Naperville’s relationship with the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency technically was not on the most recent city council agenda, but it was a topic that loomed large throughout the five-hour meeting.
More than two-dozen residents and experts in the electricity sector weighed in with various perspectives on IMEA and, potentially, other long-term energy options within the city during a lengthy public forum portion of the Tuesday, July 15 council meeting.
Council workshop scheduled; IMEA vote could be made Aug. 19
The city council solidified plans for a workshop on “long-term energy options” at 6 p.m. Monday, July 28, in the council chambers, by virtue of approving the council’s meeting schedule through October within the consent agenda.
The upcoming workshop will include a discussion of the IMEA contract, and the cooperative’s request for a 20-year contract extension, to 2055. Naperville’s current IMEA contract runs through 2035. The workshop will also include a look into other possibilities outside of IMEA.
During the “new business” portion of the council’s agenda, Councilman Josh McBroom asked for support from his colleagues to have a vote on the IMEA contract placed on the Aug. 19 meeting agenda. A majority of the council had hands in the air, meaning that proposal is indeed moving forward.
In explaining his request for the forthcoming vote, McBroom said he believes it is time for the council to make a decision on the issue. He also argues the city has been doing its due diligence in exploring different options.
“I think the other (IMEA) members deserve feedback,” McBroom said. “I think it’s the professional thing to do. We have had the contract offer for 16 months.”
Speakers urge council to consider all options; share coal concerns
A number of speakers during public forum urged the council to consider clean energy alternatives to the IMEA. The organization has been discussing shifting its energy procurement away from coal power, though that source remains a part of its current operations.
Anushka Sampathkumar, a Metea Valley High School student, expressed concern that a continuation of the IMEA contract binds Naperville to coal-powered energy.
“We are incredibly fortunate that, as of now, many of us are not aware of, or not directly affected by, the usage of coal,” Sampathkumar said. “But not everyone is this lucky. There are communities of people living near these coal plants that we continue to fund, and they are living with the consequences of our actions.”
Jack Ma, a Neuqua Valley High School student, also urged the council to consider other options that do not bind Naperville into a long-term contract.
“Such a commitment restricts our flexibility for the next three decades, at a time when energy markets, technology, and regulations are shifting rapidly,” Ma said. “This decision fundamentally involves managing risks and protecting the people of Naperville.”
Several speakers, including Naperville resident Theresa Hus, expressed skepticism with the deadlines IMEA has been putting in place for a decision on the 20-year extension, noting the dates have shifted as 2025 has progressed.
“Honestly, it reminds me of nothing more than the late night TV infomercials that I used to see growing up in the 1980s,” Hus said. “They always promise some fantastic deal, but only if you acted right now. Everything was a limited-time offer, and that’s precisely the kind of marketing tactics we heard, leading up to the (original) April deadline.”
IMEA proponents cite stability, belief it is a low-cost option
During public forum, some of the speakers urged the council to stay the course and stick with the IMEA, arguing it is a lower-cost option than some of the other possibilities on the table.
Resident Tim Ferritto works in the energy industry, primarily as a trader. He expressed frustration with the council’s inaction, to date, on the IMEA contract extension request.
“They simply need to know who’s in, and who’s out, post-2035,” Ferritto said. “There’s nothing sinister here. If Naperville remains on the sidelines, IMEA will move on from Naperville. Neither IMEA nor Prairie State (Power Plant) will be crippled by Naperville’s absence. IMEA will have low-cost energy to sell back into the market.”
Longtime resident Sharon Gorrell said she has been pleased with the level of service she has received from IMEA.
“I’ve been a resident here for 30 years, and in that 30 years, I’ve enjoyed an affordable, consistent, and reliable power supply to charge my phone, to turn my lights on, to turn on my air conditioning and so forth,” Gorrell said. “We taxpayers have relied on this concept for decades, and we have invested in the natural resources needed to maintain that model.”
Earlier this year, Naperville’s Public Utilities Advisory Board (PUAB) dug into the IMEA contract extension issue, holding a series of workshops. In April, the PUAB narrowly voted, 4-3, in favor of continuing with IMEA.
James Fillar, who has served on the PUAB since January, urged the council to let board members have a part in the city council’s upcoming workshop.
“Naperville is fortunate to have an exceptionally qualified group of volunteers serving on its utility board,” Fillar said. “Most bring decades of direct experience in the utility and energy sector — expertise that is highly relevant to the decision that is now before the city.”
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