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Powhatan Schools’ solar arrays have cut energy costs; board hears plan to expand to high school
Summary
A district presentation documented about $375,000 in avoided utility costs over five years from a power purchase agreement; the vendor and district said the high school could be added at no direct cost after a planned roof replacement in 2026.
Powhatan County School Board heard a briefing on existing solar installations and a possible expansion to Powhatan High School, with officials saying the district’s power purchase agreement has produced measurable savings.
The presentation, given by Bob Benway, said Powhatan’s solar arrays — installed in 2019 on the middle school and three elementary schools through a partnership with SunTribe Solar and Dominion Energy — have generated energy credited under a net‑metering arrangement and produced roughly $375,000 in savings over five years. "We could pay 8.57¢ per kilowatt hour for the life of these cells," Benway said, comparing that fixed price to an average utility price of about 12.32¢/kWh used for the savings calculation.
Those numbers matter because the panels are covered by a long‑term power purchase agreement (PPA): Benway said…
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