Local municipalities must ensure affordable and responsible electric supply for their communities
Naperville, Winnetka and the City of St. Charles, a community I represent, are currently considering contract extensions with their municipal utility’s wholesale electric provider, the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA). A recent Daily Herald guest view (“Local towns can’t afford to extend coal contracts”) offered a short-sighted view to end these cities’ relationships with IMEA. In my opinion, the writer’s perspective is not in the best interest of the retail, residential or business electrical customers of these communities.
The writer’s concern is that IMEA holds a minority ownership stake in the coal-fueled Prairie State Generating Station in Marissa, Illinois. The facts are these: Prairie State came online and was permitted during the Obama-Biden Administration and is among the newest coal-fueled power plants in the United States. It utilizes over $1 billion worth of the best-available emissions control technology and complies with all state and federal emissions requirements. It is among the most dependable facilities in the nation, with a reliability factor near 90%, meaning it operates as a consistent energy source for when intermittent weather-dependent resources (like wind and solar) are not available. Prairie State is one of the most efficient and well-controlled coal-fueled generating facilities in the country. It is also the most efficient facility in Illinois, generating more power with fewer emissions per megawatt hour than any other coal-fired power plant.
While I agree with the position that we need to reduce greenhouse gases and transition into the future, the reality is that there currently are not enough renewable energy resources in Illinois to power all homes on a 24/7 basis. There is still significant work to do to assure our energy grid has adequate reliable supply made up entirely from renewable resources. Even PJM, the transmission organization in charge of ensuring reliability in our region, states “the future demand for electricity cannot be met simply through renewables given their intermittent nature.”
IMEA provides power supply to 32 municipal electric systems across Illinois. It was formed 40 years ago and serves its members’ needs through long-term ownership and contracts with a mix of environmentally clean baseload power that already includes wind, solar and hydro-generated power. In fact, St. Charles’ customers have had access to wind-generated power options dating back to 2009.
The average cost to IMEA member municipalities has been remarkably consistent. Outside of transmission costs (that everyone must pay), IMEA’s power supply rates have been flat for the past 10 years. Residential rates in St. Charles have been historically lower than ComEd’s residential rates, saving consumers significant dollars over the course of the community’s contract with IMEA. Further, IMEA’s generation ownership will continue to act as a hedge against the double-digit rate increases ComEd customers will soon face as a result of the unprecedented spike in the most recent capacity auction.
Through legislative mandates, Prairie State is already being required to cut emissions roughly in half by 2038 and fully by 2045. But it is important to know that IMEA is not waiting until then to diversify their portfolio. The board has directed the agency to work now to plan and prepare for the energy transition to 100% renewable power, most immediately by adding significant amounts of solar to their portfolio. This would add to its current renewable mix that already exceeds the state’s current renewable portfolio percentages.
What’s more, the IMEA has mapped the pathway to reduce to net-zero its carbon emissions associated with the power supply it provides to its member municipalities by 2050.
Cities must have sustainability while also ensuring affordability and reliability in their power supply. I urge Naperville, Winnetka, and my community of St. Charles to properly value the control their affiliation with IMEA provides them over all decisions related to their energy resource mix — something sure to be lost if these cities choose to migrate to a different wholesale energy provider. These communities must deliberate thoughtfully before choosing to diminish the control they have over their own destiny when it comes to their energy supply.
• Donald P. DeWitte is Illinois state Senator representing the 33rd District and a former mayor of St. Charles.