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Budget committee advances financing plan to install a solar array at Center Hill landfill
Summary
The committee advanced two ordinances to add solar to eligible bond-financed projects and to assemble roughly $12.1 million in financing for one of two photovoltaic arrays at the Center Hill landfill, with members saying the project would convert a liability into an asset and deliver long-term operating savings.
The Budget & Finance Committee moved to advance two related ordinances to enable and finance a solar photovoltaic array at the Center Hill landfill, with councilmembers calling the work an opportunity to remediate landfill property and generate renewable energy and long-term savings for city facilities.
Doctor Dutis introduced an amendment to an existing bond ordinance to add the purchase or construction of solar facilities as eligible uses, clearing a financing path for a photovoltaic array at Center Hill. He then described a companion ordinance that establishes the capital project and compiles funding sources for one of the two arrays being constructed.
Dutis said the financing package includes $475,400 from the Green Cincinnati sustainability initiatives capital account, $5,300,000 from the Green Cincinnati revolving loan fund, and $6,325,000 of capital funding repurposed from a FY2026 allocation that had been set aside for strategic property acquisition for the health department. That combination, as discussed in committee, brings total project financing to $12,100,400 for the array described by staff.
"This is really about taking a long term liability and making it an asset," Council member Jeffries said. He added the project will "power the equivalent of 1,200 homes" and said it will ultimately save the city "hundreds of thousands of dollars a year." Council members Rowlands and others thanked Director Kroner and the administration for assembling financing, including participation by the Green Bank team and other partners.
Dutis noted the plan allows the city to own one array and use the generated power for city facilities, and that the project can make use of elective pay benefits and energy credits to improve the fiscal case.
Committe action: Items 12 and 13 were placed on for passage. The transcript records committee action to advance the ordinances but does not include a recorded roll-call vote.
