Park Ridge CCSD 64 board approves multi-year natural gas and electricity contracts

Park Ridge CCSD 64’s Board of Education approved multi-year contracts to secure natural gas and electricity service for district buildings, citing market volatility and rising energy demand.

District staff described the natural gas procurement as a brokered, competitive process and recommended a two-year contract to safeguard against price spikes. The board moved to approve a contract for natural gas service covering Sept. 1, 2026, through Aug. 31, 2028; board members agreed to add a clarifying amendment that the vendor selection would be finalized on Friday morning, April 17, 2026.

On electricity, staff said the district’s electricity agreement is not due until December but that the broker recommended locking a four-year rate now because increased demand—particularly from data centers—has put upward pressure on prices. The board approved a contract for electricity service from December 2026 through November 2030.

Both items were presented by district staff as risk-management measures: shorter-term lock-in for gas to balance flexibility against volatility and a multi-year lock for electricity to mitigate anticipated escalation in wholesale costs. The motions were moved and seconded on the floor and included in the consent agenda approved by the board.

The board did not provide a roll-call tally specific to each contract in the transcript; the consent agenda containing these items passed by voice vote with members present recorded as voting in the affirmative.

What’s next: staff will finalize administrative steps with the broker and execute contracts with the lowest responsible vendors on the dates specified in the motions. The board discussion noted the district solicited competitive bids through its energy broker and co-op affiliation before recommending award.