SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The South Tahoe Public Utility District will build a solar power project on its wastewater treatment project following approval from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Board of Directors at its April 24 meeting.
The project will be the largest solar power project in the basin.
According to Julie Ryan, STPUD’s engineering division manager, the district is the largest energy user in the watershed, and renewable energy is an integral part of the district’s energy portfolio.
In 2019, the Sustainable Energy and Economic Development (SEED) Fund approached the district to evaluate the project and identify opportunities to build solar power at no upfront cost to the district. Installing a solar array at the wastewater treatment facility was determined to be the most viable renewable energy option.
The STPUD Board of Trustees approved the project on Oct. 20, 2022, and signed a 28-year contract with Staten Solar.
“We are really pleased to see our community’s water and wastewater utilities working to reduce their carbon footprint and, in doing so, realize other benefits, such as lower electric bills. The money they save can then be reinvested into improving water and wastewater infrastructure, improving air quality, making progress toward meeting state and locally mandated climate goals, and improving the reliability of our water and wastewater systems,” said Shane Lomsos, STPUD Board Vice Chair.
The 1,339kW ground-mounted solar facility will cover approximately 32% of the treatment facility’s current energy needs, which account for approximately 10% of the district’s total electricity needs.
The plant will produce 1.9 million kWh of electricity per year, enough to power 200 homes and offset around 568 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The solar array provides both live and battery power.
The 19 solar arrays include 11 arrays that are approximately 236 feet long, seven arrays that are approximately 270 feet long, and one array that is approximately 205 feet long.
The project site is within the city of South Lake Tahoe, between the wastewater treatment plant to the west, Heavenly Creek to the south, Al Tahoe Boulevard to the east, and Lake Tahoe Community College and the community ballfield to the north. Staff said the array will not be visible from Al Tahoe Boulevard.
Construction of the array will require extensive tree removal, including up to 131 trees measuring over 14 inches in diameter, 23 of which are over 30 inches.
Staten Solar will finance, build, own and maintain the solar systems, and STPUD will purchase the electricity produced at a lower price than Liberty currently charges.
The contract is estimated to save the district approximately $5 million to $10 million in power costs, which will translate into savings for the local community.
The TRPA board broadly supported the project, with Carson City representative Shelley Aldean expressing concerns about damage to the panels and the possibility of chemicals leaching from the panels into the ground.
She also raised concerns about how the facility would be disposed of at the end of its useful life, with staff saying that while disposal technology is not yet mature, they hope it will have advanced by the time the contract expires in 30 years.
The project was approved unanimously, with Aldean’s reservations.
“This is truly a community success story. Our community has been working toward climate action and renewable energy goals, and this vote marks the biggest act of action to date. Community members supported this project from the classroom to the ballot box, to letters of support, to local governments and regulators. This should be seen as a model for how we meet challenges in the future,” said STPUD Board Member Nick Exline.
The solar panels are scheduled to be erected in the summer of 2024 and are expected to start generating electricity by early 2025.
