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School committee approves presenting $1.2M solar-panel proposal to town council
Summary
The committee voted to allow a presentation to the town council on a proposed $1.2 million rooftop solar project for the middle school that the district says could reduce net local cost to about $414,000 after reimbursement and save roughly $2.7 million in electricity costs over 25 years.
The committee voted to permit school staff and project representatives to present a rooftop solar proposal to the town council at its next meeting. The proposal, developed with an engineering and energy firm, would place solar panels on the middle-school roof and is intended to cover the energy needs of the middle school and the administrative building.
The project estimate cited an initial cost of approximately $1,200,000. The district said a direct-pay school-housing aid reimbursement could reduce the local cost to roughly $414,000, though committee members were told the municipality must determine funding mechanisms and the reimbursement schedule. The superintendent reported the current middle-school electric bill is about $92,000 per year and that, as prices rise, similar costs could climb; the project was estimated to yield about $2.7 million in avoided electrical costs over a 25-year period.
The school committee's approval was procedural: it authorized staff to present the plan to the town council, which would make the ultimate decision and clarify financing and timing. Committee members noted the need to resolve upfront funding, reimbursement timing, and whether to proceed under the proposed model.
