NSTAR: Can't Proceed With Solar Project Without Study Fee Payment

Utility company NSTAR has responded to an allegation made by Rami Alwan, a biology teacher at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and member of the Sudbury Energy and Sustainability Green Ribbon Committee, who told the L-S School Committee last week the solar project for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School is being stalled.

Media Relations Manager Mike Durand says NSTAR has met certain filing deadlines in regards to the 1.2-megawatt solar canopy that will cover about 80 percent of the school parking lot and save the high school upward of $100,000 in its first year.
 
"As the project developer, SunEdison Origination 1, LLC is what's known as the 'interconnecting customer' and, as such, our communications have been directly with them," Durand said. "We received their application on July 9, 2013 and sent an acknowledgement on July 11th, which is within the three days allowed by our filed tariff. We completed the initial review on August 16th, also within the required timeframe. We then sent the impact study agreement, including the cost, on August 27th. We received the signed impact study agreement on August 28th by e-mail."

Durand also said NSTAR is still awaiting a payment in order to continue the project.  

"To date, we have not received payment of the impact study fee, which is necessary for us to proceed," he said.

Alwan was critical last week of NSTAR's lack of movement on the project.

"NSTAR in my opinion is seriously dragging their feet," Alwan said. "The work on the landfill has been done for a month and half now. We can’t flip the switch and we can’t connect it. We've built it, but it’s not providing us with energy at this point. NSTAR’s financial advantage is to drag its feet as much as possible."

The original plans for the canopy call for the panels to create 1.26 megawatts of electricity, but Alwan said that has since changed.  

"The panels have gotten 18 percent more productive," he said. "They may be able to produce 1.3 (or more)."

The added energy could increase the savings for L-S from $90,000 to $110,000 in the first year.