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Central San Flips Switch on New Solar Array
At a special event on June 20, Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (Central San) flipped the switch on a new 2.16-megawatt solar array. By generating clean, renewable energy, the array will offset most of the annual grid demand of Central San’s wastewater treatment plant and major pumping stations. “This project is a win-win,” said Central San’s Resource Recovery Program Manager Melody LaBella, the project manager. “It will achieve substantial savings for our ratepayers, while also reducing our climate footprint and furthering our mission to protect the environment.” The array is estimated to generate nearly $6 million in net electricity bill savings for Central San and its customers over the next 25 years. It also will help Central San eliminate 1,865 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually-equivalent to removing 444 gasoline-powered vehicles from the roads.

The “flip the switch” celebration was attended by Central San staff and Board members, as well as state, county, and local officials and representatives from sister agencies. Central San contracted with REC Solar to design and construct the ground-mount array on a 48-acre buffer property near its Martinez treatment plant. Throughout the planning and construction process, Central San and REC worked closely with the surrounding community to ensure the project caused minimal disruption to the land and was not visible to neighboring residents. The project was financed through a 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), allowing Central San to shift the project from a costly capital expense to a predictable monthly fixed cost of just over 9 cents per kilowatt-hour. As part of the agreement, REC Solar will operate and maintain the solar array over the life of the PPA. “It’s exciting to flip the switch on a project that will provide ongoing benefit for Central San, our customers, and the environment,” said Ms. LaBella.