Springfield city council approves new 13-million-dollar solar energy agreement

A new solar project is coming to Sangamon County.

The City of Springfield agreed to buy millions of dollars of solar energy from Sangamon Solar LLC.

Sangamon Solar is building a new 750-acre solar farm south of Chatham.

The project is set to cost the city 13 million dollars.

That 13-million dollars is from taxpayer money, but it’s not an extra 13 million.

It’s money already budgeted, but instead of being spent on electricity, it will be spent on solar energy.

City Water Light and Power said this new agreement is a win-win.

“We do have some solar currently owned by CWLP, we have a 250 KW installation. But this new project is with a partner, and would be owned by them, but we wouldn’t have the responsibility of maintaining it. We would get the energy benefit,” Sabin said.

CWLP spokesperson Amber Sabin said money for the 25-year-long project is already allocated for electricity.

Meaning it won’t cost taxpayers or CWLP customers any extra money.

“But for this one to come together and be here in Sangamon County, near our transmission, it was the right project and the right fit,” Sabin said.

New solar farms are popping up across central Illinois…like the Double Black Diamond Solar Development in Sangamon County that opened earlier this month.

Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance President and CEO Ryan McCrady said it’s important for a power network to have diverse supplies.

“Because you don’t wanna have all your eggs in one basket. You know, dependent on what happens in the industry, or the weather, or other things out there in the environment, that way we can have that certainty about having power, despite all those other changes,” McCrady said.

But critics said solar farms take away prime farmland space in Illinois.

The land used for Double Black Diamond used to grow corn and soybeans.

But McCrady said you can’t build solar projects without willing participants.

“Everything has to be a balance. And so many things in life live on a dial and not a switch. And nobody is saying that every farm field or every parking lot has to be covered with solar panels. That’s not what’s being said. But when the opportunity presents itself, and the business model works for it,” McCrady said.

The new solar farm will generate about 100 megawatts of power.

Springfield will get 25 megawatts, which is about 6.5 percent of the city’s energy use.

Construction is estimated to begin next year and be operational by 2028.