Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Renewable Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Task force backs water plant solar array; committee told project may be funded by GEO borrowing or PFAS settlement proceeds
Summary
Engineering staff and a solar task force told the CIP committee July 21 that a proposed solar array at the Wausau water treatment plant has neighborhood support and payback estimates in the mid‑teens of years depending on tax incentives.
Engineering staff and members of the solar task force briefed the CIP committee on July 21 about a proposed solar array at the city’s water treatment plant. The task force included neighborhood representation and said outreach reduced earlier opposition by incorporating design changes staff estimate will maximize payback and neighborhood acceptance.
Staff said the project was developed with multiple sizing and layout options and that the group selected a smaller, more site‑sensitive array to balance community preferences and energy yield. Presenters said examples show payback windows of roughly 13–18 years depending on tax credits and project scale; the array life is typically 25–30 years.
Committee members discussed funding approaches. Staff said the city intended to treat the project as general obligation borrowing (GEO) rather than charging water rates; some members suggested PFAS settlement funds as a potential alternative to borrowing, but cautioned that PFAS remediation costs are ongoing and settlement availability and amounts remain uncertain.
Members encouraged moving the project forward for consideration in CIP with an assumption of GEO funding unless a firm settlement or other grant funds become available. The task force and neighborhood representatives emphasized the project’s potential to reduce long‑term energy cost for the water utility while providing a community‑supported design.
