Albion village approves deal for solar power at water, sewer plants

ALBION – The Village Board has approved a 20-year agreement for solar power at the water and sewer plants, a deal that is expected to reduce the electricity costs for the village by at least $2 million over two decades.

The Village Board accepted SolarCity’s proposal to install and own the solar energy systems that would be mounted on panels at the sewer plant on Zig-Zag Road and the water plant on the shores on Lake Ontario on Wilson Road in Carlton.

SolarCity will sell the power at a reduced cost to the village. SolarCity also will be eligible for federal tax incentives for installing and operating the system. The company also has most of the upfront costs for installing the system.

“It’s really kind of ground-breaking for us to be where we are with the project,” said Dean London, the Albion village mayor.

The village currently pays 12 cents per kilowatt-hour. SolarCity will sell electricity to the village for about half of what Albion is currently paying.

The agreement was approved by the Village Board on Wednesday, pending final review of the document by village attorney John Gavenda.

SolarCity will construct the solar energy system next year using two parcels of land by the sewer plant and one parcel by the water plant.

“It’s a new thing for us,” London said. “There is a potential for huge savings.”