The Springfield City Council passed ordinances that will allow the city to apply for an expedited program to build a 1,200-acre solar project adjacent to Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Springfield’s municipal utility, City, Water, Light and Power, is working with advocates to find alternative clean energy sources. The Springfield City Council passed ordinances that will allow the city to apply for an expedited program to build a 1,200-acre solar project adjacent to Abraham Lincoln Capitol Airport. 

The ordinance was fast-tracked into emergency passage because developers must begin construction on solar projects by July 2026 to get federal tax credits under the "Big Beautiful Bill." 

Additionally, the application for the expedited program under Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) opens Aug. 6. The first 10 applicants were accepted, and the county aims to submit as soon as possible. 

The city already has a 25-year solar contract with Sangamon Solar LLC, building a new 100 MW, 750-acre solar installation in Sangamon County south of Chatham. It will generate an average of 24MW daily. The city also has a wind contract that will generate an average of 50MW a day.

Collectively, all projects will accumulate roughly 100MW of clean energy per day, matching the current resource, Dallman Power Station.

Don Hanrahan, an advocate with the Coalition for Springfield's Utility Future, explained that clean energy is a better option.

"Just to put it in perspective, Dallman—our coal-fired power plant—when it's running, roaring away at its nameplate capacity, can produce 200MW of power," Hanrahan said. "It doesn't do that, though. For many reasons, coal-fired power plants could never reach 100% because they're not efficient enough."

If the application is accepted, the City will enter an agreement with the solar company to pay $2,300,000 annually for 20MW of energy daily for 20 years.

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