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South Seneca proposes $36.75 million geothermal and heat-pump package with no additional tax impact, officials say
Summary
SOUTH SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT officials presented a $36.75 million plan combining geothermal wells, new heat pumps and controls, LED lighting and envelope work across two campuses; presenters said NYSERDA and state aid bring the proposal to the ballot with no projected tax increase.
SOUTH SENECA CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT Superintendent Todd Plumeo and district contractors outlined a proposed $36,750,000 project that would replace aging heating and cooling systems at the district’s two campuses and add a ground-source (geothermal) well field.
Plumeo said the project is intended to improve inconsistent classroom temperatures and student learning conditions while avoiding new taxes: “we just voted the board just voted in the 1st meeting in January to go to referendum,” he said, while the team added the funding package combines NYSERDA grants, energy-performance contract savings and state building aid to limit local impact.
The plan packages work across sites: a roughly 100-well geothermal field feeding a central plant at the high school, new heat-pump units and controls in classrooms, LED lighting conversion and targeted building-envelope sealing. Trane, the vendor, emphasized that many of the units will be factory-mounted with integrated controls to simplify maintenance and provide an operational warranty.
Architect Gary Henry said the Track 1 NYSERDA study covered schematic design and a test well paid for by NYSERDA, and the track-2 award contributed competitive grant funds. “We recovered, NYSERDA funded $650,000 study for track 1,” he said. The presenters said the district would use $655,000 from its capital reserve as part of the package and that the remainder will come from the NYSERDA award, EPC financing and state aid.
If voters approve the referendum scheduled for March 10, the district plans to submit the EPC to the State Education Department for approval in April, begin state permitting in May and aim for substantial completion in December 2027. The district noted that the funding opportunity through NYSERDA and the SED exception to include the geothermal wellfield in the EPC is time-limited.
