The Guthrie Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Oct. 13 to approve a 20-year energy management agreement with Brightwell Solar covering Guthrie High School, Guthrie Upper Elementary and Cotterell. The roll call was 7-0 in favor.

Brightwell vice president of design Corey Bates told the board the contract term is 20 years and “starting at year 7, the district would have the right to buy out the system.” Bates said the buyout provision exists so the investor’s tax incentives are preserved by holding the project at least six years before a purchase can be completed.

The board and Brightwell discussed several implementation and timeline issues. Bates said the project team expects to match the district with an investor within 30 to 60 days and then begin engineering, permitting and interconnection work; Brightwell estimated projects typically take about six to eight months after those steps to reach construction. Bates and board members described an option to make an early milestone payment before the end of the year to “safe harbor” the project under current federal tax-credit rules.

Board members asked about visuals, hail resistance and roof replacement. Bates said arrays on the district’s flat roofs will be low-profile and that the panels are rated to withstand hail impacts in standard industry tests; removal and reinstallation tied to a roof replacement would be addressed through the district’s roofing insurance and project insurance, he said. Bates said Brightwell has completed dozens of projects in Oklahoma and that the company’s installation arm (EPC) would perform the work.

The board’s discussion referenced similar local projects. Bates said Norman North has been “very interested in that buyout option” and that the Guthrie agreement is similar to other district contracts Brightwell has executed. The board’s attorney reviewed and suggested edits to the agreement; the company incorporated those suggestions, Bates said.

With the vote, the district will proceed to match an investor and begin the preconstruction process; Brightwell said the district can sequence work to limit disruption during the school year.

Because the agreement includes investor financing and tax-credit milestones, the district and Brightwell described scheduling urgency tied to federal incentive rules that are changing after the new year. The contract approved by the board does not list a purchase price or a contract number in the packet; those details were not specified during the meeting.

Speakers at the discussion included Corey Bates (Brightwell, vice president of design), Dr. Michael Simpson (superintendent), and board members including President Adelaide, Schroeder, Davis, Girard, Husky, Plagg, Pearson and Smedley.

Next steps noted at the meeting: match the district with an investor, complete milestone payments to satisfy safe-harbor rules if desired, and begin engineering and permitting work for spring construction to capture full summer production once installed.