PRESS RELEASE: Park District of Highland Park Partners with Realgy Energy and Love Energy & Construction for Second Solar Project at New West Ridge Recreation Facility
PRESS RELEASE:
Park District of Highland Park Partners with Realgy Energy and Love Energy & Construction for Second Solar Project at New West Ridge Recreation Facility
Highland Park, IL – July 23, 2025
The Park District of Highland Park has approved a second solar photovoltaic (PV) project with Realgy Energy Services to be installed at its newest recreation facility, currently under construction at West Ridge Park. The new 99 kW-DC / 75 kW-AC solar system is expected to provide approximately one-third of the building’s annual energy needs, contributing to the Park District’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Approved by the City of Highland Park on July 17, 2025, this project marks the Park District’s second partnership with Realgy. The first installation, completed in 2021 at the Deer Creek Racquet Club, continues to provide significant energy and cost savings.
Permitting for the new system is scheduled for August, with construction to begin in October. The solar array is expected to be operational by December 2025.
The new recreation facility at West Ridge, scheduled to open in 2026, will feature a 10,000-square-foot gymnasium, three multi-purpose enrichment rooms, a multi-use dance studio, and a large community room. The building’s innovative and inclusive design will serve as a vibrant hub for community engagement and wellness.
Under a 15-year lease agreement, Realgy will finance, install, and maintain the solar PV system at no cost to the Park District. Realgy will also supply the remainder of the building’s energy needs at rates that average 5% below ComEd. This partnership enables the Park District to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, avoid delivery fees, and lock in long-term energy savings.
This project is part of Realgy’s broader initiative to bring cost-effective, renewable energy solutions to public and private organizations.
For more information, please contact:
Terrence Black, Project Developer – 317-201-4435 or blackt33@yahoo.com
Molly Czako, Realgy Energy Services – 860-233-2270 x1002 or MMcGuigan@realgy.com
A First: Restart of a Retired Nuclear Power Plant
It’s Never Been Done
A retired nuclear power plant has its fuel removed, all maintenance stops, and corrosion begins.
Restarting it means checking every system, cleaning repeatedly, and then refueling—putting nuclear fuel back in and powering up the plant.
The 800MW Palisades Power Plant in Michigan has now received approval to be operational by 2025.
This is remarkable for both the engineering challenge and the promise it holds.
The company Holtec, which originally purchased the retired plant for decommissioning (demolition), is instead restarting it.
Holtec has no prior experience operating a nuclear power plant or any power plant.
Typically, nuclear plants are retired because the cost to maintain them exceeds the market value of the power they produce. But that equation is changing due to rising energy demand across the U.S., driven in large part by the growth of AI data centers.
Unlike solar or wind, nuclear power is receiving tax subsidies and loan guarantees from the U.S. government. These loan guarantees mean that if the project fails, U.S. taxpayers are responsible for repayment.
Notably, the U.S. recently canceled a loan guarantee for a power line that would have delivered five times more power than Palisades, generated by wind.
There is clear urgency and growing investment in new power sources to meet projected demand from AI infrastructure.
See the full article here: Canary Media – Holtec Palisades Restart
This effort is important. Multiple retired nuclear power plants across the U.S. could follow suit and be brought back online.
Let us not forget the tragic risks inherent to nuclear energy. Not nuclear explosions, but the potential release of radioactive material. These massive industrial facilities rely entirely on rigorous equipment maintenance and well-trained operators.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer serving commercial customers in the states of Illinois, and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 11 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations. Soon to be 12 with the inclusion of Highland Park newest recreation center West Ridge Center – New Community Recreation Facility Coming in 2026 | Park District of Highland Park
Additional Information:
Small Modular Reactors are Gaining Steam Globally. Will Any Get Built?
It’s a very exciting day to discuss nuclear power. Electric demand is higher than it’s been since the 1950s.
So what is a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR)? Well, that would be the equivalent of a nuclear submarine or carrier. Small nuclear power and supporting equipment that, once approved, could be built in a controlled area and shipped where needed.
The US has the most experience in building SMRs. Consider that the US has:
• 72 nuclear powered submarines
• 10 nuclear aircraft carriers
• Over 12 nuclear powered reactors have been sent into space
So why don’t we have a modular nuclear reactor power plant?
Time frame: it takes 10-15 years to build each ship.
Cost: compared to coal, solar, natural gas, wind, nuclear power costs 5-25 times more for each kilowatt hour.
The US has the experience and know-how to build SMRs.
Currently, 74 SMRs are in various design considerations worldwide.
The US has one shipyard that builds nuclear submarines and one shipyard that builds nuclear aircraft carriers. Each has been trying to hire welders, shipwrights, and engineers for over 3 years to be able to build the ships faster.
SMRs are nuclear-powered reactors; as such, they require extensive design, expert construction, and professional operation.
Let’s continue to pursue such a goal, but it should not come at the expense of what is economical, technically feasible, and ready to deploy now.
Realgy Energy Services is a registered Retail Energy Marketer serving commercial customers in the states of Illinois, and Indiana. We offer Service Plans that will provide electric and natural gas at wholesale pricing direct to customers without any utility markup. Our Service Plans work with the local utility to provide seamless service and annual energy savings. Service Plans include Guaranteed SavingsTM, ManagedPriceTM, ManagedGreenTM Index, Fixed and PriceAssuranceTM.
Realgy owns and operates 11 solar plants in Illinois and is looking to invest in additional locations. Soon to be 12 with the inclusion of Highland Park newest recreation center West Ridge Center – New Community Recreation Facility Coming in 2026 | Park District of Highland Park
Additional Information:
Small modular reactors are gaining steam globally.… | Canary Media