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Microgrid and fuel-cell failures mean district cannot guarantee emergency-shelter power, board hears
Summary
Board members were told the district's fuel cell and microgrid system has not delivered the intended back-up power; without a functioning microgrid the district lacks sufficient generator capacity to operate as an emergency shelter, prompting discussion of large generators, shared town costs and environmental constraints.
Board members received a detailed briefing that the district's fuel-cell project and associated microgrid have not operated as intended. Facilities staff said the fuel-cell generator itself can produce power but the microgrid connection and integration with the school heating system have failed; the microgrid "is just not there," staff said.
That failure means the district cannot guarantee power if the grid fails and therefore cannot promise to operate as an emergency shelter for the town. Administrators said the existing backup generator supports emergency lighting and limited refrigeration but is not large enough to run kitchen operations, full HVAC, server stacks or phones — systems necessary for a full shelter operation.
Board members discussed options, including installing a much larger diesel generator to replace the microgrid reliance, shared-cost arrangements with the town for a larger generator, or formally separating the district from the microgrid project and investing in conventional backup capacity. Staff warned that a larger generator would bring environmental and permitting complexities (larger diesel storage tanks) and significant upfront costs.
Trustees asked about progress with the utility (UI) and the fuel-cell vendor; staff said negotiations with the town and UI continue but no definitive fix or timeline was available at the meeting. Several members noted their concern about the district's contingency plans and asked staff to prepare cost and operational options (including generator size and estimated price) for future board consideration.
Next steps: Facilities staff will continue negotiations with the town and the vendors, provide updates on UI testing, and bring cost estimates for alternative backup solutions to a future board meeting.
