Borough hears plan for ~480 kW solar array at wastewater plant and votes to advance financing

Hal Savill, director of commercial projects for EIS Solar, presented a proposal to install a ground‑mounted solar array at the borough wastewater treatment plant and said the company had been awarded the project pending a financing plan. Savill described a system sized at about 480.7 kW DC and said it would offset roughly 20–25% of the plant’s annual electricity consumption.

The presentation included technical details, equipment choices and an initial budget estimate. "This scenario is right around $1,000,000," Savill said, describing an estimated system cost of about $906,000 plus a Raymond James finance fee of roughly $103,000. He said the design uses high‑durability glass‑on‑glass panels with a 30‑year warranty and in‑house engineering to manage construction and interconnection issues.

Raymond James personnel described financing options the borough could pursue, including a municipal bond structured over 25 years or a bond‑pool option through a rural water agency to secure a higher credit rating and lower rates. A spokesperson for the financing team summarized the tax treatment under current federal programs and said municipalities using tax‑exempt proceeds must factor a roughly 15% haircut when calculating the investment tax credit (ITC) benefit. The presenters also cited an energy‑community bonus and an Act 129 utility rebate as additional revenue sources.

Council members asked about domestic content, component sourcing and long‑term replacement costs. Savill said the panels the company uses have begun assembly in the U.S. (Texas) but still rely on some imported components; inverters are likely U.S. sourced. He also noted that end‑of‑life recycling costs are uncertain but included an allowance in the long‑term cash‑flow model.

After discussion, a council member moved to proceed with Raymond James and EIS Solar to advance contract and financing work; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll call of five votes in favor and three absent. The motion directs the borough to continue due diligence and return final contract documents for formal approval.

What’s next: staff will work with the borough solicitor and the financing team to refine the contract terms, confirm the funding structure and schedule interconnection and procurement work. Presenters estimated financing paperwork and approvals could take six to eight weeks, engineering and permitting about 40–50 days, utility interconnection 2–3 months, and construction roughly 2–2.5 months once procurement is complete.