The Illinois Municipal Utilities Association (IMUA), in partnership with City Water, Light and Power, and other IMUA-member utilities, is offering four $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors this spring! This scholarship recognizes students for their essay-writing skills and understanding of electric and water utility issues, while promoting the benefits of municipally owned utilities.
Eligibility and Guidelines For Applying Are As Follows:
- Only high school seniors whose parents or legal guardians are residential customers of CWLP or another IMUA member utility
- Students must complete the application and submit an essay of 500 words or less, typewritten and double-spaced.
- The essay should NOT mention the student’s hometown or hometown utility.
There are many other sources as well. The following websites and sources may also be useful in obtaining information helpful in writing your essay:
- American Public Power Association (www.publicpower.org)
- American Public Gas Association (www.apga.org)
- Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (www.imea.org)
- Illinois Municipal Utilities Association (www.imea.org, then click on the IMUA link)
- Illinois Public Energy Agency (www.imea.org, then click on the “IPEA link)
- Energy Information Administration (www.eia.gov) • Your local municipal utility superintendent • American Water Works Association (AWWA) (www.awwa.org)
- Illinois Rural Water Association (ILRWA) (www.ilrwa)
Sources of information regarding municipal utilities and utility-related issues can be found in the reference section of a library, periodicals, the Internet, or individuals employed by your local municipal utility. Search phrases include municipal utility, local ownership, municipalization, public power, public gas system, utility deregulation, Public Utility Holding Company Act (PUHCA), public interest, and municipal utility rates.
Essays MUST address one of the following four (4) issues/questions:
Benefits of Public Power: Public power has many distinct characteristics (compared to investor-owned utilities and rural electric cooperatives) that directly and indirectly benefit consumers and contribute to community progress, economic development and growth. What are some of these many benefits, and how do you see them contributing to your community’s betterment, including its quality of life?
Electricity Powering Economic Development: Energy is tightly linked to economic development. Analyze why electricity use, access, reliability, and affordability are important to growth. What factors threaten the electric grid and readily available, inexpensive electricity?
Data Center Energy Consumption: Data centers are critical, foundational infrastructure that power everyday digital services for individuals, businesses, and governments but they use a lot of electricity. What are the pros and cons of having a data center in a community? What are the implications of adding data centers to the electric grid?
Impact of Electrification: The shift to electrification is happening across various sectors like transportation with the use of electric vehicles; buildings with the use of heat pumps and geothermal; and in industry with the use of electric furnaces. What are the benefits of electrification and how will this impact climate change? Are there concerns with the ability to transition to higher electrification and, if so, what are those concerns?
The deadline for submitting written essays is Friday, March 13, 2026.
The IMUA Scholarship Committee will choose four finalists. Each finalist will receive a finalist certificate and a $1,000 award from IMUA. Winners will be announced in April 2026.