Is Base Power or Energywell legit? We read both Illinois contracts line by line: Oct. 1 prices, 12- vs 15-year terms and a $15,000 exit charge.
Both offers are legit, with state-licensed power suppliers, but they lock you in for 12 or 15 years. Base Power and Energywell put a whole-home battery at your house for little or no money up front. Then they sell you power at a set percent below ComEd's Price to Compare, ComEd's default price for the power itself. Only owners of single-family homes in parts of ComEd's area can get them. Base's battery deal runs 12 years and Energywell's runs 15. Both are tied to the company's power plan, and neither fits well with rooftop solar. We re-checked every rate and term against both contracts on October 15, 2026.
The Day Company is an independent solar, battery and electricity information resource and a lead-generation business. Information you submit may be used by our review team and authorized partners to contact you about your request.
Should you sign? Start with three questions.
Are they legit? The Illinois Commerce Commission licenses both companies' power suppliers. The catch isn't the company. It's the contract, so read the one you're given before you sign.
How we make money: We have no partnership with Base Power or Energywell. We don't score companies that pay us. We're not tied to ComEd or the Citizens Utility Board; company names only point to the offers. We're an independent site about solar, batteries and electricity. We also earn from rooftop solar leads, and Power HQ, the plan finder on this page, may pay us. So we have a business interest in solar, which these offers don't fit with. We name and date the source of every figure. How we make money.
These offers change quickly. Base's Illinois price has changed three times since its first Illinois rates on May 2, 2026, most recently on October 1. Both companies can change terms with notice. Every figure here shows the date we checked it, most recently October 25, 2026. Before you sign, read the contract the company gives you, not this page.
Dates that change the math
From ComEd's tariffs and its September 4 rebate filing, and Plug In Illinois. Checked October 15, 2026.
Two things sold as one: a battery and a power plan. The company puts a whole-home battery at your house and keeps owning it. You switch your electricity supply to the company's own plan, priced below ComEd's default. You pay little or nothing for the hardware.
The company makes money two ways. It sells you the power. It also uses the batteries it owns across many homes to help the grid when demand peaks. The Citizens Utility Board puts it simply: the batteries charge when power is cheap and give back stored energy when the grid is strained. That grid work helps pay for your discount. Base's chief executive told the Chicago Tribune it means running your home on "4 a.m. power versus 6 p.m. power."
Two companies do this in Illinois as of mid-October 2026. Base Power is based in Austin, Texas. It started here in June 2026 and says it serves more than 30,000 homes. Energywell is based in Connecticut and sells power through its Illinois company, Fanfare Energy, LLC. Both serve ComEd's area only. A newcomer, SOLRITE Energy, launched August 20, 2026, and works differently. It installs solar panels it owns plus a 60 kWh battery, and sells you the solar power under a 25-year deal. Our guides to the Base battery and to Energywell's record go deeper on each.
Pick how much power your home uses in a month. It's on your ComEd bill, in kWh. We'll do the simple math for both batteries.
Your monthly useAt 750 kWh a month, your home uses about 1.0 kWh an hour on average.
Base says: 12–18 hours at average use, and up to 36 at low use.
Energywell doesn't state backup hours. It doesn't guarantee backup or a minimum charge.
If the battery is only half full when the power goes out, that's about 19 hours. If it's down to the 5 kWh Base tries to keep in reserve (it says this can't be guaranteed), that's about 5 hours.
Why real backup will likely be shorter
Illustrative estimate, not a quote or a promise of backup time. Simple math: battery kWh ÷ (your monthly kWh ÷ 730 hours in an average month). Battery sizes and backup terms come from each company's own documents, checked October 15, 2026. Real backup depends on your home, the weather, how full the battery is and each company's terms. The agreement you sign controls.
Own solar and a battery instead. The battery is yours, and solar cuts how much power you buy. Check your roof before a 12- or 15-year deal.
See if solar fits my home →Since October 1, the two prices differ, and the commitments always did. Here are both offers side by side, from each company's own papers, checked October 15, 2026.
Best for: a shorter commitment
Best for: the deeper discount, if you'll never want solar
The cards sum up the table below. They aren't scores or ratings. Cancellation charges are in the table and in what leaving costs.
On-peak discountBelow ComEd's price
Base Power15%
Energywell25%
A bigger discount means a lower price per kWh.
Off-peak discountBelow ComEd's price
Base Power18%
Energywell28%
Each company sets its own off-peak hours. The table below lists them.
Battery sizeHow much energy it holds
Base Power39.2 kWh
Energywellup to 40 kWh
About the same size.
Battery agreementHow long you sign up for
Base Power12 years
Energywell15 years
A longer agreement is a bigger commitment. Base's clock starts when you pay the deposit. Energywell's starts at installation.
Upfront install feeTo install the battery
Base Power$295
Energywell$0
Paid once, at the start. Energywell's $0 is in its agreement, and it can change after a site survey. Its agreement lists a $0 deposit; its support page mentions a $99 deposit refunded after install and your first bill.
Swipe the table sideways to see both columns →
| Base Power | Energywell | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $295 one-time install fee. Its $95 Founding Member price was for the first 2,000 homes installed under that promo. | $0 installation in its agreement (can change after a site survey); its agreement lists a $0 deposit, while its support page mentions a $99 deposit refunded after install and your first bill |
| Battery | Base Core, 39.2 kWh | EcoFlow OCEAN Pro, up to 40 kWh |
| Backup (company-stated) | 12–18 hours at average use; up to 36 at low use | Not stated in hours |
| Who owns the battery | Base Power | Energywell |
| Battery agreement | 12 years, from the day you pay the deposit | 15 years, from installation |
| Electricity price, on-peak | 15% below ComEd's price (7am–11pm weekdays) in its current agreement | 25% below ComEd's price (5am–10:59pm daily) |
| Electricity price, off-peak | 18% below (all other hours) | 28% below (11pm–4:59am) |
| From October 1, 2026 | 8.6¢ on-peak, 8.3¢ off-peak (Base's listed prices) | About 7.58¢ on-peak, 7.27¢ off-peak |
| Cancel, battery recovered | $500 | $500 |
| Cancel, battery not recovered | Fair market value, which Base says "may be upwards of $10,000 per battery" | $15,000 |
| Rooftop solar | Allowed, but Base warns it may cost solar owners more | Not allowed without Energywell's written consent |
| Chicago proper | Not named; no Chicago expansion announced as of October 15 | Not named; select ComEd-area neighborhoods only, per the Citizens Utility Board |
From Base's Illinois page, Battery Services Agreement (May 4, 2026), Energy Service Agreement (v09302026) and Founding Member terms. From Energywell's Battery Service Agreement (V20260624) and Illinois rate page. And from the Citizens Utility Board's Q&A of July 22, 2026. All checked October 15, 2026. Energywell's October prices are our math on its discounts. They match its October 1, 2026 Illinois terms. Base's are its own listed prices.
There's now a price gap. Base's discount is 10 points smaller on-peak. But the biggest gap is still in what it costs to leave. Both charge $500 if you end the deal and the company gets its battery back. Sometimes it can't get the battery back, for example if you deny access or it can't be removed. Then Base charges its fair market value, and Energywell charges a flat $15,000.
Both companies price your power as a percent below ComEd's Price to Compare. That's ComEd's default price for the electricity itself, before delivery charges. It was 10.399¢ per kWh through September 30, 2026, and it is 10.103¢ from October 1 through May 2027. Energywell's price fell with it. Base's listed price rose, because its promo ended September 30.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| From October 1, 2026 | On-peak | Off-peak |
|---|---|---|
| ComEd default (Price to Compare) | 10.103¢ | 10.103¢ |
| Base Power | 8.6¢ (15% below) | 8.3¢ (18% below) |
| Energywell | about 7.58¢ (25% below) | about 7.27¢ (28% below) |
Base's cents are its own listed prices from October 1, 2026. Its agreement's example says 8.587¢ and 8.284¢. Energywell's are our math on its published discounts, rounded. They match the 7.577¢ and 7.274¢ in its Illinois terms of service, updated October 1, 2026. We checked them October 15, 2026. ComEd's price is from Plug In Illinois and the Citizens Utility Board. Both companies leave out ComEd's monthly Purchased Electricity Adjustment.
Both prices move with ComEd's. Earlier versions of this page said Base's price was fixed in cents. Base's own supply agreement says otherwise. The rate is "indexed to ComEd's Price to Compare," and "actual per-unit rates will change when ComEd updates the Price to Compare." In Base's current agreement (version v09302026), the discounts are 15% on-peak and 18% off-peak for the first 24 months. Its Founding Member version said 25% and 27%. Energywell's rate page says its plan starts with a 2-year term.
The discount is on the electricity, not your whole bill. ComEd bills delivery, the customer charge and taxes no matter who supplies your power. Base's agreement says so plainly: it "does not guarantee that your total electricity bill will be lower" than on ComEd's default service. See the rest of a ComEd bill on why is my ComEd bill so high? A typical bill is on the average electric bill in Illinois, and ComEd's new price is on ComEd's October 2026 rate.
The Citizens Utility Board makes a point in these companies' favor. Most other supplier plans in Illinois haven't saved homes money, and these two stand out because they promise a price below ComEd's at all. How ComEd's price compares with the rest of the state is on Illinois electric rates.
For new customers, Energywell's discount is deeper right now: 25% below ComEd's price on-peak, versus 15% for Base.
In short: Base's prices have followed ComEd's since launch. The agreement you sign, not the ads, sets your percentages. Base's price history and the fine print on renewals are below.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| Period | On-peak | Off-peak | ComEd's price then |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2 – May 31, 2026 | 8.2¢ (15% below) | 7.9¢ (18% below) | 9.66¢ |
| June 1 – June 14, 2026 | 8.9¢ (15% below) | 8.5¢ (18% below) | 10.40¢ |
| June 15 – September 30, 2026 (Founding Member promo) | 7.8¢ (25% below) | 7.6¢ (27% below) | 10.40¢ |
| October 1, 2026 – May 31, 2027 | 8.6¢ (15% below) | 8.3¢ (18% below) | 10.10¢ |
Base's help center price history (edited October 1, 2026), checked October 15, 2026. Past prices don't predict future ones: Base's caveat, and ours.
Base's help center calls the June 15 rates a "Founding Member Promo." It dates that row to September 30, 2026, when ComEd's summer price ended. The promo gave the first 2,000 homes a $95 install, not the usual $295. It also gave 25% and 27% off supply, not the usual 15% and 18%. From October 1, Base lists the usual 15% and 18%. The promo's supply agreement, version v06012026-FM, says 25% and 27% for 24 months. One section of it says 28% off-peak. Base's current agreement, version v09302026, says 15% and 18% all the way through. The agreement you get controls, so ask which version and which percents apply to you.
ComEd's default price comes with a monthly true-up, the Purchased Electricity Adjustment (PEA). It can be a charge or a credit. It applies only to homes on ComEd's default supply, so it stops under either offer. Base advertises "no PEA charge" as a member perk. Energywell figures its discount against the Price to Compare without the PEA, so the PEA neither helps nor hurts its math.
Base's supply agreement renews by itself unless you opt out by the deadline in its renewal notice. The new rate must be below the higher of two prices. One is ComEd's average price plus PEA over the past 12 months. The other is ComEd's price at renewal. Energywell's renewal comes with a "Lowest Rate Guarantee." Bring it a comparable plan from another licensed supplier within 10 days of its renewal offer. If it doesn't match within 10 business days, you can cancel the battery deal with no fees.
Set your monthly usage (it's on your ComEd bill, in kWh). Then compare ComEd's default price with each company's on-peak price from October 1. We use on-peak because it's the higher of each plan's two prices, so your real savings would be a little larger.
Price × your monthly kWh. Supply only: delivery charges, taxes and fees stay the same either way.
At 750 kWh, staying on ComEd's default price costs you about $19 more a month than Energywell's on-peak price, and about $11 more than Base's. Over a 2-year price term, that's about $455 or $273. Delivery charges don't change.
Illustrative arithmetic on published discounts, not a quote. Off-peak hours save a little more: 18% with Base, 28% with Energywell. ComEd's price is set to change in January 2027, when its transmission charge updates, and again on June 1, 2027. Your real savings depend on how much power you use, when you use it and the agreement you sign.
Own solar and a battery instead. Solar cuts how much power you buy. Check your roof before a 12- or 15-year deal.
Compare with solar for my home →Twelve to fifteen years is a long time to rule out solar. Before you sign either offer, it costs nothing to find out whether your roof is a candidate. The free check tells you either way in about a minute.
Check my roof first →Both can come with $0 up front, a battery for backup and a long agreement. The difference is what you pay for. A bundle lowers the price of the power you buy. Solar makes some of your power, so you buy less of it. Here's how the two compare.
Swipe the table sideways to see both columns →
| Battery bundleBase Power or Energywell | Solar + battery, $0 upfronta solar power agreement (PPA) | |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | $295 (Base) or $0 (Energywell) | $0 |
| What you pay for | The electricity you buy, at a discount to ComEd's price | The power your panels make, at a rate per kWh set in your agreement |
| How your price moves | With ComEd's price, a set percentage below it | Set for the agreement: flat, or with a set yearly increase, depending on the program |
| How it lowers your bill | Cheaper electricity from the company | You buy less electricity from ComEd |
| Battery | Included; charges from the grid | Included; charges from your panels, or from the grid when power is cheap |
| Backup power | Yes; charge level not guaranteed | Yes |
| Earning from the battery | The company earns from it; you get the lower price | You can earn from ComEd's virtual power plant once it opens, planned for 2027 |
| Maintenance and insurance | Included | Included for the agreement: repairs, monitoring, removal and reinstall for roof work, and insurance |
| Production | Not applicable | Guaranteed; a shortfall is made up with a refund, a credit or more panels |
| If your usage grows | Solar stays off the table for the term | Add panels later, usually under a separate agreement |
| Agreement length | 12 years (Base) or 15 (Energywell), tied to their electricity plan | 15 years |
| Who owns the equipment | The company | The provider, which also insures and maintains it for you |
| Rebates and incentives | Kept by the company | Claimed by the provider and built into your rate |
| If you sell your home | The buyer must take over the agreement, or you pay the cancellation charge | Can transfer to the buyer; conditions apply |
| Best for | Backup and a lower electricity price, with no interest in solar | Making your own power, with backup and room to grow |
Program terms vary by provider and change over time. This is general information, not an offer, a quote or a promise of savings. The agreement you sign controls. ComEd's rules add one more thing. If you connect a battery on or after June 1, 2026, you must stay on an hourly or time-of-day rate to keep net metering. Bundle terms come from each company's published papers, checked October 15, 2026.
How a solar power agreement compares with a lease or buying outright is on lease vs. PPA vs. buying in Illinois. What solar costs is on how much solar panels cost in Illinois. Whether it pays off for your roof is on is solar worth it in Illinois? Whatever you're offered, here's how to vet the quote.
Keep readingWhat a battery you own is worth in IllinoisNot in practice. Energywell's agreement rules out solar for its full 15 years unless Energywell agrees in writing. Base allows solar but warns its offer may cost solar owners more than staying with ComEd. Either way, signing one of these deals takes rooftop solar off the table for more than a decade.
"Customers with solar panels or any distributed generation installed at their service address at any time during the 15-year term of this Agreement are not eligible for this product (or will become disqualified from this product), absent written agreement from the Company."
Energywell Battery Service Agreement, opening paragraph (version V20260624, still current October 15, 2026). Section 9 sets the penalty.Adding solar without that consent is a breach. After a 30-day chance to fix it, Energywell can charge $50 for each month left in the term, up to $3,000, on top of any cancellation fee.
"If you have — or plan to add — solar panels, switching to Base may cost you more than using ComEd as your supplier."
Base Power help center, last edited August 20, 2026, re-read October 15, 2026Base's reason: ComEd's hourly pricing and net metering credit solar better than Base's flat solar buyback rate. That hourly rate is covered on ComEd hourly pricing with solar. The Citizens Utility Board reaches the same view. It lists "you have rooftop solar or are interested in getting it" among the times these offers don't fit.
That makes it a fork in the road, not a bad deal. A bundle lowers the price of the power you buy, while solar cuts how much you buy. Order matters: it's far easier to check whether solar works on your roof before you sign a 12- or 15-year deal than to undo one later.
Yes. Since September 14, 2026, batteries paired with solar can too. ComEd's new net-metering rules let them charge from the panels, the grid or both. From January 1, 2027, a battery with no solar that charges only from the grid can earn net-metering credit. What still differs between the three paths: who owns the battery, who gets paid and what you commit to.
Swipe the table sideways to see all three →
| Solar + battery | Battery only, no solar | Base / Energywell bundle | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who owns the battery | You, or a solar provider under a $0-upfront agreement | You | The company |
| What can charge it | Your solar, the grid, or both | The grid | The grid, as ordinary household use |
| Net metering | Yes; a battery connected on or after June 1, 2026 needs an hourly or time-of-day rate | Compensation starts January 1, 2027, under the same rate rule | Replaced by the company's own bill credits |
| ComEd's $300/kWh battery rebate | Available to the battery's owner | Not yet. ComEd's revised rules, in effect since October 19, 2026, take stand-alone applications from January 1, 2027 | Assigned to the company |
| ComEd's virtual power plant (2027) | Optional; required if the battery took the rebate on or after June 1, 2026 | Optional | The company runs the battery |
| Rooftop solar | Yes | Can be added | Off the table for 12–15 years |
ComEd's virtual power plant doesn't need solar either. A battery on its own qualifies. Any battery that got ComEd's storage rebate on or after June 1, 2026 must take part. Its tariff says service must start by March 1, 2027. On September 14, the Citizens Utility Board said ComEd is aiming for spring 2027. Read more on ComEd's virtual power plant, explained, Illinois battery incentives and ComEd net metering.
In short: ComEd's rules now let solar-paired batteries charge from the grid. Battery-only homes join net metering in 2027. The storage rebate requires solar until January 1, 2027, when ComEd starts taking rebate applications for batteries on their own. The exact tariff words are below.
These are ComEd's filed tariff sheets from its current Schedule of Rates (Ill. C.C. No. 10). We first read them September 28, 2026 and re-checked them word for word October 15, 2026. Rider POGNM was rewritten under Public Act 104-0458, effective September 14, 2026.
"For a retail customer to be considered for service hereunder, the retail customer must own, host or operate, including any third-party owned systems, an Eligible Facility."
Rider POGNM, Prerequisites of Service, Sheet No. 294.2, effective September 14, 2026. The rider defines an Eligible Facility as a renewable generating facility or an Energy Storage System, including third-party owned systems."charged either solely from, or from a combination of,: (a) such Distributed Electric Renewable Generating Facility; and (b) the grid."
Rider POGNM, definition of Paired Energy Storage System, Sheets 294–294.2, effective September 14, 2026"an energy storage system that is not paired with a distributed electric renewable generating facility, is interconnected, after June 1, 2026, to the Company's distribution system under rules adopted by the ICC, and is charged solely from the grid… shall not become eligible for compensation under the terms of this rider until January 1, 2027."
Rider POGNM, definition of Stand-alone Energy Storage System, Sheets 294–294.2, effective September 14, 2026"The retail customer serviced by any Energy Storage System that interconnected on or after June 1, 2026, must take service under a QSP and remain on a QSP in order to remain eligible for service under the terms of this rider."
Rider POGNM, 4th Revised Sheet No. 295.1, effective September 14, 2026. A Qualifying Supply Product (QSP) is ComEd's hourly pricing (Rate BESH), its time-of-day rate (Rate BEST) or a supplier's time-of-use product."Retail customers may begin taking service under this rider beginning no later than March 1, 2027."
Rider SDVPP, Applicability, 2nd Revised Sheet No. 471, effective July 16, 2026"SDVPP qualifying devices include an Energy Storage Facility which is fixed in place, for a period of time not less than the SDVPP Program Term, and may be associated with a Distributed Electric Renewable Generating Device. System Injections associated with an Energy Storage Facility which is standalone or is AC coupled with a Distributed Renewable Energy Generation Device shall be measured at the Smart Inverter(s) connected to the Energy Storage Facility. System Injections associated with an Energy Storage Facility which is DC coupled with a Distributed electric Renewable Generating Device shall be measured based upon combined export of the paired resources."
Rider SDVPP, SDVPP Qualifying Devices, 2nd Revised Sheet No. 475, effective July 16, 2026"interconnected to the Company's distribution system behind the same retail customer meter as such Energy Storage Facility."
Rider DG REBATE, Sheet No. 248.1 (item 14), describing the renewable generating facility a rebated battery must be paired with. The rider in effect had no provision for stand-alone storage as of October 15, 2026."the Company shall not accept any rebate applications applicable to Stand-alone Energy Storage Facilities until January 1, 2027."
ComEd's revised Rider DG REBATE (advance copy), filed September 4, 2026, Date Effective October 19, 2026; read October 15, 2026. It defines a stand-alone battery as one not paired with solar, interconnected after June 1, 2026 and "charged solely from the grid," and requires rebate recipients to take part in ComEd's virtual power plant. When we checked October 15, 2026, ComEd's list of proposed filings still showed it taking effect October 19, 2026, not suspended. The Illinois Commerce Commission's October 8, 2026 meeting agenda lists the filing (ERM #26-152) as "Do Not Suspend the Filing"; it took effect October 19, 2026 (read October 19, 2026).The old version of Rider POGNM made a net-metered, AC-coupled battery charge only from the on-site renewable generator. It had a narrow exception for storage in PJM's frequency-regulation market. Neither rule appears in the version in effect since September 14, 2026.
Two agreements on two different clocks. The battery agreement runs 12 years with Base, counted from the day you pay the deposit. With Energywell it runs 15 years, counted from installation. The power plan runs in shorter terms inside that window. But both battery deals require you to stay on the company's plan the whole time.
Base PowerThe clock starts the day you pay the deposit
EnergywellThe clock starts at installation
Base Power · 12 years
Energywell · 15 years
If you leave early
Base's supply agreement starts with a 24-month term. Then it renews for the term in each renewal offer. Its battery agreement makes you stay enrolled for all 12 years. Energywell's Illinois pages describe a 2-year rate lock, and its Illinois supply terms say 24 billing cycles. The Citizens Utility Board's July Q&A said five years. Energywell's battery agreement leaves supply terms to a separate contract. But it requires you to buy Energywell's power for the full 15 years. Ask which term applies, and get it in writing.
Swipe the table sideways to see both columns →
| Commitment | Base Power | Energywell |
|---|---|---|
| Battery agreement | 12 years from the deposit date | 15 years from installation |
| Staying on their electricity plan | Required for all 12 years; switching suppliers or joining a municipal aggregation program can be treated as early termination | Required for all 15 years; leaving can trigger the cancellation fee or a $99 monthly battery fee |
| At the end | Renewal is opt-in; do nothing and it ends | Goes month-to-month; Energywell may offer you the battery at fair market value |
| Cancel, battery recovered | $500 | $500 |
| Cancel, battery not recovered | Fair market value, "may be upwards of $10,000 per battery" | $15,000 |
| If you sell your home | 90 days' notice; the buyer must sign Base's assignment before the sale | 90 days' notice; the buyer must sign Energywell's transfer agreement before the sale |
| If you add solar | Allowed; Base warns it may cost more | A breach without consent: up to $3,000 on top of any cancellation fee |
From Base Battery Services Agreement (§G.1, §G.2, §C.4, §F) and Energywell Battery Service Agreement (§2, §5(a), §6(d), §8(c), §9). We read both in full September 28 and again October 15, 2026.
One more thing for sellers: Energywell's agreement lets it record a fixture filing for the battery in your county's property records. How home sales work with equipment a company owns is on selling a house with solar in Illinois.
Pick a company, the year you'd leave and how. The math uses each company's own agreement. Nothing you pick is sent anywhere.
Energywell picks: a $500 cancellation fee if it takes the battery back, or it leaves the battery and bills $99 a month for the 120 months left (§5(a), §8(c)). Joining a town's power-buying program triggers the cancellation fee.
From each company's own agreement: Base's Battery Services Agreement (May 4, 2026) and Energywell's Battery Service Agreement (V20260624), checked October 15, 2026. A sale usualy costs nothing if your buyer signs the company's transfer before closing. This isn't legal advice; your signed agreement controls. The ranges are illustrative, not a bill or a quote.
The company, not you. Base's battery agreement gives Base every tax credit, rebate and incentive on the battery. That includes ComEd's Distributed Generation Rebate. It says you "shall have no right, claim, or entitlement to any such benefits." Energywell's agreement keeps incentives the same way, even for programs created or expanded after your battery goes in.
Base's paperwork goes a step further. Among its Illinois documents, Base lists a one-page ComEd form, "Customer Acknowledgement of 3rd Party Payee and Rate Requirements." It has Base Power Development, LLC filled in as the payee. By signing it, the homeowner agrees to this:
"I acknowledge that the DG Rebate payment is going to a third party named below and I understand that I will not be receiving the rebate payment from ComEd."
ComEd form linked from Base's Illinois page as its "ComEd DG Rebate Agreement" (undated), read September 28, 2026 and again October 15, 2026, when it was still listed thereThe same form commits the homeowner to a Qualifying Utility Product "for the life of the system." If you're not on one when the rebate is processed, ComEd moves your supply to its hourly pricing, Rate BESH. You must stay on it or on another qualifying rate. So the rebate goes to Base, while the rate rule stays with your ComEd account. Base's battery agreement also lets Base move you to ComEd's time-of-use delivery pricing.
The form isn't on Base's list of papers needed to start service. So ask Base in writing if you'll be asked to sign it, and which ComEd rate you'll be on. On a 39.2 kWh battery, ComEd's rebate of $300 per kWh comes to about $11,760, if it applies at all. Until January 1, 2027, the rebate takes only batteries paired with solar behind the same meter. ComEd's new rules, filed September 4, took effect October 19, 2026. They add a rebate for grid-charged batteries with no solar, and applications open January 1, 2027. Base's contract gives any such rebate to Base. That money isn't taken from you. It's part of how a nearly free battery is paid for.
If you own your battery and solar, you collect the rebate yourself. See the ComEd battery storage rebate and is a home battery worth it in Illinois? Tax credits follow the owner too: did the solar tax credit end? The full picture is on Illinois solar incentives 2026.
If a Base battery qualifies at all. From Base's contract (§A.7) and the ComEd payee form linked from its Illinois page. Energywell's §12 keeps incentives the same way.
It can, and both companies credit it back, within limits. When the company charges its battery from the grid, that power runs through your meter. ComEd bills delivery on every kilowatt-hour you draw. Both companies offset those extra delivery charges on the supply side of your bill.
Your ComEd billTwo parts
Supply: the power itselfThe discount lands here
ComEd's Price to Compare, Oct 1, 2026 to May 31, 202710.103¢ per kWh
Delivery: ComEd's partSame either way
ComEd bills these no matter who supplies your power.
Base's own agreement says it "does not guarantee that your total electricity bill will be lower" than ComEd's default service.
Base credits you at ComEd's delivery rate for each kWh the battery draws from the grid. Its Net Metering Addendum, posted again with its September 30, 2026 papers, says the same. Then Base charges you ComEd's delivery rate for each kWh your home takes back out of the battery, at that hour's time-of-use rate. If you have solar, it pays 3.48¢ per kWh for solar you send out. Its addendum is plain about the rest: "you will receive no credits from Base Retail when the Battery System discharges to the grid." Base's website shows a "Battery Dispatch Credit" line on your bill. But the addendum defines no credit by that name, so ask how it's figured.
Energywell credits the per-kWh delivery charges for your rate class, times the battery's grid use. The credit doesn't cover ComEd's fixed monthly charges. It can't be more than you owe that month, it doesn't carry forward, and it may not be paid while Energywell's battery data is down. It's also promised for your first supply term only:
"For the Initial Term of your Agreement with Energywell, in addition to the supply charges described in the TOS, we will issue you a monthly Battery Participation Credit"
Energywell Battery Participation Credit Addendum (dated June 24, 2026), read in full September 28 and October 15, 2026In a heavy-dispatch month, Base's credits can be more than your supply charges. That negative balance rolls forward on your ComEd account. Base says it can't send refund checks for it.
Here are terms most sales pitches skip. We read every agreement both companies publish, in full, on September 28, 2026, and re-checked them October 15, 2026. Some terms run in your favor.
In short: Disputes over Base's battery deal go to one-on-one arbitration in Texas, and Base caps what it owes you. Both companies can change terms when the law changes. Energywell can switch you to a $99 monthly battery fee, even if you didn't cancel. On the plus side, Base gives you 3 business days to back out. And its renewal is opt-in, not automatic.
Swipe the table sideways to see both columns →
| Clause | Base Power | Energywell |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs the battery | Base. You may not run it yourself (§C.1) | Energywell. Stored power it doesn't use earns you nothing (§7(h)) |
| Backup | Aims to keep 5 kWh in reserve, not guaranteed (§B) | No promise of backup or a minimum charge (§7(c), §10(a)) |
| Leaving the power plan | Can count as ending the battery deal early (§C.4) | Can trigger the cancellation fee or a $99 monthly fee (§5(a)) |
| Rebates and incentives | Base keeps them (§A.7) | Energywell keeps them, even from new programs (§12) |
| Rule changes | No notice for law changes; 30 days for material ones (§K) | No notice for law changes; new charges pass to you (§31, §32) |
| In your favor | 3 business days to back out; renewal at year 12 is opt-in (§A.4, §G) | Rate match at renewal; free removal after year 15 if undamaged and easy to reach (§5(c), §2) |
Both offers have hard limits that rule out many Illinois households before price comes up. Five questions settle it. Nothing you pick is sent anywhere; this runs in your browser.
Based on both companies' published eligibility rules and the Citizens Utility Board's July 2026 Q&A, checked October 15, 2026.
1. Is ComEd your electric utility?
2. Do you own your home?
3. Is it a single-family house?
4. Solar at your home?
5. Do you expect to stay in this home 12 or more years?
This reflects both companies' published eligibility rules and the Citizens Utility Board's Q&A as of October 15, 2026. It isn't an application or a decision, and it doesn't replace reading the contract you're given. Each company decides who qualifies. Both companies also run their own address checks. If you continue to our eligibility check, your answers come with you so you don't have to repeat them.
No. Three different things share the same words right now. Energywell calls its battery network a "Connected Energy Community." Base runs its batteries as a fleet it can dispatch. And ComEd has its own program, the Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant. Its tariff says service must start by March 1, 2027. As of October 15, 2026, we found no sign-up announcement from ComEd.
Swipe the table sideways to see all three →
| Compare | Energywell | Base Power | ComEd's program (SDVPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it's called | "Connected Energy Community" | A fleet of batteries it dispatches | Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant |
| Who owns the battery | Energywell | Base | You |
| What you get | A lower power price | A lower power price | Payments from ComEd |
| When | Now, in parts of ComEd's area | Now, in parts of ComEd's area | Service must start by March 1, 2027 |
The real difference is who owns the battery. In ComEd's program, you own a battery, and ComEd pays you to let it send power during set summer windows. With Base or Energywell, the company owns the battery, and you get a lower power price instead of a payment. All three trace back to the same 2026 Illinois grid law. ComEd's program is covered in full on ComEd's virtual power plant, explained. Everything else about ComEd, from rates to grid hookups, is in the ComEd solar guide.
Keep readingComEd's own battery program: who it pays, and when it opensNot much yet. Both offers are new in Illinois. The Citizens Utility Board last updated its guide on August 2, 2026. It had not heard from anyone who enrolled in either one. As of October 25, 2026, the Better Business Bureau lists 6 complaints in 12 months for all of Base, with 4 resolved. Texas regulators gave Base 2 of 5 stars for complaints in September 2026. We found only five reviews of Energywell, all five stars, and none of them mentions Illinois.
With so few reports, the signed agreement matters more than any review. Three short guides cover what is public. One covers Base's complaints and who to call. One shows what Energywell's record can and can't prove. And one covers the Base battery's size and noise.
Keep readingBase Power Illinois reviews: complaints and who to callThere's a real customer here. These offers can fit if you own a single-family home in ComEd's area and never want solar. You should also plan to stay well over 10 years, and want backup power without paying five figures for a battery. A discount below ComEd's price, written into the contract, is truly rare for an Illinois supplier.
NoNeither offer reaches you. Both serve ComEd territory only.
Yes: go on to question 2NoLikely not eligible. Both require you to own your home, and the Citizens Utility Board says both are for single-family homes.
Yes: go on to question 3YesNeither bundle fits. Compare solar first. Energywell bars solar without its consent, and Base warns solar may cost you more. Bundle or solar?
No: go on to question 4No or not sureThink twice. Leaving early costs $500 if they take the battery back, and much more if they can't. What leaving costs
Yes: compare the two offersYes to all four? You're who these offers are built for. Now compare:
Best for: a shorter commitment
Best for: the deeper discount, if you'll never want solar
Need backup you can count on for medical needs? Skip both. Neither company guarantees the battery will be charged when an outage starts.
A good fit if you…
Skip it if you…
The Citizens Utility Board's list of times these offers don't fit is short. You're an Ameren or MidAmerican customer. You rent, or live in an apartment or condo. You plan to move soon. You have rooftop solar or want it. You want the freedom to switch plans as new options appear. Or you need backup you can count on, since neither company promises the battery will be charged when an outage starts. Ameren customer? Ameren's battery options are on the Ameren virtual power plant guide.
Find out if your roof is a candidate before you sign a 12- or 15-year deal.
Base Power puts a 39.2 kWh battery it owns outside your home for a one-time $295 fee. You also join its time-of-use power plan: 15% below ComEd's Price to Compare on-peak and 18% off-peak. From October 1, 2026, that's 8.6 and 8.3 cents per kWh. The battery deal runs 12 years from the day you pay the deposit. It's for ComEd's area only.
Energywell puts an EcoFlow OCEAN Pro battery it owns at your home, up to 40 kWh. Its agreement lists no install fee. Its time-of-use plan is 25% below ComEd's Price to Compare on-peak and 28% off-peak. From October 1, 2026, that's about 7.58 and 7.27 cents per kWh. The battery deal runs 15 years from installation. Fanfare Energy, LLC is its Illinois supplier.
Yes. Its Illinois power comes from Fanfare Energy, LLC, a supplier licensed by the state, and its 15-year Battery Service Agreement is online. But legit isn't the same as a good fit. Leaving early costs $500 if the battery is recovered and $15,000 if not. And you can't add solar without Energywell's written consent.
Yes. Its Illinois power comes from Base Retail, LLC, a supplier licensed by the state (license 26-0121), and its Illinois contracts are online. Base is an Austin, Texas company. It came to Illinois in June 2026 and says it serves more than 30,000 homes. We have no partnership with Base. The real question is the contract: a 12-year battery deal tied to its power plan.
Both are set as a percent below ComEd's price, so both follow it, but they no longer match. At ComEd's new 10.103 cents per kWh, Base lists 8.6 cents on-peak and 8.3 cents off-peak. Energywell works out to about 7.58 and 7.27 cents. Its Illinois terms, updated October 1, 2026, list the same: 7.577 and 7.274 cents.
The company keeps the battery, and you stay on its power plan for a long time: 12 years with Base, 15 with Energywell. Leaving early costs $500 if the company gets the battery back. If not, Base charges fair market value, which may top $10,000, and Energywell charges $15,000. The company keeps the rebates, and neither offer fits well with rooftop solar.
You host Base's battery for 12 years from the day you pay the deposit. Leaving early costs $500 if Base takes the battery back. If it can't, you owe its fair market value, which Base says may top $10,000. Base keeps the rebates, including ComEd's. Since October 1, 2026, new customers get 15% below ComEd on-peak and 18% off-peak, less than the 25% promo that ended September 30. And Base warns solar owners may pay more.
The battery deal runs 15 years from installation. Leaving early costs $500 if the battery is recovered and $15,000 if not. Leave its power plan, and a $99 monthly battery fee can start. Energywell can pick that option even if you don't cancel. Solar needs its written consent, or you may owe up to $3,000 more. It also keeps the battery's incentives.
Not free with no strings. In Illinois, the batteries sold as free or nearly free come from Base Power and Energywell. Each comes with a 12- or 15-year power plan, and the company owns the battery. ComEd's own program is a $300-per-kWh rebate on a battery paired with solar, not a free battery. Some solar companies also offer solar plus a battery for $0 up front.
The company, not you. Base's contract gives Base the rebates, including ComEd's Distributed Generation Rebate. A ComEd form in Base's papers names Base Power Development, LLC as the payee. It also locks you into a qualifying ComEd rate for the life of the system. Energywell keeps incentives the same way. Until January 1, 2027, ComEd's rebate takes only batteries paired with solar. Then a rebate for batteries on their own opens to applications.
Not with Energywell, unless it agrees in writing. Its agreement shuts out homes with solar for the full 15 years. Base allows solar but warns that solar owners may pay more than with ComEd. That's because ComEd's hourly pricing and net metering pay solar better than Base's flat buyback rate.
Not in practice. Under Energywell's agreement, adding solar without written consent is a breach. After 30 days to fix it, Energywell can charge $50 for each month left, up to $3,000, plus any cancellation fee. Base doesn't ban solar, but says the numbers work against it.
Not without a cost. With Base, leaving its supply plan or joining your town's group power-buying program can count as ending the 12-year battery deal early. Energywell can charge its cancellation fee. Or it can leave the battery in place and bill $99 a month, waived only while you buy its power. It can pick that option even if you didn't cancel.
Both companies need 90 days' notice, and the buyer must sign the company's transfer agreement before the sale. If not, the seller owes the cancellation charge. Energywell can also record a fixture filing for the battery in county property records. Either way, disclose the battery deal when you sell.
The discount is on the supply part of your bill, not the whole bill. Since October 1, 2026, ComEd's Price to Compare is 10.103 cents per kWh. Energywell is 25% below it on-peak, and Base is 15% below. At 750 kWh a month, that's roughly $19 or $11 less on supply. Delivery charges, the customer charge and taxes don't change. Base's own agreement doesn't promise a lower total bill.
Charging the battery from the grid adds kilowatt-hours to your meter. Both companies credit the extra delivery charges on the supply side. Base credits grid charging at ComEd's delivery rate, and charges that rate for power your home draws back. Energywell's credit leaves out fixed monthly charges, is capped at what you owe each month, and lasts only for your first supply term.
Not from Base Power as of October 2026. Base started in towns such as Plainfield, Arlington Heights, Rockford, Joliet, Palatine, Evanston, Oswego and Mundelein. It hasn't announced service in the city of Chicago. The Citizens Utility Board says Energywell serves only select neighborhoods in ComEd's area. Both check each address.
No. ComEd's Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant pays people who own a battery to let ComEd use it. A battery on its own qualifies, and service must start by March 1, 2027. Base Power and Energywell own their batteries and give you a lower power price instead. All three come from the same 2026 Illinois grid law, which is why the words overlap.
They no longer price alike. Since October 1, 2026, Energywell is 25% below ComEd's price on-peak and 28% off-peak, and Base is 15% and 18% below. Both move with ComEd. The term is 12 years with Base and 15 with Energywell. If the battery isn't recovered, Base charges fair market value and Energywell $15,000. Base warns against solar, and Energywell bans it without consent.
Yes, since September 14, 2026. ComEd's updated net-metering rules let a solar-paired battery charge from the solar, the grid or both. A home that connects a battery on or after June 1, 2026 must stay on a qualifying rate: ComEd's hourly pricing, its time-of-day rate, or a supplier's time-of-use plan.
Yes. ComEd's virtual power plant (Rider SDVPP) accepts batteries on their own. From January 1, 2027, a grid-charged battery with no solar can also earn net-metering credit. It can't get ComEd's $300-per-kWh storage rebate yet. A rebate for batteries on their own opens to applications January 1, 2027. The virtual power plant must start by March 1, 2027.
Battery rebates in other states: Texas battery incentives, New Jersey battery incentives.
Free, about a minute, no obligation. If rooftop solar isn't the right fit for your roof or your usage, it says so instead of handing you to a salesperson.
Free eligibility check · ComEd & Ameren · No obligationThe Day Company is an independent solar, battery and electricity information resource and a lead-generation business. We have no partnership with Base Power or Energywell. We're not affiliated with ComEd or the Citizens Utility Board. Information you submit may be used by our review team and authorized partners to contact you about your request. Checking eligibility creates no obligation, and no figure on this site is a quote or a guarantee.
Links to Base Power and Energywell documents are there so you can check the contract language quoted above, and are marked so they pass no ranking credit. We link contract documents only, not either company's sales or sign-up pages.
How to cite: The Day Company review team, "What are Base Power and Energywell offering Illinois homeowners?," The Day Company, updated October 15, 2026. https://theday.company/answers/battery-supply-bundle-illinois
When we update this page: when either company changes its rates, fees or terms. When either one moves into Ameren's area, MidAmerican's area or the city of Chicago. When the Citizens Utility Board posts more. When the state commission rules on either supplier. When ComEd opens its virtual power plant, or its price changes. We re-check every figure here monthly.
The Day Company is not a government agency, utility, ComEd, Ameren, Citizens Utility Board, PJM, MISO, Illinois Shines, the Illinois Commerce Commission, or the IRS, and does not imply affiliation with or endorsement by any of them. Utility names identify service territories only. Nothing here is tax, legal, or financial advice. Calculator and exit-cost figures are illustrative arithmetic on published rates and contract terms, not a quote or a promise of savings; eligibility for either offer is determined by each company under its own terms. The backup-hours estimator is illustrative too: it does simple math on each company's stated battery size and isn't a promise of backup time. Charts and timelines summarize each company's documents as of the dates shown, and the agreement you sign controls. Rate figures are point-in-time and were last reviewed October 15, 2026. Verify current rates with your utility or the Citizens Utility Board.