The Committee of the Whole unanimously approved, on consent, a resolution confirming capacity needs for the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) so CWLP can enter an expedited generator interconnection process for a proposed 125‑megawatt solar project.

Sun20, the project's lead developer, and its engineering vice president outlined the proposal and timing to the committee. Melissa Seymour, vice president of external affairs for Sun20, told the council the MISO expedited study (ARES) is unusually fast and requires a verification from the city-level body that oversees the utility: “So that's why we're coming to you, and that's why you have a resolution and potentially an ordinance coming in front of you to get approval for this because it has to be submitted with the application process that we're going to go through.”

Nut graf: The verification and amended resolution approved by the committee let CWLP include the city in Sun20’s MISO ARES submission, a short‑window program that will accept only a limited number of projects in its first tranche. Officials said acting in the coming days would preserve federal tax‑credit eligibility and a faster interconnection timetable that Sun20 said could cut multi‑year queue times to roughly three months if a project qualifies.

Sun20 described the project as a roughly 125‑megawatt solar facility sited on about 1,200 acres that would connect into CWLP’s Palomino substation near Illinois Route 97. Jimmy Balow, Sun20’s vice president of engineering, said the site is “a very highly buildable site” and gave the city a target in‑service window: the company aims to bring the project online by December 2028 to meet tax‑credit timing and the developer's interconnection schedule.

Council members asked about cost and timing. Alderman Donlon asked about the amendment on the desk and whether the city was being asked to commit $49,000; a CWLP representative, Mr. Brown, confirmed the total application/ARRS process fee was $100,000, with Sun20 providing the remainder and the city committing the $49,000 portion. Brown characterized the city’s share as an unusually small price for securing the project’s accredited capacity: the city would receive the full accredited capacity of the 125 MW facility under the proposed contract terms.

Developers and staff emphasized the narrow ARES window. Seymour said MISO’s expedited resource addition study will consider only 10 projects in the first cycle beginning August 6 and that projects must show readiness and the city verification to qualify. Seymour also cited recent federal tax‑credit timing (referred to in the presentation as the “1 big beautiful bill”) and related administration rules as additional reasons to move quickly.

The committee approval placed the resolution on the consent agenda as amended; council members voted aye and the item passed. Staff said permitting with Sangamon County (zoning and county permits) would follow separately and the ARES submission did not require county permitting prior to the verification.

Ending: CWLP staff and the developer said they will proceed to file the ARES application when the window opens in early August and keep the council briefed on subsequent ordinance or contract approvals that will come back for formal city action.