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Board to review model solar/wind ordinance and study options to lock electricity rates
Summary
A board member said the Illinois Association of County Board Members will publish a revised model solar/wind ordinance and the county will review it; the board also discussed proposals to lock electrical rates for county accounts and noted the county's current Hudson contract runs through 2027 with a cited rate of about 7'cents/kWh.
A member of the Richland County Board reported Dec. 11 that the Illinois Association of County Board Members is expected to publish a revised model ordinance for solar and wind after state changes. The member said the county will compare the model to its current ordinance to determine what amendments are possible, including whether the county can set application fees or specify maximum field sizes.
"I'm waiting on getting their model ordinance so that we can look at revising ours," the member said, describing the item as informational and not requiring immediate action.
The same member also resumed work on proposals to lock electrical rates for county accounts. Early review suggested some municipalities are choosing not to sign multi-year contracts while market rates fall. The member noted Richland County's current contract with Hudson runs until 2027 and that current county billed rates were cited in the meeting at about 7 cents per kilowatt hour compared with market rates of 11'12 cents.
Board members agreed the county should continue researching options, including possible joint negotiation with nearby municipalities, and requested additional information for future consideration.
Next steps: await the model ordinance publication and continue researching electricity-rate contracting options and joint bargaining possibilities.
