Summit Ridge Energy, Trajectory Energy Partners and ComEd Celebrate Anniversary with a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and the Site’s Rededication as Mark Raeder Legacy I<div style="float:right;padding:0 0 15px 20px;margin:15px 0 20px 20px;width:300px">
 Mark Raeder Legacy I
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 <img src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/367c5ef8-fa78-4762-83c6-4196ef70b839" title="Mark Raeder Legacy I" alt="The 35-acre site features a 20,000-panel solar array with 6.2 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity, making it one of the largest community solar projects on the ComEd system." />
 <figcaption>The 35-acre site features a 20,000-panel solar array with 6.2 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity, making it one of the largest community solar projects on the ComEd system.</figcaption>
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</div>ROCKFORD, IL, Sept. 16, 2026 <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com" target="_blank">(GLOBE NEWSWIRE)</a> -- Illinois State Senator Steve Stadelman, Rockford Mayor Janessa Neal and Rockford Alderman Tamir Bell joined representatives from Summit Ridge Energy, one of the nation’s leading commercial solar companies, developer Trajectory Energy Partners, ComEd and community leaders today for a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony on Rockford's far west side. The event marked the one-year anniversary of the energization of Rock Cut Solar, the first Community Driven Community Solar (CDCS) project in Winnebago County. During the ceremony, the site was rededicated as Mark Raeder Legacy I (MR Legacy I) in honor of the late Summit Ridge co-founder, who championed this project and led the development of more than 100 projects across Illinois.   The 35-acre site features a 20,000-panel solar array with 6.2 megawatts (MW) of generation capacity, making it one of the largest community solar projects on the ComEd system. It serves nearly 690 residential customers in Winnebago County, anchored by OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, a local nonprofit hospital founded by the Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis, as its commercial subscriber.    More than a third of customers are lower income, receiving a 50% discount on their monthly electricity bill; the remaining subscribers are saving up to 20% on their monthly bill. In its first year of operation, MR Legacy I delivered an estimated $163,000 in combined savings: residential subscribers saved about $98,000 collectively, and OSF saved more than $65,000 over the past year through its enrollment in the project.   “It’s gratifying to see legislation we passed in the Illinois General Assembly  translate into a real-world project like this one — delivering real savings for local families and organizations, along with the good-paying jobs and community investment that are exactly the kind of local economic growth our state needs,” said Steve Stadelman, Illinois State Senator.    “Since 2017, Trajectory has had the good fortune to work with a number of leaders in Rockford, all of whom partnered with us to make projects like this one a reality for their community," said Jon Carson, Founder and Managing Partner of Trajectory Energy Partners. "Seeing this site complete a full year of operation and deliver needed power to the ComEd grid, while providing savings to local subscribers demonstrates the benefit of community driven solar. Trajectory is proud to have worked alongside Rockford residents, community leaders, local union labor and Summit Ridge Energy and to honor Mark Raeder today by dedicating this site in his name. We look forward to continuing these strong partnerships and bringing even more impactful solar energy projects to Illinois communities.”   “ComEd is fortunate to collaborate with leaders like Summit Ridge and Trajectory Energy Partners in the planning and interconnecting of projects like Mark Raeder Legacy I,” said Gil Quiniones, president and CEO, ComEd. “These companies put customers and communities first and share our commitment to creating affordable energy solutions. They are also making Illinois one of the leading community solar markets in the nation, and ComEd is grateful for their partnership."    As a CDCS project, MR Legacy I goes beyond a typical solar farm. From its earliest planning stages, the Rock Cut Solar Partnership, a team of local organizations and leaders, worked alongside Trajectory Energy Partners and Summit Ridge to advocate for the project at city zoning meetings, weigh in on the perimeter screening protecting neighboring homes and select the pollinator-friendly plantings on site. The partnership, which includes Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity and Get Connected 815, also shaped the outreach and education strategies that helped local residents, businesses and nonprofits learn about and subscribe to the project to enjoy savings on their electricity bills.   The construction of MR Legacy I also created opportunities for local workers. After the project received its Illinois Shines CDCS REC Incentive Contract, allowing it to pass state program incentives on to subscribers. The  project engaged multiple local labor unions for electrical, carpentry and construction work, including Carpenters Local 792, International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150 and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 364, and total working hours exceeded 33,000. Construction began in August 2024 and concluded in April 2025, and the site was placed into service in August 2025.  In Memory of Mark Raeder Today’s ceremony also honored Mark Raeder (1979–2025), the late Summit Ridge co-founder who championed the project and spoke at its groundbreaking in August 2024. Raeder’s vision and leadership expanded access to community solar and helped shape the policies that made projects like this possible across Illinois and beyond. Mark’s commitment to strong partnerships and community empowerment lives on in the work carried forward at the site today. A permanent memorial stone honoring him will also be installed onsite. His brother, Steve Raeder, is Summit Ridge’s founder and CEO.  “My brother believed that well done is better than well said, and that’s exactly what this project has been: a promise kept,” said Steve Raeder, Founder and CEO of Summit Ridge Energy. “Mark stood in this field at our groundbreaking and talked about what this site could mean for Rockford. One year into operation, we’re seeing real savings show up on the bills of the families and organizations connected to this project and renaming this site Mark Raeder Legacy I is our way of making sure his commitment to this community endures for the life of the project.”  MR Legacy I’s community-first model reflects a broader wave of investment in Illinois community solar, made possible by the 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act and the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). ComEd now has more than 300 community solar projects interconnected to its system, expects to surpass 400 by the end of 2026, and has connected a total of 1.8 GW of distributed energy to its grid. Summit Ridge and Trajectory have collaborated on 15 solar projects, working together across Illinois to expand access to affordable, locally generated power.  Community solar participants subscribe to a project owned by an independent power producer and earn credits on their monthly ComEd bills for their portion of the energy produced by the project. Energy generated by the community solar project flows on to the grid and becomes part of the overall Illinois energy supply. ComEd customers can subscribe to a community solar project located anywhere in the ComEd region, provided it is not fully subscribed. For more information on community solar and available projects in Illinois, visit Illinois Solar for All to review income-eligible community solar options via the approved vendors directory (<a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=ElegE3JVOF00VxjgpVU6ghzsTYK6k86o7xIQnaQY4Z-txh8q9EIpvFqpQgZwtq67xpIAjyji8ZahykOS2IA73UykxGDLHBBnXfthpcbF47E=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="illinoissfa.com">illinoissfa.com</a>). About Summit Ridge Energy  Summit Ridge Energy is the nation’s leading commercial solar company, developing, owning, and operating distributed energy and battery energy storage systems that deliver locally generated power through a more resilient and secure electric grid. By combining financial innovation with industry-leading execution, Summit Ridge has become one of the fastest-growing energy companies in America, with more than 3 GW of solar and energy storage projects operating and in development nationwide.   Since launching in 2017, Summit Ridge has raised over $7 billion in project capital to finance more than 250 facilities, delivering energy savings to 60,000+ homes and businesses while supporting American jobs, strengthening local economies, and advancing our nation’s energy independence. Learn more at <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=eK3U1VBYVYaX-AFlxpSjch9GJAv8l-u-fEjA2QSje6kBFl5ntuichAYaxT2i-RwjA2xFSydUspGkXvH_Uu0mpgAXhEdycPybbbSNiKRQ6S3LqN0Z59PlDb21U4vUPAi6He1PHJEezEX6Z1ufBuJi4TwHygKEhVDPhM8dQrcrfMm9XLbPXd5Ksjub0eROG93UQ1O4J_VqMNlUhuQsBk_qqFY1PDm55JP7wXMV5pZDC6gg_Jlsh5MwSIcFhfqOGrhb8sqZ4_UVINYL1vWZ3WlrrDXcDOuhDrIu4Y3uOEIvvRhpW4Ar_wk_3Sa8WWOa63HmJyCQR1wTYtgXgIyH8IiUcU3hwZn6BbFU1PQ_ZTZkDxLImIRBAFHesJGAC6j7hUrPOwycgQynC1qpmK-EcfhVf7mS2T9UgpABFEGhZj8xTvrQOKMseC4ZgDn0e_mSW5cI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="srenergy.com">srenergy.com</a> and connect with us on <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=7Z75b-s98NEuztJ0eh5BBqpbqTneQhpljjS41ZpSyDO7_t0fkRwHSupfQlvwS0Ph0suhlU3IErWOvLMOgrunF3X-_3XFCQXD_rBUysiWAhQZWXZkoosxBhCa97hsZ0fSw5QZj3Z9XwYyIdHI4_SK8P1c7gujPb8NGZ-g8YnLuE4=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="LinkedIn">LinkedIn</a>.    About Trajectory Energy Partners  Trajectory Energy Partners is an Illinois-based solar and energy storage developer that brings communities, organizations, and landowners together to develop quality solar projects that contribute to local economic growth and a sustainable energy future. Founded in 2017, the Trajectory team has spurred over $700 million in investments in projects across Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, and Georgia, with over 90 sites currently under development for 2026 and beyond. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=PsGHQ4B2jxt9Xxm1nKRh7veSKLCLyNrmPDfeE0gFPw0qyd3P3s4cW7wvt8Fb1j0yCKdJaxl9SgCrtpPVAshMP0yS-6bz2YFikHQ6K0hwIew=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="trajectoryenergy.com">trajectoryenergy.com</a>.     About ComEd  ComEd is a unit of Chicago-based Exelon Corporation (NASDAQ: EXC), a Fortune 200 company and one of the nation’s largest utility companies, serving almost 11 million customers through six fully regulated transmission and distribution utilities. ComEd powers the lives of more than 4 million customers across northern Illinois, or 70 percent of the state’s population. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=lp4VKT0JseMxIa332Z4ESLrhICNWbTG2UCJCfoXTR8RUi-t5ANVpa8i5w1AcZd5POAvCgG-El43oAVg1hThJmg==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="comed.com">comed.com</a>.  
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<pre>CONTACT: Wendy Beach
Summit Ridge Energy
2402814932
wbeach@srenergy.com

Abby Witt Lowitzki 
Trajectory Energy Partners 
alowitzki@trajectoryenergy.com

David O'Dowd 
ComEd 
David.odowd@comed.com
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Rockford’s First “Community Driven Community Solar” Project Marks One Year of Bill Savings, Local Jobs and Community Investment

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