Dupage Policy Journal

As the Naperville City Council prepares for an Aug. 19 vote on whether to renew the city's long-term energy contract with the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA), questions have emerged about whether Councilman Ashfaq Syed should recuse himself due to affiliations with organizations that have publicly opposed the deal.

Syed, elected to the council in April 2025, also serves as president of the Naperville Public Library Board and is a board member of Accelerate Climate Solutions, a Naperville-based environmental nonprofit that has advocated against the IMEA contract. 

He has also been active with the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force (NEST), including helping organize a public forum where more than 200 residents urged the city to consider alternatives to coal-based energy before the contract’s expiration in 2035.

Earlier this week, the DuPage Policy Journal submitted an interview request to Syed, asking whether he intends to recuse himself from the upcoming vote, citing potential conflicts of interest. The request also sought information about the financial backers of Accelerate Climate Solutions and NEST. Syed did not respond by the publication’s deadline and has made no public statements clarifying his intentions.

Some observers have said that elected officials should be transparent about affiliations with groups involved in advocacy on major policy issues. A lack of disclosure, they note, can lead to concerns about public trust and impartiality in decision-making.

The vote comes during a broader debate over the future of Naperville’s energy strategy. Environmental groups have raised concerns that renewing the IMEA contract would extend the city’s reliance on fossil fuels, particularly from the Prairie State Energy Campus, one of the nation’s largest coal-fired plants.

Supporters of renewal, including Councilman Josh McBroom and Louis Halkias, chair of the city’s Public Utilities Advisory Board (PUAB), argue that exiting the agreement could lead to higher energy costs and reduced reliability.

According to Halkias, a former EPA agent, Naperville currently pays 20 to 32 percent less for electricity than ComEd customers, resulting in annual savings of approximately $32 million. 

PUAB voted 4–3 in favor of renewing the contract following several months of public hearings and data review.

“Part of the PUAB's mission is to provide the most cost-effective, reliable, clean energy we could do,” Halkias told the DuPage Policy Journal of the PUAB’s recommendation. “And that's what's happening here.”

He said leaving IMEA could expose the city to market volatility, with projected rate increases of 30 percent and no significant environmental improvement, as Prairie State would continue operations regardless of Naperville’s involvement.

Halkias also said that once Naperville’s bond debt to IMEA is paid off in 2035, residents could see rates decrease by an additional 25 percent. He described IMEA’s long-term strategy as focused on expanding nuclear, solar, and other renewable sources while maintaining service reliability.

In a letter addressed directly to the City Council, Halkias framed the decision as a test of leadership and alignment with the city's guiding principles.

“This decision requires leadership and resolve,” he said. “Upholding your responsibility to the community means making choices consistent with the City Council’s own mission. I urge you to renew Naperville’s contract with IMEA—for today’s residents and generations to come.”

He also addressed potential equity impacts, stating that stable and affordable electricity from IMEA “disproportionately benefits residents with lower incomes and supports socioeconomic diversity.”

McBroom has also raised concerns about public officials affiliated with Accelerate Climate Solutions, including District 203 school board member Marc Willensky, who led a recent vote urging the Council to reject the IMEA contract. McBroom criticized that action as an overstep and cited it as part of what he called a broader lobbying effort from individuals who he said should recuse themselves from related decisions.

“I think he's 100% conflicted. If you read his quote in the paper, in his comments it was all about the kids. The kids are worried about the climate,” McBroom previously told the DuPage Policy Journal.

While public debate over the IMEA contract continues, attention has turned to whether Syed will participate in the vote. His roles as both an elected official and a board member of a group opposing the agreement have raised questions about potential conflicts of interest.

The IMEA contract vote is scheduled to be discussed at the upcoming Naperville City Council meeting on Monday, Aug. 19.