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Council directs RFP for solar under NEM 2 for police, city hall and Fire Station 2
Summary
Auburn's council authorized staff to solicit proposals for rooftop/carport solar at the police department, City Hall and Fire Station 2 under the expiring NEM 2 program, aiming to return with finance and cost-benefit details before committing to construction.
The Auburn City Council voted to send a request for proposals (RFP) for solar photovoltaic systems at three municipally owned sites that have pending or eligible NEM 2 interconnection status: City Hall, the police department and Fire Station 2.
Public Works Director Menzel Dean told the council that earlier design work under the city's ESCO review had identified photovoltaic systems for several sites and that three of the locations were eligible for the NEM 2 interconnection application, which carries different compensation and program provisions than newer NEM rules. Dean said financing would be required because the city does not have cash on hand to build the systems immediately.
Council members asked staff to include options and scenarios in the competitive solicitation: roof-mounted-only designs, smaller systems sized to cover a portion of building load, and carport options. Several council members emphasized the need for a cost-benefit analysis showing payback, financing structure and the effect of potential incentives or tariffs.
A motion to issue an RFP for the three identified NEM 2-eligible sites passed on a roll-call vote. Council emphasized that the RFP and returned bids would inform whether the city proceeds; the RFP does not authorize construction or financing commitments. Staff said updated vendor bids and a financing package would be brought back to council for a decision. Timing to preserve NEM 2 eligibility was noted: permitting and interconnection steps will need to be completed before the application deadline in April 2026 if the city seeks to keep the NEM 2 terms.
Council members divided on near-term action: some members said the city should be cautious given current budget pressures and potential tariff uncertainty; others said the city should solicit bids now to avoid losing NEM 2 eligibility and to address rising utility costs. The motion passed with the council authorizing staff to pursue the RFP for the three sites.
