Adam Hoover, the city's energy consultant with the Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Cooperative (NYMEC), told the Environmental & Sustainability Committee on Dec. 1 that a community solar procurement for municipal accounts could lower the city’s electricity costs by roughly 10 percent and yield about $50,000 in annual savings.

Hoover said the cooperative currently can secure renewable energy for municipal load at roughly 7.5¢–7.6¢ per kilowatt‑hour compared with an approximate ComEd rate of 9.6¢, calling the estimate a ‘‘not perfect apples‑to‑apples comparison’’ but useful as a baseline. He said the city’s municipal accounts represent about 7 million kilowatt‑hours of renewable energy production under the program and that savings could be guaranteed for 15 to 20 years depending on contract terms.

Hoover warned there is typically an early‑termination fee equal to about one year’s savings (he estimated roughly $50,000) if the city opts out soon after signing, and he described some billing complexity involved in shifting how the city appears on utility invoices. He was explicit that community solar credits are delivered to the grid rather than physically routed to city infrastructure: the credits reduce the city’s billed usage, while actual electrons flow across the wider grid.

Committee members pressed on timing and logistics. Hoover said he has not yet issued a bid for Waukegan and could not guarantee a 2026 start date; he tentatively suggested 2027 as more likely and said availability can vary based on project queues. He told council members he can seek a contract that includes an anchor‑tenant benefit or other negotiated terms and recommended asking corporate counsel to review any contract before final approval.

Council and committee members expressed interest and directed staff to pursue bids if NYMEC finds available projects, prepare the necessary contract review with corporate counsel, and consider a resolution granting signature authority to expedite execution when a satisfactory offer is found.