| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |