On the matter of whether Naperville should sign an early contract extension with its current electricity provider, the eight candidates vying for Naperville City Council share a similar sentiment: energy procurement isn’t something the city should rush.
In anticipation of the April 1 election, the Naperville Sun asked the candidates to answer several questions about issues facing the city, including what they envision for the future of the city’s electric supply.
Naperville has purchased power from the coal-heavy Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) since 2011 and is under contract to do so through 2035. However, the city’s energy procurement strategy a decade from now and beyond has lately been top-of-mind with IMEA, which gave Naperville until April 30 to decide if it wants to extend its contract to 2055.
The city’s Public Utilities Advisory Board has received presentations from both IMEA and an outside consultant about the city’s energy options. The board is to receive another presentation from the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force (NEST) next month. Ultimately, the board will make a recommendation to the council on how it believes the city should procure energy past 2035.
City staff do not anticipate that recommendation going to council before the new council is seated in May, according to city spokeswoman Linda LaCloche.
Candidates seeking the four four-year terms — incumbents Benny White, Ian Holzhauer and Jennifer Bruzan Taylor and challengers Ashfaq Syed, Nag Jaiswal, Derek McDaniel, Mary Gibson and Meghna Bansal — also were asked what factors the city should prioritize as it decides how to power its electric grid in the future.
White, Bruzan Taylor, Syed and Gibson all encouraged procurement through a bidding process. McDaniel lauded bringing in an energy consultant to evaluate the city’s options. Holzhauer called a coal-dependent approach “antiquated,” while Jaiswal said the city needs an energy strategy agreed on “by all constituents.” Bansal said the city ought to “do what is right for Naperville, not our vendor.”
Naperville council candidates weigh in on electricity contract, sustainability efforts at NEST forum
City staff have stated that in the time they’ve worked with IMEA, the agency has provided stable energy pricing to Naperville and performed utility work the city wouldn’t have been able to tackle on its own. The drawback is that the bulk of IMEA’s energy portfolio comes from pollution-producing coal, which has incited ire from environmentally-minded community members and local organizations.
Holzhauer balked at IMEA’s request for an early contract renewal, arguing the agency’s “urgency stems from the fact that they bargain from a position of weakness.” Coal is the “dirtiest source of energy,” he continued, adding that it “behooves us to look at more sustainable and clean energy sources for our residents.”
For McDaniel, IMEA’s proposed contract extension “raises legitimate concerns about locking our city into a less adaptive energy model,” he said. He encouraged a flexible and transparent approach to procurement, and said the city’s energy strategy “must prioritize affordability for residents while accelerating our transition toward sustainable energy sources.”
Bansal does not support IMEA’s “take-it-or-leave-it negotiation tactics,” she said. She highlighted reliability, sustainability, affordability and efficiency as factors to consider in charting a path forward. She also took aim at the current council’s initial hesitation to seek out energy consultant services before ultimately doing so late last year.
“I hope that over time, those who voted ‘no’ realized they made a mistake and that this was not an attempt to keep an item alive so there could be an issue to campaign for this spring,” Bansal said.
The goal for White, he said, is to “secure the cleanest energy at the best price.” To achieve this, the city should issue a comprehensive request for proposals that clearly defines its priorities, he said. By planning “thoughtfully and proactively, Naperville can reduce its carbon footprint, maintain competitive energy rates and set an example for other municipalities,” he said.
Bruzan Taylor likewise said she “will push for competitive bidding for whichever option is ultimately chosen.” As the council’s current liaison to NEST, Bruzan Taylor said she understands “the need to find the appropriate balance between significantly lowering our greenhouse gas output without losing the reliability of service and low rates that Naperville prides itself on.”
Syed also floated “engaging in a fair and open bidding process,” which he maintained “would ensure that Naperville ratepayers receive the best possible deal, rather than committing to an outdated and costly energy source.” He said that the city has “an obligation to future generations to make energy choices … (that) position Naperville as a leader in innovation and environmental responsibility.”
Gibson said the current offer from IMEA “is not in the best interest of Naperville nor its residents.” Rather, she expects “a competitive bidding process” that ensures council-defined criteria for procurement are met, she said. Short-term cost savings should also not be exchanged for long-term problems, such as environmental damage and negative health impacts, she said.
Jaiswal said, “It’s too early to decide on an extension with IMEA.” He envisions the city reaching “60% energy generation via local renewable sources,” Jaiswal said. To that end, he advocated for incentivizing residential renewables, as well as for expanding local solar infrastructure at schools, park district buildings, parks and golf courses, and office and large commercial buildings.
For more voter information on the upcoming election and early voting — which starts Monday — go to www.naperville.il.us/government/voting-and-voter-registration.
If you’d like to know more about the council candidates’ backgrounds and what they said specifically about issues in the Naperville Sun questionnaire, go to https://bit.ly/4kLlw9h.
