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Gardner council adopts 15‑megawatt, 30‑year solar PPA at $50 per MWh
Summary
The Gardner City Council approved Resolution No. 2,156 to execute a 30-year, 15‑megawatt solar power purchase agreement on staff recommendation, citing lower long‑term costs and grid-reliability concerns; councilmembers said they will continue to pursue additional local options in parallel.
The Gardner City Council voted to adopt Resolution No. 2,156 authorizing a 30‑year, 15‑megawatt solar power purchase agreement at a fixed $50 per megawatt‑hour.
Staff presenter Gonz summarized the city’s electric master plan and changes in Southwest Power Pool reserve margins since the 2021 winter storm, saying those shifts and local load growth make the city’s future power needs uncertain. “But anyway, it won't change the bottom line that NextEra has the lowest cost per megawatt hour,” Gonz said during the presentation.
Council members pressed staff on the underlying numbers and timelines. One councilmember said the slide figures differed from the packet and sought confirmation; staff said the slide figures were verified and should be treated as authoritative. Council discussion weighed five procurement options presented by staff — including a KMEA‑sponsored purchase power agreement and several Evergy proposals, a city‑built solar site, and other buyout options — with per‑MWh estimates ranging from about $50 to more than $65.
Members also asked whether a more aggressive rooftop solar program could reduce the city’s need for large utility‑scale capacity. Staff and consultants said rooftop installations alone would be far too small to replace utility‑scale capacity and estimated the rooftop approach would take many years and significant incentives to reach comparable scale.
Despite those questions, councilors said the long‑term cost and risk profile supported approving the recommended PPA now while continuing to explore additional local options. The motion to adopt Resolution No. 2,156 passed on a roll‑call vote; the clerk recorded affirmative votes from Councilmembers O'Bees, Hsu, McNair, Baldwin and Deaton.
The resolution authorizes the city to execute the solar project agreement described in the staff presentation and directs staff to proceed with contract execution and related administrative steps. Council members said they will continue to monitor market conditions and pursue complementary options, such as potential buyout agreements or local projects, as circumstances evolve.
The council moved on to other agenda items following the vote.
