Committee ends ground-mounted solar talks for South Norwalk School, asks staff to study rooftop option

The Land Use and Building Management Committee of the Common Council voted unanimously Feb. 5 to discontinue talks with SNHU/CMEC on a proposed ground-mounted photovoltaic project at South Norwalk School and asked building management staff to continue studying a smaller rooftop installation if leftover school-construction funds allow.

The committee’s action came after more than a year of study and negotiations between city staff and South Norwalk’s municipal electric provider. Alan Huth, identified to the committee as CEO and general manager of SNHU, summarized the technical and financial work done to date and said the larger, ground-mounted plan would not be financially feasible for the city as structured.

"There's not a lot of opportunity for city — a city property being urban city — to have land to potentially do a ground mounted system," Huth said, describing how the project had been pursued through an RFP and financial pro forma. He told the committee a rooftop-only system remains a possibility.

David Westmoreland, who the committee introduced as a SNHU board member and taxing commissioner, explained the utility’s position on rate structure and subsidies. "The sun is free, but the equipment is not," Westmoreland said, urging the committee to consider that South Norwalk Electric already supplies a high share of renewables to customers and that its small customer base limits the utility’s ability to subsidize large projects.

Public commenter Diane Lorachella urged the committee to keep an active role in bringing construction and renewable-energy expertise into city projects. "I would really, I want to just to put on the record that there is a need for consideration to reinstate the facilities construction committee," Lorachella said during the public-participation period.

The committee approved two written items: (1) to discontinue partnership discussions with SNHU/CMEC because the municipal utility’s favorable generation rates undermined the financial model for the ground-mounted project; and (2) to authorize building management staff to develop a financial pro forma and continue assessing a rooftop PV system for South Norwalk School as a capital improvement if residual funds from the school construction become available. The motion to move both items was made by Council member Greg Burnett; the final vote was unanimous.

Committee members praised the openness of SNHU and city staff during the multi-meeting review and emphasized the city still plans to leave the roof structurally capable of accepting solar in the future. Huth said the city may be eligible for a federal investment tax credit (up to 40% in the scenario discussed) and noted staff will return with a pro forma and timing for any rooftop work.

Outcome: The committee’s action was limited to discontinuing the ground-mounted partnership and to directing further internal study of a rooftop-only installation. No contract was executed and no funds were committed beyond staff study work.