1.8 megawatt solar farm is among largest in PA
BRYN MAWR, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc. (Aqua) Chairman Nicholas DeBenedictis was joined
today by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett and other state, local and
environmental officials for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site of the
utility's newest and largest solar farm. The 1.8 megawatt (MW) DC
photovoltaic $6.5 million, 6.5-acre solar farm provides power to the
Pickering plant, the company's largest water treatment facility, serving
nearly 500,000 residents of 27 municipalities in Chester, Delaware and
Montgomery counties. It is the 8th largest solar installation
in Pennsylvania.
The solar farm consists of more than 7,500 high-efficiency panels that
convert sunlight into useful power, thereby, reducing the region's power
generation requirements. The construction contract was partially funded
with a $1.5 million grant disbursement from the Pennsylvania
Commonwealth Financing Authority (CFA). The solar farm will reduce
Aqua's grid-tied usage by 2.3 million kWh annually resulting in a direct
economic benefit of $207,000 per year in energy savings. In addition,
the project will alleviate congestion on the PECO grid resulting in
additional savings to all consumers by reducing line losses and
congestion charges. The company has spent approximately $75 million at
the Pickering facility over the past decade. "That's one of the great
things about solar farms," said DeBenedictis. "The benefits are
widespread and reach beyond those who are directly served by the plant
or the company."
"It's an honor to be involved in the ribbon cutting for the eighth
largest solar power installation in Pennsylvania," said Pennsylvania
Governor Tom Corbett. "This is a great example of how solar power can
fit into our overall energy strategy, and is proof of Aqua
Pennsylvania's forward-thinking commitment to their local communities."
Additionally, the region benefits from the environment-friendly features
of this facility that allow us to produce power with greatly reduced
emissions, thereby shrinking our carbon footprint and helping lower the
need for the construction of new power generation facilities."
"I want to commend Governor Corbett for his energy policy, which has
helped Pennsylvania to continue to be an energy-producing state by
supporting the solar projects like the one we are here to celebrate
today as well as the safe development of natural gas, which will help
reduce our dependence on Middle East for petroleum. Aqua is preparing to
turn its fleet from gasoline to compressed natural gas, or CNG, and has
one vehicle already in service with plans to add others later this
year," said DeBenedictis.
The Pickering solar farm is the company's latest installation—having
built a 1.0 MW, 4.5-acre facility at its Ingram's Mill treatment plant
in East Bradford Township in 2009 that serves 25,000 West Chester area
residents. The Ingram's Mill solar farm has reduced grid-tied usage by
1.3 million kilowatt-hours during the past 12 months resulting in a
direct economic benefit of $130,000 annually in energy savings.
The annual environmental benefits of the new facility are that it:
-
Avoids the equivalent of 51,450 gallons of gasoline, thereby reducing
CO2 emissions by 4.3 million pounds each year which is the
equivalent emissions from 380 passenger cars; or
-
offsets the equivalent need for 1,400 barrels of oil each year
"The public drinking water business was created out of concern for the
environment and public health so it makes perfect sense to have a
sustainable clean energy sources to power our water treatment plants.
These projects will return great economic and environmental dividends to
Pennsylvania and increase the Commonwealth's energy diversity,"
DeBenedictis said.
Aqua Pennsylvania serves approximately 1.4 million residents in 30
counties throughout Pennsylvania with more than one million in
southeastern Pennsylvania.
WTRG
Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc.
Donna Alston
Director, Communications
484-368-4720
dpalston@aquaamerica.com
or
Neiman
Jenna
Lefever
717-877-1103
gmtoner@aquaamerica.com
Source: Aqua Pennsylvania, Inc.
News Provided by Acquire Media
