The Nexamp Community Solar Farm near Paw Paw on March 27, 2024. ComEd’s computer issues put Nexamp’s business model on hold, preventing the company from billing subscribers at 15 operating community solar farms from Will County to Rockford. When ComEd bungled the launch of a new computer billing system in February, it left millions of customers unable to see their balances or pay online for more than a week before it was ostensibly resolved.
“Our program serves as a model for how community solar could work in other states,” said Sarah Moskowitz, executive director of Citizens Utility Board. “It’s very disappointing to see one of our utilities single-handedly halt the program for several months.” ComEd, which serves 4 million customers in northern Illinois, has 25,000 community solar subscribers at 96 installations in its territory, Breymaier said. Roughly a third of ComEd’s community solar customers haven’t received any credits since February, the utility said.Founded in 2007, Boston-based Nexamp develops and operates community solar projects in 10 states, including about two dozen in Illinois. In January, Gov. J.B.
“In addition to taking significant steps to rectify the situation, we have maintained regular communication with community solar subscribers providing updates on the delays and the expected timeline for resolution,” ComEd’s Breymaier said in her email. “We can’t turn their electricity off,” Bihun said. “We are likely not going to be able to collect a fair amount of the revenue for the energy generated, and the credits applied.”