This leads right into the 7:00PM meeting where City Council will vote to extend Naperville’s contract with IMEA, or not. Come early, be part of the rally then go inside, get good seats and settle in for the meeting.
In addition to the rally and meeting, Power A Better Future is seeking signatures to a petition that City Council reject the IMEA contract, commit to a robust Climate Action Plan and transition Naperville to a clean energy future.
| Myth | Reality |
| Naperville’s current electricity provider is less expensive than what other communities are paying. | In all but one year in the past 10, the price Naperville paid IMEA, Naperville’s current electricity provider, was higher than the wholesale price our grid provider, PJM, charged. Naperville could have saved $300 million over the past 10 years if it hadn’t been locked into the IMEA contract. |
The IMEA costs are available in the IMEA presentation to the Naperville Public Utility Advisory Board https://naperville.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7148664&GUID=5D7E505D-6C2B-4B9D-8BA5-EB892D848089&Options=&Search= on slide 4.
The PJM costs are available from the NEST presentation to the Naperville Public Utility Advisory Board at https://naperville.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=7290411&GUID=2A7E2951-A1F9-4CDF-81E0-4B64974B4D18&Options=&Search= in the presentation on slide 32 of their presentation. You can compare live PJM prices to the prices IMEA provided via this link: https://www.gridstatus.io/live/pjm
| Myth | Reality |
| Naperville alone cannot solve the climate change crisis. | While no single city can solve the energy crisis, Naperville has a unique opportunity to be a model community by doing the right thing for the environment and ratepayers. |
Because 78% of Naperville’s electricity comes from coal, the city produces significantly more emissions than most—over 350,000 metric tons more CO₂ than if it used the state’s average electricity mix. All greenhouse gas emissions contribute to global warming, so reducing ours helps slow the crisis.
| Myth | Reality |
| We must stay with IMEA due to limited alternatives and to avoid hiring many new city employees. | Naperville has many alternative commercial energy providers that can offer the same services as IMEA without needing to hire more city employees. |
Several companies like Constellation NewEnergy, Direct Energy Services, Calpine Energy Solutions, and Dynegy Energy Services have significant energy sales in Illinois, showing a strong presence and reliable options beyond IMEA.
| Myth | Reality |
| Some believe Naperville must rush its energy decision and can’t afford the time to involve residents or explore alternatives. | In reality, Naperville’s current energy contract doesn’t expire until September 30, 2035, giving us ample time to involve residents and carefully consider alternative energy options, which the Department of Energy recommends as best practice. |
This long lead time allows for public meetings, surveys, and transparent discussions to shape a contract that reflects Naperville’s values. Other cities have used similar windows to transition to cleaner, cheaper energy sources, often saving money while reducing emissions. Additionally, new technologies and energy markets are evolving rapidly, so taking time now means Naperville can make a more informed, future-proof decision.
