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County weighs $1.1M battery storage and generator tradeoffs as facilities team updates bond priorities
Summary
Facilities and IT staff told the committee recurrent false alarms at public buildings and data‑centre cooling gaps prompted a proposed update to the capital improvement priority list; county staff will prepare ROI and lifecycle estimates for a proposed $1.1 million battery‑backup system and compare generator options before seeking board approval.
Facilities Director Chad Powers asked the Ways & Means Committee to approve an updated capital improvement priority list and described urgent work items, including upgrades to obsolete fire‑alarm components in the jail after recent false alarms.
Powers flagged a proposed $1.1 million battery‑backup system for the courthouse solar array and said campus generator coverage is varied: some critical life‑safety systems and dispatch have immediate generator backup while courthouse systems do not support full failover. Commissioners raised concerns about upfront cost, battery lifespan, disposal and replacement costs and asked for a full total‑cost‑of‑ownership and break‑even analysis.
Deputy Administrator Ben and IT Director Eric Giddey explained that without battery storage, the solar array cannot supply power during a grid outage (islanding restrictions), reducing the value of the solar investment during outages. They said staff are working on an ROI and maintenance schedule, will explore fixed‑rate billing options with the utility and noted the Inflation Reduction Act’s production tax incentives (30%) expire at the end of the year — a potential factor if the county chooses to move quickly.
The committee approved updating the priority list and asked staff to return with cost/benefit analyses that include estimated staff overtime and operational disruptions when buildings close during outages, generator costs, maintenance and expected battery life.
