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TO: Mayor John Laesch
FROM: Alison Lindburg, Director of Sustainability
DATE: November 9, 2026
SUBJECT:
Requesting approval of a Community Solar Subscriber Agreement between the City of Aurora and Aurora Solar CS 2, LLC for participation in a community solar project through a solar facility located at the Aurora Airport.
PURPOSE:
Subscription to the community solar project will provide utility bill credits to the City at a discounted rate and will utilize local renewable energy resources, helping meet objectives of the 2019 Sustainability Plan and reduce municipal operating expenses.
BACKGROUND:
Under this agreement, the City of Aurora will subscribe to a portion of a community solar project owned and operated by Aurora Solar CS 2, LLC. The solar facility is a 6.46 MWdc project located at 1300 Dugan Road in Sugar Grove, Illinois, and participates in the Illinois Shines/Adjustable Block Program. The City’s subscription is targeted at 2.59 MWdc, representing approximately 40% of the project’s capacity. Utility bill credits generated by the project will be allocated to four municipal water utility accounts serving Well 20, Well 21, Well 25, and Well 28.
The City will pay the developer an amount equal to 90% of the value of the utility bill credits received, creating an estimated 10% savings on participating electricity costs. Payments are only made after credits are received, and the agreement requires no upfront capital investment, ownership interest, or maintenance responsibility by the City. The developer retains ownership and operational responsibility for the solar facility throughout the agreement term.
The agreement has an initial term of 20 years from the project’s commercial operation date, with options for up to three additional five-year extensions upon mutual agreement. The City may terminate the agreement without cause with 365 days' notice, subject to the agreement's termination provisions.
DISCUSSION:
Participation in this community s...
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