Mayor hears 2–4 MW solar proposal for city land; presenters say federal credit makes project viable

Consultants from Integrity told the Minden City Council that a 2–4 megawatt solar array on city-owned land adjacent to Yule Park could lock in cheaper generation and reduce the city’s exposure to volatile market purchases through its power provider, LEPA. John Coleman, an Integrity representative, said the company’s high-level analysis of interval data suggests a small solar array would “line up really well with the city’s usage” and deliver sustained savings over module warranty life.

Flint Richter, Integrity’s modeling lead, said the team reviewed about 10 months of 15‑minute interval usage and modeled a 2 MW array that reduced midday peaks. “The solar production in the middle of the day really lines up with the high peaks,” Richter said, arguing that generation would be consumed locally and reduce demand charges. Counsel and staff discussed adding battery storage to shave coincident peaks, as seen in comparable projects the presenters built for other utilities.

Presenters gave several concrete planning assumptions: Minden’s system peak is roughly 37 megawatts; typical candidate arrays would be 2–4 MW (about 5–7 acres per megawatt, or roughly 15–20 acres for a 3 MW tracking array); early cost assumptions run about $2 per watt (roughly $6 million for a 3 MW system); operations and maintenance budgeting is commonly set around $15 per kilowatt per year; and manufacturers commonly guarantee about 80% of nameplate production by year 30. Coleman said some federal incentives would cover about 50% of capital cost but require procurement steps to start by July 3 to preserve eligibility.

Council members pressed on engineering and site questions. Integrity said the site under consideration is an old wastewater lagoon on city land near the ballfields; geotechnical testing (pull tests and pile driving), interconnection studies and civil work would be needed to finalize pricing. Coleman noted the team always firms costs as the engineering is completed and said a full electrical-system study would be run to avoid overloading breakers or regulators.

On warranties and risk, presenters said panels typically carry 30‑year power warranties, inverters commonly have 10‑year warranties that can be extended, racks about 10 years, and contractors supply a one‑year workmanship warranty. If a manufacturer or contractor failed during those terms, presenters said manufacturer recycling programs and utility ownership structures reduce end‑of‑life risks but insurance and contract terms would be needed to cover extraordinary events.

The mayor and several council members asked about financing. Integrity outlined options including cash purchase, tax‑exempt lease purchase or utility‑assisted financing in which a utility advances an amount equal to the expected federal credit and replenishes its capital budget when the credit arrives. The presenters estimated on‑site construction could be about three months with an optimistic commissioning target in the spring following procurement and permitting.

The council did not take a vote. The mayor thanked the presenters and said staff and council members would continue questions and follow up with Integrity and LEPA staff about engineering, procurement timelines and how to proceed without committing city funds immediately.