New solar project to open in Sangamon and Morgan counties

CHICAGO, Ill. (WAND) - A new solar plant in Central Illinois will be providing energy for all Chicago municipal buildings. The City has partnered with Swift Current Energy and Constellation, a clean energy company.

"I am proud to announce that the city of Chicago has signed an agreement with retail electricity supplier, constellation, and collaboration with Swift Current energy to purchase renewable energy for all city facilities and operations by 2025," said Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot at a press conference on Monday.

The clean energy is not limited to city government buildings, but will also supply O'Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport.

"Illinois is a leader in the clean energy revolution," said Illinios Governor JB Pritzker. "In this state, we take seriously the looming threats of the climate crisis. And we aren't sitting around and waiting to see what happens. We're taking tangible preventative action to fight climate change by creating a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future for all Illinoisans."

This press conference came after the Inflation Reduction Act passed in the Senate on Sunday. If it gets through the House and is signed by President Biden, it will add new funding for climate change protections.

The Act would provide $300 billion to energy and climate reform. $60 billion of that funding would be dedicated to renewable energy infrastructure.

Pritzker says other cities already look to Chicago as a leader of environmental sustainability, but this action will take it a step further.

"This is such a terrific development for us in the state and and I also want to say that our city's new power supply contract is one that is a model for other cities and particularly for other cities across the state of Illinois," said Pritzker.

The new solar project is anticipated to create hundreds of jobs in Illinois. According to Swift Current Energy, the project will also create$100 million in tax revenue for Sangamon and Morgan Counties.