News Releases

October 6, 2011

Governor Quinn Launches $78 Million Initiative to
Support Small and Start-Up Businesses

Advantage Illinois to Provide Access to Capital for Businesses and
Entrepreneurs to Create Jobs and Grow the Economy

CHICAGO – October 5, 2011. Governor Pat Quinn today launched the Advantage Illinois program that is designed to provide Illinois businesses and entrepreneurs with access to the capital they need to start new companies and expand existing business. Advantage Illinois will leverage $78 million in federal funding that will allow businesses to bring innovative ideas and new products to market and accelerate job creation and economic growth in Illinois.

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October 4, 2011

Chevrolet of Naperville Presenting City with Electric Vehicle on October 11
Mayor A. George Pradel Will Accept Vehicle Loan at Naperville Test Track

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — Representatives from Dan Wolf Chevrolet of Naperville will present the City with a Chevy Volt at a presentation taking place at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, October 11 at the Naperville Test Track, located on the south side of Jefferson Avenue between Fort Hill Drive and Ogden Avenue.

Mayor A. George Pradel will take a ceremonial test drive around the Naperville Test Track to publicly acknowledge this local automobile dealer’s offer. The Chevy Volt is an electric vehicle powered primarily through an electric battery and also has the capability to run on gas due to an onboard gas generator.

“Electric vehicles are the way of the future,” Mayor Pradel said. “I have always been concerned about the City’s energy use and saving fuel. This is an excellent opportunity to drive a vehicle which I see as becoming more common in our community throughout the next decade. I want to show our residents that going green is the right thing to do.”

The Mayor will initially drive the vehicle for a period of time, and then all City Council members will be offered the opportunity to test drive the electric vehicle as well. The vehicle will be located in the lower level of the Municipal Center parking deck and will plug in to a standard electrical outlet for charging.

“Chevrolet of Naperville is pleased to offer the Mayor and City Council the opportunity to drive the Chevy Volt,” Owner Dan Wolf said. “Our organization strongly believes in environmental stewardship and giving back to the communities in which we do business. This is a win-win situation where our City leaders experience firsthand how an electric car operates, and we can help spread the word about this eco-friendly mode of transportation.”

Naperville is a leader in several green initiatives, including the Naperville Smart Grid Initiative (NSGI), which is paving the way for widespread adoption of electric vehicles in Naperville through modernization of the City’s electric utility grid. The NSGI will use digital technology to help the utility and its customers better track and manage their purchase and use of energy, preparing the City for increased energy demand and for the future of energy conservation.

For more information on the NSGI, visit www.naperville.il.us/smartgrid.aspx. For more information on the City’s environmental initiatives, visit www.naperville.il.us/environment.aspx. For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us. Sign up to receive the latest news on the City of Naperville’s projects and initiatives via e-mail at www.naperville.il.us/enews.aspx.

July 25, 2011

Naperville Electric Rates Remaining Unchanged Until 2013

City Council’s Foresight to Join the IMEA in 2007 Greatly Contributes to Rate Stability

NAPERVILLE, Ill. —  The City of Naperville is pleased to announce that its electric utility customers will see no electric rate increases through the first part of 2013. In the three fiscal years following, customers can expect to only see a 2 percent electric rate increase each year. In a time when energy prices remain volatile, this longer-term projection is a testament to the foresight of the City Council and prudent fiscal management of the City’s award-winning electric utility.

On June 1, 2011, the City of Naperville began purchasing electric power for its municipal electric utility with the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA), a not-for-profit joint action agency comprised of 32 municipal electric systems that work together to provide power supply and other related utility services for themselves. Because of this new agreement and the new way the City must purchase power from the IMEA, Naperville recently conducted an electric rate study to determine rates for the coming years.

“We are extremely proud that our electric customers will continue to enjoy some of the lowest electric rates in the region,” Department of Public Utilities-Electric Director Mark Curran said. “The City Council’s decision in 2007 to join the IMEA, even before the world economic downturn and during continued instability in the energy market, has allowed the City to provide its electric customers minimal rate changes over the next five years. This visionary leadership should be applauded by all residents and businesses as we continue to enjoy reliable and efficient electric service.”

Naperville’s contract with the IMEA runs through September 30, 2035. Long-term membership in the IMEA allows the City the advantages of economies of scale provided by a larger buying group and to stabilize electric rates for a longer time frame.

In addition to purchasing power, this partnership will allow electric customers to benefit from additional IMEA incentives and programs, including the Recycle My Fridge Program. Starting August 1, Naperville single-family residential utility customers can call (877) 341-2313 or visit www.RecycleMyFridge.org to schedule a free pickup from inside their homes of old secondary refrigerators and freezers. As a thank you, a resident will receive a $35 prepaid card four to six weeks after he or she recycles the appliance.

Refrigerators and freezers turned in for recycling must be in working condition, 10 to 30 cubic feet and owned by the resident. Appointments will be made on a first-come, first-served basis, with the program lasting until the IMEA budgeted funds of $100,000 are distributed through all member communities. By retiring old refrigerators and freezers, customers should see a decrease in their monthly utility bills and demand on the City’s power grid can be reduced.

For more information on Naperville’s electric utility, visit www.naperville.il.us/electric.aspx. For more information on the IMEA, visit www.imea.org. For more information on the City of Naperville, visit www.naperville.il.us. Sign up to receive the latest news on the City of Naperville’s projects and initiatives via e-mail at www.naperville.il.us/enews.aspx.