Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the South School Solar topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Norwalk council okays $700,000 change order to add rooftop solar to South Norwalk School
Summary
Council authorized a $700,427.39 contingency increase to install a rooftop photovoltaic system at South Norwalk School; staff said state reimbursement (60%) and construction residuals make the project viable while a previously considered ground-mounted option proved infeasible.
The Norwalk Common Council approved a change‑order contingency increase April 14 of $700,427.39 to add a rooftop photovoltaic system to the South Norwalk School construction project.
City project staff told the council the rooftop system became financially feasible after the state agreed to treat the solar installation as part of the school construction program, which enables a roughly 60% reimbursement of eligible costs. A previously explored plan to combine rooftop and ground‑mounted panels was abandoned after technical, regulatory and financial constraints made the larger design impractical.
Alan, the city’s project lead, summarized the city’s experience installing school rooftop systems and explained the usual implementation model: a developer installs the system under a long-term power purchase or lease arrangement that minimizes upfront municipal capital outlays, with a typical contract term of 20 years. Staff said the rooftop array’s profile and newer tilt‑rack technology keep visible height low and reduce neighborhood sightline impacts.
Council members asked about panel visibility from nearby condominium properties and were told the panels sit low on the roof and face south, so they should not be visually prominent from the condos. The council approved the change order by voice/hand vote; the project team said the work could be scheduled for summer or fall construction depending on panel deliveries.
The approval allows the existing South Norwalk School construction contract to be amended and the contingency increased to cover the solar installation costs. The contract increase was recorded as carried unanimously.
