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Supervisors direct staff to start feasibility on smaller microgrid boundary, with intent to expand to include Lucerne
Summary
After hearing from Trane and county staff, supervisors instructed consultants to use the smaller B5 boundary for initial PG&E grant deliverables but gave clear policy direction to optimize the feasibility study to include Lucerne if technically and financially feasible.
County administrative staff and consultant Trane presented two candidate microgrid boundaries for a proposed pumped‑storage project supported by PG&E grant funding. The larger map (B4) would include Lucerne but reduces projected cash flow by roughly 20–25% compared with the smaller, more compact B5 boundary; it would also require more solar and higher capital cost to meet December recharge criteria. Trane stressed both options could be viable but have different economics and resilient hours of operation.
After questions about project scale, federal tax incentives and long‑term financing, the board gave consensus guidance: begin feasibility and grant deliverable work using the smaller, more conservative B5 boundary to satisfy PG&E requirements while explicitly directing staff and consultants to optimize design and financial assumptions with the objective of expanding coverage to include Lucerne if feasibility and funding allow. Supervisors also directed staff to pursue community benefits and follow‑up discussions on workforce/trade agreements and to report back to the board during feasibility.
