City of Springfield and solar
City of Springfield is a municipal utility serving about 59,366 homes in Illinois. Here's what its rates and export rules mean for solar: for a typical customer, solar is a close call.
- Average price (2026 est.)
- 13.9¢26% below Illinois average
- Typical bill
- $120864 kWh a month
- Exports credited
- ~65%Reduced export credit
- Typical payback
- 16.5 yrs6 kW, cash
Export rules for City of Springfield customers
Reduced export credit (Illinois rule).
For ComEd and Ameren customers who connected on or after Jan 1, 2025, solar exports only offset the energy supply part of the bill (about 8-12 cents/kWh), not delivery charges. To compensate, the state pays an upfront $300 per kW rebate for solar with a smart inverter, and Illinois Shines pays for solar renewable energy credits.
Solar for a typical City of Springfield home
| System | 6 kW (80% of 864 kWh/month) |
|---|---|
| Cost | $20,900 |
| First-year savings | $1,140 |
| Payback | 16.5 years |
| 25-year net | $15,777 |
Uses the utility's average price.
Solar adoption
- Homes with solar (2025)
- 568
- Share of customers
- 1.0%
- Residential solar capacity
- 6 MW
- Residential customers
- 59,366
EIA-861, 2025.
Cities served
Questions about City of Springfield and solar
Does City of Springfield have net metering?
City of Springfield follows Illinois's rules: For ComEd and Ameren customers who connected on or after Jan 1, 2025, solar exports only offset the energy supply part of the bill (about 8-12 cents/kWh), not delivery charges. To compensate, the state pays an upfront $300 per kW rebate for solar with a smart inverter, and Illinois Shines pays for solar renewable energy credits.
How much does electricity cost with City of Springfield?
Residential customers paid an average of 13.1¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA), about 13.9¢ adjusted to 2026. The typical home uses 864 kWh a month, a bill of about $120.
Is solar worth it with City of Springfield?
For a typical customer, solar is a close call: a 6 kW system costing about $20,900 pays back in about 16.5 years, with $15,777 net over 25 years.
How many City of Springfield customers have solar?
About 568 homes had net-metered solar at the end of 2025, roughly 1.0% of residential customers (EIA-861).
Legal name: City of Springfield - (IL) (EIA ID 17828). Data: EIA-861 2025 and monthly data through 2026, state policy research October 2026.