Category: myth-vs-reality

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The Truth: IMEA Has Been More Expensive Than Market Power

MythReality
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

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One City’s Action Sparks Bigger Change

MythReality
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.

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“Too Hard to Switch”-A Convenient Excuse

MythReality
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.

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There’s Still Time: Let’s Talk About Naperville’s Energy Future

MythReality
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.

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Naperville’s Coal Problem Isn’t About Price

MythReality
Naperville continues with its coal-heavy provider because it’s widely believed that solar and wind are more expensive than coal.Solar and wind have been cheaper than coal for over a decade, according to levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) data. Because of this, solar has been the fastest-growing source of new electricity in the U.S. for five years straight.

Despite solar and wind becoming significantly cheaper over the past decade—as shown by the steady decline in their levelized costs compared to coal—Naperville remains locked into a coal-heavy contract signed in 2007 that doesn’t expire until 2035, preventing a switch to cleaner, more affordable energy for years to come.