate, joining the VPP is entirely your choice.
See our ComEd Battery Storage Rebate guide for how that separate rebate works — we don't repeat the dollar figures here.
Is this the same as net metering or Peak Time Savings?
No — these are five different programs people often mix up, sometimes without realizing it. The table below lays out what each one actually is, in plain language, so you always know exactly which program is being discussed — whether it's in an ad, a sales pitch, or a neighbor's story.
| Program | What it actually is | Status today |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Dispatch VPP (SDVPP) | Batteries send stored power to the grid on a fixed summer schedule; pays $10/kW-Season | Approved; starts by March 2027 |
| Broader Illinois VPP program | Will eventually cover more devices, like EVs and smart thermostats, from more customers | Utilities must propose it by end of 2027; state approval by end of 2028 |
| ComEd's proposed smart thermostat program (BYODLR) | Would pay you for letting ComEd adjust your smart thermostat during peak times | Proposed; still awaiting state approval |
| Peak Time Savings / Central AC Cycling | Existing programs that credit your bill for using less power during announced peak hours | Already running today |
| Net metering | Bill credits for extra solar power your panels send to the grid | A different, already-running program — not the VPP |
A solar rep mentioned a "virtual power plant" — what's real today?
If a solar or battery salesperson told you about a "virtual power plant" that pays you every year, here's the honest picture: the program is real, but it's not open yet, the payment is modest by law, and some of what you may have heard may be based on an older, cancelled proposal with different numbers.
What homeowners tell us they've heard: that a battery "could earn thousands a year," that the battery "basically pays for itself" through VPP payments, or that you "can enroll now."
What's actually true in ComEd territory today: the program is approved, but enrollment isn't open. The approved rate is $10 per kW-Season — a modest amount, not thousands. And if you take the battery rebate, joining the VPP isn't optional; it's required by law.
Before you sign anything: get every savings or earnings claim in writing. Get quotes from more than one installer. Check that a solar company is registered with Illinois Shines, the state's solar program. And know where to go if something feels wrong: Illinois Shines (1-877-708-3456), the Illinois Attorney General's Consumer Fraud Hotline (1-800-243-0618), or the Illinois Commerce Commission.
When can you actually enroll?
You can't enroll yet — ComEd hasn't opened enrollment. What's confirmed: the program was approved on June 30, 2026, by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) — the state agency that regulates ComEd — and its rulebook took effect July 16, 2026. Service must begin no later than March 1, 2027. What's still unknown is exactly when and how you'll sign up.
| What we know | Confirmed detail |
|---|---|
| ICC approval | Announced June 30, 2026 |
| Tariff (rulebook) effective date | July 16, 2026 |
| Service must begin by | No later than March 1, 2027 |
| Payment rate | $10 per kW-Season (a floor; can rise) |
| Dispatch window | 4:00–6:00 p.m. Central, weekdays |
| Season | June 1 – September 30 |
| Commitment length | 5 consecutive Seasons |
| What's still pending | Status |
|---|---|
| Exact enrollment date & process | Not yet published |
| Program size limit | Not yet published |
| Whether the VPP itself requires hourly pricing | The related battery rebate requires it; whether the VPP program also does isn't confirmed |
| What happens if you move or sell | Not yet published |
| Whether the rate rises above the $10 floor | Legally allowed; not yet decided |
Enrollment isn't open yet — get one email when it is.
We'll send exactly one email, the day ComEd opens enrollment. No other messages, no spam.
How do you get battery-ready before launch?
You can't enroll in the VPP yet, but you can get ready for it. What ComEd will require when enrollment opens: a battery installed behind your electric meter, connected through a smart inverter that meets ComEd's technical requirements. That's the same equipment path as ComEd's battery storage rebate.
People who install a qualifying battery now will already meet these requirements once enrollment opens later — there's no published deadline, so there's no reason to rush. A free, two-minute eligibility check can tell you whether a battery makes sense for your home right now.
ComEd Virtual Power Plant FAQ
When does ComEd's VPP start? Can I sign up now?
The program was approved in June 2026. ComEd must start offering it no later than March 1, 2027. Enrollment isn't open yet, and ComEd hasn't published exactly when or how you'll be able to sign up.
How much does ComEd pay for my battery?
The approved rate is $10 per kilowatt-Season — a floor set by state law that could be raised later. See our labeled math example above for how that arithmetic works; ComEd hasn't published typical earnings, and neither do we.
Do I need a battery, or does solar or a smart thermostat count?
You need a battery. Solar panels alone don't qualify you for this specific program. A separate program for smart thermostats is still waiting on state approval, and a broader program covering more devices is still years away.
How long am I locked in if I join?
Five Seasons in a row — five years. If you join partway through a Season, that counts as your first, plus four full Seasons after it.
Is joining automatic if I take the battery rebate?
Yes. State law requires anyone who takes ComEd's battery storage rebate to also participate in the Scheduled Dispatch VPP. If you don't take that rebate, joining the VPP is optional.
Will my battery still back up my home during a power outage?
ComEd's approved rules don't spell this out yet. We won't guess at a percentage or a promise — ask ComEd directly how dispatch events interact with your home backup before you commit.
What if I sell my house?
ComEd's approved tariff doesn't yet say what happens if you sell or move. This is a real, unanswered question — get ComEd's current answer in writing before you sign a 5-year commitment.
Do I have to be on hourly pricing to join?
The separate battery rebate requires ComEd's Rate BESH, an hourly pricing plan. Whether the VPP program itself also requires it hasn't been made clear yet — confirm this directly with ComEd before enrolling.
Is this the same as selling power back through net metering?
No. Net metering credits your bill for solar power your panels send to the grid, all year. This VPP program pays a separate, annual amount for battery power sent during a specific summer window.
Is this a scam? Is the VPP real?
It's real. Illinois state regulators — the Illinois Commerce Commission — approved ComEd's program on June 30, 2026, under a 2026 state law. It just isn't open for enrollment yet.
Related answers
See if a battery makes sense for your home.
Free, about a minute, no obligation — this looks at your whole picture, not just the VPP.
Free eligibility check · ComEd & Ameren · No obligationThe Day Company is an Illinois solar and battery information resource. Information you submit may be used by our review team and authorized partners to contact you about your request. Checking eligibility creates no obligation.
Sources
- ComEd Rider SDVPP — Compliance Tariff Filing (ICC Filing 399541) (icc.illinois.gov)
- ComEd — Receives Approval to Launch its First Virtual Power Plant Program (June 30, 2026 press release)
- Illinois Public Act 104-0458 — Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (ilga.gov)
- U.S. Department of Energy — Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Virtual Power Plants (energy.gov)
- Illinois Shines — Consumer Complaint Center
- Illinois Attorney General — Consumer Protection Division
Changelog: July 21, 2026 — v1 published. Scheduled re-review when ComEd publishes enrollment details.
How to cite: The Day Company Editorial Team, "How does ComEd's virtual power plant program work?," The Day Company, updated July 21, 2026. https://theday.company/answers/comed-virtual-power-plant