Chicago could become home to one of the first major urban solar power plants, depending on how aldermen vote today. 

The City Council is set to give the go-ahead for Exelon Solar Chicago to lease a vacant lot in the West Pullman neighborhood to house the solar plant.

The plant is dependent upon approval from City Council and loan guarantees from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“We think there’s a very high likelihood for each of those,” says Brian Granahan,
clean energy advocate for Environment Illinois.

The plant could open as early as next year. It would contain 32,800 solar photovoltaic panels. Granahan says the plant would cut carbon dioxide emissions by 14,000 metric tons a year.