The Town of Westlock is officially getting into the solar energy business after council approving a solar panel project for the Rotary Spirit Centre and will go ahead with a debenture for $672,967 from ENMAX to help make it happen.
At a special meeting Oct. 9, councillors voted 6-0 in favour of a capital budget amendment which will include a provincial $511,213 Municipal Climate Chance Action Centre (MCCAC) grant, and the debenture from ENMAX to fund the solar array. Coun. Curtis Snell was absent for the vote.
The total cost of the project is $1,184,181.38.
The solar panel project is part of the town’s strategic plan of achieving financial sustainability and ENMAX has estimated a total annual savings figure of $49,300 (energy and wires), but clarified that this number is a conservative projection and projects in other communities have led to even more significant cost reductions.
The estimated annual cost of the array is $6,147.56.
“It’s my understanding that the company wants to get right at it and get it done. There’s a little bit of a window of weather,” said mayor Ralph Leriger.
Interim CAO Simone Wiley added that they’ve already had initial discussions with on-site staff regarding the layout areas and project details.
The panels will be installed on the Spirit Centre only, as ENMAX representatives determined after an inspection the curling rink roof was not structurally adequate to support them.
The money will be borrowed from ENMAX at a three per cent interest rate over 15 years. For the duration of the loan, the company will cover maintenance and repairs for the array. The panels are expected to last 25 years and provide the same output levels. Although they do last longer, their output does degrade after that period.
As for the provincial grant, Coun. David Truckey asked when the town is set to receive the money. Wiley clarified that once the project is complete, upon a submission, the MCCAC will send the funds.
The town is legislated to advertise the proposed debenture to the public before passing the budget amendment — advertisements appeared in the Sept. 17 and 24 editions of the Westlock News.
