DOVER — The City Council has agreed to study if Dover should install a 4,530 solar panel array at the wastewater treatment facility on Middle Road that could produce enough electricity to power the entire plant and more.
The array is projected to save money and keep the city on track for its clean energy goals.
"I think we take a position, we (should) do something we know is the right thing for the city," said Deputy Mayor Dennis Shanahan at the council's meeting last week.
The project was proposed by ReVision Energy in December 2023, with Dover's savings in the first five years under a purchase power agreement projected to be $1.67 million, according to ReVision estimates .
There are two options for how the city could proceed with the solar array if it's approved: The first option would be to enter into a PPA , which means the city would purchase the electrical output from the solar array for a set amount of time, the benefit being minimal costs up front. The second option would be to purchase the system at a higher upfront cost, benefiting from a higher rate of savings on electricity over time.
Costs set for initial stage of project, ReVision analysis needed to move forward
ReVision will be conducting the initial steps of the project by facilitating an analysis of associated costs, including site design and engineering work, environmental impacts and a required utilities system study by Eversource. The study will examine whether the existing electrical grid can handle the proposed project.
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The study is budgeted to cost $75,000, paid from Dover's sewer budget. This includes $10,000 for ReVision's analysis costs, and $65,000 for Eversource's system study.
Projected short-term and long-term savings for Dover solar array
If the city decides to enter into a 25-year purchase power agreement, the estimated savings are projected to be more than $400,000 annually for total savings of about $10.8 million.
Dover could save $16.4 million over 25 years if it chooses an upfront purchase, according to ReVision's projections. The estimated full cost of the purchase is not yet known.
Dover is hoping to qualify for a 30% effective federal refund through the Inflation Reduction Act, which would reduce the city's cost.
ReVision Energy worked with the city to install an array of 2,581 solar panels on Dover High School in 2019.
One Dover city councilor wants to cut size of project in half
City Councilor Fergus Cullen has reservations about the size of the project.
Cullen said while he is in favor of the project and believes the wastewater plant is a good location, he is concerned a solar project of this size may take an extended amount of time to be approved by Eversource and the Public Utilities Commission. It is projected by ReVision Energy to produce more than 3.3 million kilowatts of power annually, which it says is equivalent to 168,039 gallons of gasoline, 508 tons of recycled waste and an elimination of 3,929,304 pounds of carbon emissions.
"I really think we should reduce its size, cut it in half. It follows a different approval process, it is much more likely to get a positive interconnection agreement and to have that happen in a timely manner," Cullen said.
An interconnection agreement is a written notice to a company that provides utilities of a proposal to install any equipment to be connected to the electrical grid. An interconnection agreement must be agreed upon before construction begins.
This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Dover eyes big solar array at wastewater plant: Here's what is next
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