Northampton updates geothermal plan for high school; test well this spring, procurement via DOER

City staff updated the Northampton Energy and Sustainability Commission on the municipal geothermal project planned for Northampton High School, reporting near-term steps to secure grant funding, complete procurement and begin on-site work.

Staff said the city is applying for a Green Schools Works grant and other recoverable funding to reduce borrowing and increase federal or state tax-credit leverage. "We will be starting to do our test well this spring and constructing over the summer," the chair said, and added the project will require logistical coordination with the school department (including summer-school relocations) and will reduce available parking on campus during construction.

Procurement for the project is planned through Chapter 25A Section 11 and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) to enable a turnkey contract with a performance guarantee; staff said they expect a contract by March but cautioned DOER procurement timelines can be lengthy. Parking impacts were estimated in discussion: roughly two-thirds of the usual parking may be unavailable during construction and staff asked the commission for suggestions about temporary parking solutions.

Commissioners asked about bus service and non-car transportation measures to reduce parking demand during construction. No formal vote or contractual award was made at the meeting; staff will continue coordinating grant applications, DOER procurement and school logistics.