Solar Answers → Bills & Net Metering

What are Base Power and Energywell offering Illinois homeowners?

The Day Company is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or a partner of Base Power, Energywell, Think Energy, ComEd, or the Citizens Utility Board; company names identify the offers described. We are an Illinois solar and battery information resource and a lead-generation business, so we have a commercial interest in rooftop solar, which these offers aren't compatible with. Every figure below is attributed to a named public document and dated.

Published August 3, 2026 · Last reviewed September 28, 2026 · ~19 min read · By The Day Company Editorial Team

The 60-second version

What you get

A large backup battery at your house for $0 to $295 upfront, plus electricity priced 25% to 28% below ComEd's default price.

What you give up

You're tied to the company's electricity plan for 12 years (Base) or 15 (Energywell). The company owns the battery and keeps its rebates. Rooftop solar is effectively off the table for the whole term.

Good fit

You own a single-family home in ComEd territory, want backup power, have no interest in solar, and expect to stay 12 years or more.

Skip it if

You might want solar, you could move, you rent, or you need backup you can count on for medical equipment.

New this month

From October 1, both prices follow ComEd's new 10.103¢ down. A ComEd form listed with Base's documents sends ComEd's battery rebate to Base and commits the homeowner to a qualifying ComEd rate for the life of the system. Energywell's credit for extra delivery charges is promised only for your first supply term.

What exactly are these offers?

Two things sold as one: a battery and an electricity plan. The company installs a whole-home battery at your house and keeps ownership of it. You switch your electricity supply to the company's own plan, which is priced below ComEd's default. You pay little or nothing for the hardware.

The company makes its money two ways. It sells you the electricity, and it uses the batteries it owns across many homes to serve the grid when demand peaks. The Citizens Utility Board puts it simply: the batteries charge when power is cheap and supply stored energy when the grid is strained, and that grid service helps pay for the discounts. 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 September 2026. Base Power, based in Austin, Texas, launched here in June 2026 and says it serves more than 30,000 homes. Energywell, based in Connecticut, supplies through its Illinois company Fanfare Energy, LLC and markets through the Think+ Energy Advisor network. Both serve ComEd territory only. The closest new arrival, SOLRITE Energy, launched August 20, 2026 with a different structure: it installs company-owned solar panels plus a 60 kWh battery and sells you the solar output under a 25-year agreement.

How do Base Power and Energywell compare?

The prices are nearly identical. The commitments are not. Here are both offers side by side, from each company's own documents as checked September 28, 2026.

Swipe the table sideways to see both columns →

Sources: Base's Illinois page, Battery Services Agreement (May 4, 2026) and Energy Supply Agreement (version v06012026-FM); Energywell's Battery Service Agreement (V20260624) and Illinois rate pages; Citizens Utility Board Q&A, July 22, 2026. All checked September 28, 2026. October prices apply each company's discount to ComEd's 10.103¢ Price to Compare.

The biggest gap is in the cancellation rows. Both charge $500 if you end the agreement and the company gets its battery back. If it can't recover the battery, because you deny access or it can't be removed, Base charges its fair market value and Energywell charges a flat $15,000.

What will you actually pay for electricity?

Both companies price your electricity as a percentage below ComEd's Price to Compare, ComEd's default price for the electricity itself, before delivery charges. That price is 10.399¢ per kWh through September 30, 2026 and 10.103¢ from October 1 through May 2027, so both offers get cheaper in cents on October 1.

Swipe the table sideways to see every column →

Our arithmetic on each company's published discount and ComEd's October price, as reported by the Citizens Utility Board. Neither company had posted October cents as of September 28, 2026. Both leave ComEd's monthly Purchased Electricity Adjustment out of the comparison.

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." The discounts themselves, 25% on-peak and 27% off-peak, hold for the agreement's 24-month initial term.

The discount is on the electricity, not your whole bill. Delivery charges, the customer charge and taxes are billed by ComEd no matter who supplies your power. Base's agreement says so directly: it "does not guarantee that your total electricity bill will be lower" than on ComEd's default service. What makes up the rest of a ComEd bill is on why is my ComEd bill so high?, and what a typical bill runs is on the average electric bill in Illinois. ComEd's new price itself is explained on ComEd's October 2026 rate.

The Citizens Utility Board makes a point in these companies' favor: most alternative supplier plans in Illinois haven't saved residential customers money, and these two stand out for guaranteeing a price below ComEd's at all.

In short: Base's prices have followed ComEd's price since launch, and the agreement you sign, not the marketing, sets your percentages. Base's price history and the fine print on renewals are below.

Show the fine print: Base's price history, the PEA and renewals

Base's published Illinois price history

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	7.8¢ (25% below)	7.6¢ (27% below)	10.40¢

Base's help center, "Illinois Price History for the Life of Product," checked September 28, 2026. Historical pricing is not indicative of future pricing: Base's caveat, and ours.

Base's help center labels the June 15 rates a "Founding Member Promo" and dates that row to September 30, 2026, the day ComEd's summer price ended. Its Illinois sales page still shows an older two-row version of the table. Base's supply agreement, version v06012026-FM, keeps the 25% and 27% discounts for the full 24-month initial term, though one section of the same agreement says 28% off-peak. The agreement you're given controls, so ask which version and which percentages apply to you.

The Purchased Electricity Adjustment (PEA)

ComEd's default price carries a monthly true-up, the Purchased Electricity Adjustment, which can be a charge or a credit. It applies only to customers on ComEd's default supply, so it stops under either offer. Base advertises "no PEA charge" as a member benefit. Energywell's discount is figured against the Price to Compare without the PEA, so the PEA neither helps nor hurts its math.

At renewal

Base's supply agreement renews automatically unless you opt out before the deadline in its renewal notice, at a rate below the greater of ComEd's average price plus PEA over the prior 12 months or ComEd's price at renewal. Energywell's renewal comes with a "Lowest Rate Guarantee": if you bring it a comparable plan from another licensed supplier within 10 days of its renewal offer and it doesn't match within 10 business days, you can cancel the battery agreement without fees.

How much would you save on the electricity part of your bill?

Set your monthly usage (it's on your ComEd bill, in kWh) and compare ComEd's default price with the bundles' 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.

Battery bundle or solar with a battery: which fits you?

Both can come with $0 upfront, a battery for backup and a long agreement. The difference is what you're paying for: a bundle lowers the price of the electricity you buy, while solar makes some of your electricity so you buy less of it. Here's how the two compare.

Swipe the table sideways to see both columns →

Program terms vary by provider and change over time. This is general information, not an offer, a quote or a guarantee of savings, and the agreement you sign controls. Under ComEd's rules, a home with a battery connected after June 1, 2026 has to stay on an hourly or time-of-day supply rate to keep net metering. Bundle terms come from each company's published documents, checked September 28, 2026.

How a solar power agreement compares with a lease or buying the system outright is on lease vs. PPA vs. buying in Illinois, what solar costs to buy is on how much solar panels cost in Illinois, and whether it pencils out for your roof is on is solar worth it in Illinois? Whatever you're offered, here's how to vet the quote.

Can you have one of these offers and rooftop solar?

Not practically. Energywell's agreement rules out solar for its full 15 years unless Energywell agrees in writing. Base allows it but warns its offer may cost solar owners more than staying with ComEd. Either way, signing one of these agreements takes rooftop solar off the table for more than a decade.

Installing 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, capped at $3,000, on top of any cancellation fee.

Base's reason is that 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 conclusion, listing "you have rooftop solar or are interested in getting it" among the situations where 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; solar reduces how much you buy. The order matters: it's far easier to check whether solar works on your roof before signing a 12- or 15-year agreement than to unwind one afterward.

Can a home battery charge from the grid in Illinois?

Yes, and since September 14, 2026 that includes batteries paired with solar. ComEd's updated net-metering rules let a solar-paired battery charge from the panels, the grid or both. A battery with no solar that charges only from the grid becomes eligible for net-metering compensation on January 1, 2027. What still differs between the three paths is who owns the battery, who gets paid and what you're committed to.

Swipe the table sideways to see all three →

ComEd's virtual power plant doesn't require solar either: a standalone battery qualifies, and taking part is mandatory for any battery that received ComEd's storage rebate on or after June 1, 2026. Its tariff requires service to begin no later than March 1, 2027, and the Citizens Utility Board reported on September 14 that ComEd is working toward a spring 2027 launch. The program is explained on ComEd's virtual power plant, explained, the rebate side on Illinois battery incentives, and export credits on 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, and the storage rebate still requires solar. The exact tariff language is below.

Show the fine print: ComEd's tariff language, quoted exactly

These are ComEd's filed tariff sheets from its current Schedule of Rates (Ill. C.C. No. 10), read September 28, 2026. Rider POGNM was rewritten under Public Act 104-0458, effective September 14, 2026.

Net metering now covers a battery on its own

"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.

A solar-paired battery may charge from the grid

"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

A grid-only battery joins in 2027

"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 rate rule for new batteries

"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.

The virtual power plant

"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

The rebate still requires solar

"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 has no provision for stand-alone storage as of September 28, 2026.

The previous version of Rider POGNM required a net-metered, AC-coupled battery to be charged only by the on-site renewable generator, with a narrow exception for storage in PJM's frequency-regulation market. Neither provision appears in the version effective September 14, 2026.

What are you actually signing up for?

Two agreements on two different clocks. The battery agreement runs 12 years with Base, counted from the day you pay the deposit, and 15 years with Energywell, counted from installation. The electricity plan runs in shorter terms inside that window, but both battery agreements require you to stay on the company's plan the whole time.

Base's supply agreement runs 24-month terms, and its battery agreement requires continuous enrollment for all 12 years. Energywell's Illinois pages describe a 2-year rate lock; the Citizens Utility Board's July Q&A said five years, and Energywell's battery agreement leaves supply terms to a separate contract while requiring Energywell supply for the full 15 years. Ask which term applies and get it in writing.

Swipe the table sideways to see both columns →

Sources: Base Battery Services Agreement (§G.1, §G.2, §C.4, §F) and Energywell Battery Service Agreement (§2, §5(a), §6(d), §8(c), §9), both read in full September 28, 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 covered on selling a house with solar in Illinois.

Who gets ComEd's battery rebate on these batteries?

The company, not you. Base's battery agreement says Base "is entitled to any and all tax credits, rebates, incentives (including, without limitation, the Distributed Generation Rebate program administered by the relevant utility)" and that "you shall have no right, claim, or entitlement to any such benefits." Energywell's agreement reserves incentives the same way, including programs created or expanded after your battery is installed.

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," with Base Power Development, LLC filled in as the payee. By signing it, the homeowner acknowledges:

The same form commits the homeowner to take service under a Qualifying Utility Product "for the life of the system." If you're not already on one when the rebate is processed, ComEd switches your supply to its hourly pricing, Rate BESH, and you must stay on it or another qualifying rate. So the rebate goes to Base, while the rate requirement stays with your ComEd account. Base's battery agreement separately authorizes Base to move you to ComEd's time-of-use delivery pricing.

The form isn't on Base's list of the agreements needed to start service, so ask Base in writing whether you'll be asked to sign it, and which ComEd rate you'll be on. On a 39.2 kWh battery, ComEd's $300-per-kWh storage rebate works out to about $11,760, if it applies at all: ComEd's rebate rules still require a battery to be paired with solar behind the same meter. That money isn't taken from you; it's part of how a nearly free battery is funded. Homeowners who own their battery and solar collect the rebate themselves: 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 incentive picture is on Illinois solar incentives 2026.

Will the battery change the rest of your bill?

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, and ComEd bills delivery on every kilowatt-hour you draw. Both companies offset those extra delivery charges on the supply side of your bill.

Base credits you at ComEd's delivery rate for every kWh the battery draws from the grid, and charges you that same rate for every kWh your home later takes out of the battery. If you have solar, it pays 3.48¢ per kWh for solar you export. 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 describes a "Battery Dispatch Credit" line on your bill, but its Net Metering Addendum defines no credit by that name, so ask how it's calculated.

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, can't exceed what you owe that month, doesn't carry forward, and isn't paid for periods when Energywell's battery data is down. It's also promised for your first supply term only:

In a heavy-dispatch month, Base's credits can exceed your supply charges. That negative balance rolls forward on your ComEd account; Base says it can't issue refund checks for it.

What else is in the contracts?

A few terms most pitches skip, from reading every agreement both companies publish in full on September 28, 2026. Some of them run in your favor.

In short: Base's disputes go to individual arbitration in Texas, and Base caps its liability. Both companies can change terms for a change in law. Energywell can switch you to a $99 monthly battery fee even if you didn't cancel. On the plus side, Base gives you a 3-business-day window to back out and an opt-in, not automatic, renewal.

Show the fine print: Base's contracts, clause by clause

• Supply lock-in (§C.4). Cancelling Base's supply plan or its Net Metering Addendum, or joining a municipal aggregation program, lets Base treat it as early termination of the battery agreement. The narrow exception: if Base's supplier fails to offer the renewal terms it agreed to, you may switch by notifying Base in writing within 15 days after the supply plan expires. Exemptions are granted in Base's sole discretion.
• Your delivery rate (§A.8). You authorize Base to move your ComEd delivery service to Distribution Time of Use pricing.
• The battery is Base's to run (§C.1). "You agree that you will not operate the Battery System or direct the Energy stored in it in any way." Base may enroll it in any program or energy market.
• Backup (§B). Base will "endeavor" to keep at least 5 kWh in reserve, and says this "cannot be guaranteed." The battery can't be relied on for health-related or other critical needs.
• Disputes (§J, §M). Binding individual arbitration in Austin, Texas, with a class-action waiver. Claims must be brought within two years.
• Changes (§K). Base may change the agreement without notice for a change in law, a change that benefits you, or a change that isn't material. A material change needs at least 30 days' notice, and you can object and leave without penalty.
• Liability (§H.2). Base's liability is capped at the greater of $15,000 or the battery's fair market value.
• In your favor. You can cancel within 3 business days of signing (§A.4) and get your full deposit back if you cancel within 48 hours of Base approving your property photos. The year-12 renewal is opt-in. The supply agreement itself can be ended anytime without supply fees, though battery cancellation charges may apply, and you can rescind the supply switch within 10 calendar days of ComEd's written confirmation.
• Supply-side terms. Base's supplier may end your supply if battery service ends and your home no longer meets its usage criteria, and may end the agreement if you don't accept revised terms within 30 days. Its Net Metering Addendum measures credits with Base's own methods and says it "cannot guarantee" your credits will always reflect your delivery plan.
• Complaints. Base's Illinois page commits to written responses and lists the Illinois Commerce Commission (1-800-524-0795) and the Attorney General's Consumer Fraud Hotline (1-800-386-5438).

Show the fine print: Energywell's contracts, clause by clause

• Solar (§9). The no-solar sentence sits in the agreement's opening paragraph. Section 9(a) bars any on-site generation without Energywell's written consent, with a 30-day window to fix it, and Section 9(b)'s damages stack on top of any cancellation fee.
• The $99 fee (§5(a)). The monthly battery service fee is waived only while you take Energywell's supply. Energywell may choose this "Continued Service Option" even if you didn't cancel, and joining a municipal aggregation program triggers the cancellation fee.
• Rate match, at renewal only (§5(c), §8(d)(2)). Bring a comparable plan (same type and term, from an ICC-licensed supplier, promotional credits excluded) within 10 days of Energywell's renewal offer. If Energywell doesn't match it within 10 business days, the cancellation fee is waived.
• Incentives (§12). Energywell claims tax credits, rebates and incentive payments tied to its ownership, including programs "established, expanded, or modified after the installation" of your battery.
• Backup (§7(c), §10(a)). No guarantee of backup or of a minimum charge level, and not for health-related needs.
• Compensation (§7(h)). "Customer will not receive any compensation for energy that is stored in but not dispatched from the Battery System," and grid charging may raise your metered consumption.
• Moving and selling (§3(a), §6(d), §21, §30). The battery can't be moved without consent, a sale needs 90 days' notice and a signed transfer agreement, you can't assign the agreement without consent, and Energywell may record a fixture filing in county property records.
• Changes (§31, §32). Energywell may change the agreement without notice for a change in law, and new regulatory charges pass through to you.
• After 15 years (§2). The agreement goes month-to-month, and Energywell may offer to sell you the battery at fair market value.
• The delivery credit. Promised for the initial term only; excludes fixed monthly charges; the electricity involved is netted out; never below zero; not paid while battery data is down; and the addendum can be changed with 30 days' written notice.

Are you even eligible for these offers?

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.

Is this the same as ComEd's virtual power plant?

No. Three things share the same language right now. Energywell calls its network of batteries a "Connected Energy Community," Base runs its batteries as a dispatchable fleet, and ComEd has its own utility program, the Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant, whose tariff requires service to begin by March 1, 2027. As of September 28, 2026, ComEd's enrollment isn't open.

The practical difference is who owns the battery. In ComEd's program, you own a battery and ComEd pays you to let it dispatch during set summer windows. With Base or Energywell, the company owns the battery and you get a lower electricity 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, and everything else ComEd-specific, from rates to interconnection, is in the ComEd solar guide.

Who are these offers actually good for?

There's a real customer here. If you own a single-family home in ComEd territory, have no interest in solar now or later, expect to stay well over a decade, and want backup power without spending five figures on a battery, these offers are a reasonable fit. A discount against ComEd's price written into the contract is genuinely unusual for an Illinois alternative supplier.

The Citizens Utility Board's list of situations where 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 dependable backup power, since neither company guarantees the battery will be charged when an outage starts. Ameren customer? Ameren's battery options are on the Ameren virtual power plant guide.

When it published in July 2026, the Citizens Utility Board said it hadn't yet heard from Illinois customers who had completed the process. As of September 28, 2026 it has published no follow-up, so there's still no independent Illinois track record for either offer.

Battery and supply bundle FAQ

What is Base Power's Illinois offer?

Base Power installs a company-owned 39.2 kWh battery outside your home for a one-time fee of $95 for the first 2,000 installed homes, or $295 standard, and enrolls you in its time-of-use electricity plan priced 25% below ComEd's Price to Compare on-peak and 27% below off-peak. From October 1, 2026, that works out to about 7.58 cents per kWh on-peak and 7.38 cents off-peak. You agree to host the battery for 12 years from the day you pay the deposit. It's available in ComEd territory only.

What is Energywell's Illinois offer?

Energywell installs a company-owned EcoFlow OCEAN Pro battery, up to 40 kWh, with no installation fee in its agreement, and enrolls you in a time-of-use plan priced 25% below ComEd's Price to Compare on-peak and 28% below off-peak: about 7.58 and 7.27 cents per kWh from October 1, 2026. The battery agreement runs 15 years from installation. Its Illinois supplier is Fanfare Energy, LLC, and the offer is marketed through the Think+ Energy Advisor network.

How do Base Power and Energywell compare after ComEd's October 2026 price change?

Both follow ComEd's price down on October 1, because both are set as a percentage below it. At ComEd's new 10.103 cents per kWh, each works out to about 7.58 cents on-peak; off-peak, Base is about 7.38 cents and Energywell about 7.27 cents. Neither company had posted October cents as of September 28, 2026, so those figures are our arithmetic on their published discounts.

What is the catch with a free home battery?

The company keeps the battery and you commit to its electricity plan for a long time: 12 years with Base Power, 15 with Energywell. Ending early costs $500 if the company recovers the battery. If it can't, Base charges fair market value, which its contract says may exceed $10,000 per battery, and Energywell charges $15,000. The company also keeps the battery's rebates, and neither offer works alongside rooftop solar.

Are there free home battery programs in Illinois?

Not free with no strings. The batteries sold as free or nearly free in Illinois, from Base Power and Energywell, come bundled with a 12- or 15-year electricity plan, and the company owns the battery. ComEd's own program is a rebate of $300 per kWh on a battery paired with solar, not a free battery. Some solar providers also offer solar with a battery for $0 upfront under a long-term solar power agreement.

Who gets the ComEd battery rebate on these batteries?

The company, not the homeowner. Base's contract gives Base all tax credits, rebates and incentives, including ComEd's Distributed Generation Rebate, and a ComEd form listed with Base's documents names Base Power Development, LLC as the payee while committing the homeowner to a qualifying ComEd rate for the life of the system. Energywell's agreement reserves incentives the same way. ComEd's rebate rules still require a battery to be paired with solar, so whether a bundle battery qualifies is a separate question.

Can I get one of these offers if I already have solar panels?

Energywell's agreement excludes homes with solar or any other on-site generation for its full 15-year term unless Energywell agrees in writing. Base doesn't prohibit it, but warns that switching may cost solar owners more than staying with ComEd, because ComEd's hourly pricing and net metering credit solar better than Base's flat buyback rate.

Can I add solar later if I sign one of these?

Not practically. Under Energywell's agreement, adding solar without written consent is a breach: after a 30-day chance to fix it, Energywell can charge $50 for each month left in the term, capped at $3,000, on top of any cancellation fee. Base doesn't bar it, but says the economics work against solar customers.

Can I switch electricity suppliers during the agreement?

Not without consequences. Under Base's contract, cancelling its supply plan or joining a municipal aggregation program can be treated as early termination of the 12-year battery agreement. Energywell's agreement lets it charge the cancellation fee, or keep the battery in place and bill a $99 monthly battery fee that's waived only while you take its supply, and Energywell can choose that monthly-fee option even if you didn't cancel.

What happens if I sell my house?

Both companies require 90 days' notice, and the buyer must sign the company's assignment or transfer agreement before the sale; otherwise the seller owes the cancellation charge. Energywell's agreement also lets it record a fixture filing for the battery in your county's property records. Either way, the battery agreement is a disclosure item in a home sale.

How much will I actually save?

The discount applies to the supply part of your bill, not the whole bill. From October 1, 2026, ComEd's Price to Compare is 10.103 cents per kWh, and both companies price about 25% below it on-peak; at 750 kWh a month, that's roughly $19 less on supply. Delivery charges, the customer charge and taxes don't change, and Base's own agreement says it doesn't guarantee a lower total bill.

Will the battery increase my ComEd delivery charges?

Charging the battery from the grid adds kilowatt-hours to your meter, and both companies credit the extra delivery charges on the supply side. Base credits grid charging at ComEd's delivery rate and charges the same rate for what your home draws back from the battery. Energywell credits the per-kWh delivery charges for your rate class times the battery's grid use, excluding fixed monthly charges, capped at what you owe each month, and only for the initial term of your supply agreement.

Is this available in Chicago?

Not from Base Power as of September 2026. Base launched in suburban and downstate ComEd communities including Plainfield, Arlington Heights, Rockford, Joliet, Palatine, Evanston, Oswego and Mundelein, and hasn't announced a Chicago-proper expansion. Energywell describes its availability as select neighborhoods in ComEd territory. Both check eligibility address by address.

Is this the same as ComEd's virtual power plant program?

No. ComEd's Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant pays customers who own a battery to let ComEd dispatch it; its tariff requires service to begin by March 1, 2027, and a standalone battery qualifies. Base Power and Energywell own their batteries and give you a lower electricity price instead of a payment. All three trace back to the same 2026 Illinois grid law, which is why the language overlaps.

Base Power or Energywell: which is better?

They price almost identically: both 25% below ComEd's price on-peak, and both move with it. The real differences are term length, 12 years versus 15; the cost if the battery isn't recovered, fair market value versus $15,000; and solar, which Base discourages and Energywell prohibits without consent. Energywell's off-peak discount is a point deeper, 28% versus 27%.

Can a solar battery charge from the grid in Illinois?

Yes, since September 14, 2026. ComEd's updated net-metering rider lets a battery paired with solar charge from the solar, the grid or both. A home with a battery connected 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. The old rule that a net-metered battery could charge only from its solar no longer appears in ComEd's tariff.

Can a battery without solar join ComEd's virtual power plant?

Yes. ComEd's Rider SDVPP qualifies standalone batteries, and ComEd's updated net-metering rider makes a grid-charged battery with no solar eligible for net-metering compensation starting January 1, 2027. What it still can't get is ComEd's $300-per-kWh storage rebate, because the rebate rider still requires pairing with solar. The virtual power plant's tariff requires service to begin by March 1, 2027.

Related answers

Sources

• Citizens Utility Board — CUB Q&A: Battery + electricity supply offers in Illinois (July 22, 2026) — the main independent consumer source for both offers; no follow-up published as of September 28, 2026
• Citizens Utility Board — Electric rates (viewed September 28, 2026) — ComEd's confirmed October 2026 to May 2027 Price to Compare of 10.103¢ per kWh
• Citizens Utility Board — Upcoming CRGA Programs (September 14, 2026; still its latest update as of September 28) — the virtual power plant's spring 2027 launch target and the pending standalone-storage rebate
• ComEd Schedule of Rates, Ill. C.C. No. 10 (PDF) — Rider POGNM, Sheets 294–295.1, effective September 14, 2026; Rider SDVPP, Sheets 471 and 475, effective July 16, 2026; Rider DG REBATE, Sheets 245–248.5; read September 28, 2026
• Plug In Illinois — ComEd Price to Compare (Illinois Commerce Commission; checked September 28, 2026, when it still listed the summer price)
• Base Power — Illinois Battery Services Agreement (PDF) (May 4, 2026; read in full September 28, 2026) — term, cancellation charges, incentive ownership, supply condition, arbitration, liability cap, exemptions
• Base Retail — Battery Time of Use Energy Supply Agreement and Uniform Disclosure Statement (PDF) (version v06012026-FM; read in full September 28, 2026) — the indexed price, the 24-month term, renewal and cancellation rights
• Base Retail — Illinois Net Metering Addendum (PDF) (April 24, 2026; read in full September 28, 2026) — the delivery-rate offset, the 3.48¢ solar export credit and the no-credit-on-grid-discharge term
• ComEd — Customer Acknowledgement of 3rd Party Payee and Rate Requirements (PDF), as linked from Base's Illinois page (undated; read September 28, 2026) — Base Power Development, LLC as rebate payee, and the life-of-system rate requirement
• Base Power — help center: joining Base with solar (last edited August 20, 2026; re-read September 28, 2026)
• Base Power — Illinois Price History for the Life of Product (checked September 28, 2026)
• Energywell — Illinois Battery Service Agreement (PDF) (version V20260624, 18 pages; read in full September 28, 2026) — the solar restriction, fee schedule, incentives, the $99 fee, rate match, transfers and changes
• Energywell — Illinois Battery Participation Credit Addendum (PDF) (dated June 24, 2026; read in full September 28, 2026) — how the delivery credit is calculated, and that it applies for the initial term
• pv magazine USA — Solrite brings its $0-down solar and storage offering to Illinois (August 21, 2026)
• Base Power — Illinois page, published rates, plan overview and FAQ, accessed September 28, 2026. Cited by name; we don't link the companies' sales pages.
• Energywell — Illinois rate and eligibility pages, accessed September 28, 2026. Cited by name; we don't link the companies' sales pages.
• Utility Dive, "Pay-as-you-go batteries" (August 11, 2026) — the capacity-obligation mechanism behind the supplier discount
• Chicago Tribune coverage of Base Power's Illinois launch (July 2026) — the company's own description of overnight grid charging
• Illinois Commerce Commission — supplier records for Base Retail, LLC (license 26-0121) and Fanfare Energy, LLC d/b/a Energywell (dockets 26-0011 and 26-0381)
• Public Act 104-0458, the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (enacted January 8, 2026) — the law behind the companies' grid-services compensation and ComEd's September 2026 net-metering rewrite

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.