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PUAB Meeting, April 8

To see the full presentation, click here.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support The Say No to Coal Consortium on January 21st and urged our city council to “Say No to Coal!” 

We wanted to share an important update from the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force (NEST). As the Public Utilities Advisory Board finalizes its recommendation to the city on whether to extend our coal contract, it’s important to let them know that this issue remains a top priority for us. Please join us, wear red, and get ready to hear from NEST about what a clean energy future could look like in Naperville!

From Complexity to Clarity

The Public Utilities Advisory Board (PUAB) has called an April 8 Special Meeting.  As part of that meeting, PUAB has requested that The Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force (NEST) present critical factors and key considerations for Naperville’s energy future.

Previous presentations by the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) and consultants from CES have highlighted the complex technical, financial, and logistical aspects of power generation and transmission.

NEST’s presentation will expand the focus to practical discussions on risks, untapped opportunities, and the need for a thorough and transparent process. With a $2 billion, 20-year decision at stake, Naperville has the opportunity and responsibility to take a leadership stance for a modern, sustainable energy future that aligns with our community’s values and long-term vision.

This presentation is open to the public.  We encourage you to attend and look forward to seeing you there!

April 8, 2025, 5:00PM
Naperville Municipal Center
400 S. Eagle Street

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City Council candidates weigh in on extending coal contract

On February 3, the eight candidates vying for four positions on the Naperville City Council attended a forum co-hosted by Say No to Coal members NEST and First Congregational Church.

The first question of the night for the candidates was whether to agree to an early extension of the IMEA contract. To watch each candidate reply to this important question, click here.

Naperville Sun: Naperville council candidates weigh in on electricity contract, sustainability efforts at NEST forum

To view the candidate forum in its entirety, click here.

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Public Comments from the Naperville City Council meeting

On January 21, 2025, members from several local organizations that comprise Say No to Coal made public comments at the Naperville City Council meeting, urging their elected representatives to decline a proposed extension of Naperville’s contract with the IMEA.

To see the video of the 1/21/25 City Council meeting in its entirety, click here.

To see Astha’s awesome Say No to Coal video, see below:

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Thank you!

Dear Supporters,

We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to each of you who joined us at the Naperville City Council meeting last night. Your presence and efforts were instrumental in helping us work towards our shared goal to transition Naperville away from coal dependency and toward clean, renewable energy. The speakers who addressed the Council made a powerful case for why Naperville must prioritize clean energy, highlighting not only the urgency of this transition but also the feasibility and benefits of adopting sustainable energy solutions.

We appreciate that the City Council expressed a need for more facts and careful consideration before making decisions. In that spirit, we would like to address comments made by Brian Groth, Naperville’s electricity director, near the end of the meeting. For those who may not know, Brian Groth serves not only as Naperville’s electricity director but is also the vice-chairman of IMEA’s Board of Directors.
Click here to learn more about IMEA’s leadership
Director Groth questioned the energy mix of Illinois and Naperville. Our interconnected energy grids in Illinois mean that suppliers, including IMEA, fill up our pool of available energy, and then customers, like Naperville or ComEd, draw from that pool. 80% of what IMEA adds to the pool is coal, and that’s where Naperville’s money goes. Overall, only 15% of the supply in that pool is from coal generation.
Click here to learn more about the Illinois Electricity Generation Mix
Naperville’s electricity reliability is ensured by PJM, the regional transmission organization responsible for coordinating electricity from thousands of sources, including IMEA. Importantly, the electric lines serving Naperville residents and businesses are managed by the City of Naperville, not IMEA. Even when IMEA plants undergo maintenance, PJM and the City of Naperville ensure electricity continuity.
Learn about PJM’s reliability plan here
IMEA’s coal-based electricity is more expensive than many renewable options, and the new contract says nothing about cost! To ensure Naperville gets the best deal, competitive bids from all providers are necessary.
This chart illustrates the relative cost of coal compared to other energy sources
Some City Council members raised concerns that renewable energy pricing is too reliant on subsidies. However, it’s important to note that fossil fuels, including coal, also benefit significantly from subsidies. According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), global fossil fuel subsidies surged to a record $7 trillion in 2023. Subsidies for coal directly impact its cost competitiveness, making the argument against renewable subsidies both inconsistent and misleading.
Click here for the International Monetary Fund Analysis
We think we won the first round, and we are thrilled that the city council didn’t fall for IMEA’s “fake leverage,” as Councilman Holzhauer stated last night. That said, the fight is far from over and won’t end until Naperville signs a new electricity contract that prioritizes clean, safe, renewable energy. We encourage you to stay engaged by continuing to follow updates on saynotocoal.com visiting the NEST website, following us on Facebook and Instagram, and sharing information with your networks. We also encourage you to either share your “Say No to Coal” sign from last night or put it in your front window. Together, we can keep up the pressure and ensure a sustainable future for our community.

Thank you again for your energy, passion, and commitment. Let’s keep the momentum going as we continue this critical work.

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Say No to Coal at tonight’s City Council Meeting

Tonight’s Naperville City Council meeting begins at 7:00pm at the Naperville Municipal Center. If you plan to join Say No to Coal at the meeting, please arrive by 6:30pm and wear red! Our team will have Say No to Coal signs to take with you and share with others.

City Council meetings typically last between 60-90 minutes. While attendees are not required to stay for the whole meeting, we encourage staying for the duration of the meeting to demonstrate our commitment to this issue.