City Water, Light and Power solar: net metering and export credit rules

The rules

What happens to the solar power you send to the grid

City Water, Light and Power (CWLP), owned and operated by the City of Springfield, provides electric power to about 68,000 customer meters serving the residents and businesses of Springfield and surrounding areas.

CWLP Net Metering Program

How City Water, Light and Power credits exports

CWLP, the City of Springfield's municipal electric utility, offers full retail net metering to residential and commercial customers with renewable systems of 25 kW AC or less under Springfield city code Section 50.38.
The code values the offset at the retail rate that applies to the customer when the energy is delivered to CWLP's system, and CWLP describes this as the full retail rate for all solar production through a net meter.
If the system produces more than the home uses in a billing period, the customer is billed for zero kWh and the excess is banked for later bills.
Banked excess carries forward only until the annual reconciliation at the billing cycle that includes March 1, and at that point, or when an account closes, any remaining excess is surrendered to CWLP with no payment or credit transfer.
The city council may reevaluate the net metering rate once solar reaches 3 percent of CWLP's total peak demand over the previous 12 months, and if net metering is later curtailed, customers with systems under 100 kW AC that connected before February 29, 2020 may keep the terms in place when they started, as long as they own the system at that location.
Illinois law, 220 ILCS 5/17-900, leaves self generation and crediting policies to each municipal utility's governing body while giving customers the right to fair credit for excess energy.

The rule behind it

Illinois Public Utilities Act, customer self generation of electricity, 220 ILCS 5/17-900

The program

CWLP Net Metering Program, Springfield City Code Section 50.38

Recent changes

Public Act 104-0458, effective June 1, 2026, amended 220 ILCS 5/17-900 so residential customers of municipal utilities such as CWLP may interconnect renewable systems up to and including 25 kW AC, and so a municipal utility cannot require the customer to name it as an additional insured or carry a minimum liability limit when the system meets the interconnection agreement's safety standards and is installed by a licensed contractor carrying the liability coverage the law specifies.

Before you connect

Limits, and the steps to get connected

Limits and eligibility

Springfield city code makes net metering available on request to residential and general service customers with a renewable generator of 25 kW AC or less.
Illinois law gives residential customers of municipal utilities the right to interconnect renewable systems up to and including 25 kW AC.
CWLP asks customers planning solar arrays larger than 25 kW, or other types of renewable systems, to contact its Solar Program Administrator, and solar projects over 25 kW need an added engineering review and different wiring.
CWLP advises sizing a system to the home's year round energy use, because banked credits do not carry over beyond a year.

How a home gets connected

The contractor obtains CWLP's Solar Application Packet and submits the interconnection application and net meter contract, both filled out and signed by the customer, with the solar data sheet and a one line drawing to the CWLP Solar Program Administrator, and city code says CWLP must be notified before any generating equipment is purchased.
The contractor gets permits from Springfield's Office of Building and Zoning, or from Sangamon County's Department of Zoning outside city limits, which confirm the system meets local code.
The contractor connects the array according to CWLP approved drawings, and a connection inside the billing meter base must be coordinated with CWLP at least one week ahead.
Once the array is operational, the contractor asks CWLP to perform the required interconnection safety test, which is separate from the zoning inspections.
After the system passes, CWLP sends the contractor and customer a signed Permission to Interconnect Letter along with the countersigned application and net meter contract, and installs the billing net meter and a solar production meter within 2 weeks.

Federal tax credit

The residential solar credit (section 25D) ended for systems completed after 2025. What that means in 2026.

Questions

Common questions about City Water, Light and Power and solar

Does CWLP in Springfield still offer full retail net metering for solar?

Yes. CWLP says it currently offers full retail net metering to residential and commercial customers installing solar, and Springfield city code Section 50.38 values the credit at the customer's retail rate for systems of 25 kW AC or less. The code lets the city council reevaluate that rate once solar reaches 3 percent of CWLP's total peak demand over the previous 12 months.

What happens to extra CWLP solar credits in March?

Excess energy carries forward from one billing period to the next until the annual reconciliation at the billing cycle that includes March 1. At that point, or when an account closes, any remaining excess is surrendered to CWLP, and the city code says there are no payments or credit transfers for excess energy.

Did the 2025 Illinois net metering change apply to CWLP customers?

The January 1, 2025 change is written into 220 ILCS 5/16-107.5, which applies to electric utilities and alternative retail electric suppliers. Municipal systems such as CWLP are covered by 220 ILCS 5/17-900, which leaves them governed by their own governing bodies and says their crediting policies may reasonably differ from the rules in Article XVI, the article that contains that section. CWLP's current page still describes its program as full retail net metering.

Is there still a federal tax credit for home solar?

The federal residential clean energy credit, section 25D, ended for home solar expenditures made after December 31, 2025, under the law signed July 4, 2025. The IRS treats the expenditure as made when installation is completed, so a system completed in 2026 does not qualify even if it was paid for earlier.

Does the consultation cost anything?

No. The consultation is free for homeowners, and there is no obligation to buy anything.

Who will contact me?

Our team confirms a few details with you, then one local solar company for your area contacts you to set up the visit. Your request never goes to a list.

Sources (checked September 26, 2026)

Tariffs and programs change, so confirm current terms with City Water, Light and Power before you decide.

Answers homeowners look for

Is the federal solar tax credit still available in 2026?No, not for a home solar system completed in 2026.Can an HOA stop you from installing solar panels?Illinois: State law limits HOA bans Do solar panels raise your property taxes?Illinois: Exemption in state law

How City Water, Light and Power credits home solar

Check your home