IMEA Electric Contract

What is the IMEA electricity contract, and why did the City choose not to enter a new one?

The Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) is a not-for-profit joint-action agency of 32 municipal electric systems throughout Illinois. IMEA uses combined purchasing power to secure competitive wholesale energy pricing for member communities like St. Charles.

St. Charles's IMEA Contract History:

St. Charles began purchasing partial electric power from IMEA on December 21, 1999
The current contract to purchase all electric power started June 17, 2004
This contract expires September 30, 2035

The New Contract Proposal:

IMEA offered a new 20-year contract extending power supply purchasing through May 31, 2055. The deadline to sign was initially April 30, 2025, later extended to August 19, 2025.

Why St. Charles Declined:

The St. Charles City Council declined the new IMEA contract at a special Government Services Committee meeting on August 11, 2025. The City formed an IMEA Working Group (including City Council members, staff, and community stakeholders) to examine:

Alternative suppliers
Energy sources (renewable vs. traditional)
Supply capacity and reliability
Potential costs

Next Steps:

The City expects to begin searching for a new energy provider by 2029 or 2030 to ensure a new agreement is in place before the current IMEA contract expires in 2035.