Your PUD
News Release
Alcoa launches major investment in community solar power
Chelan County PUD
News Release
7/30/2003
Alcoa’s Wenatchee Works has announced a major new program to fund the installation of solar panels at schools and nonprofit agencies in cooperation with Chelan County PUD.
The aluminum maker’s endowment will provide direct funds to purchase $439,740 in solar power equipment, plus arrange for labor valued at $666,810 to be donated by Alcoa employees to install the solar systems. Installation of up to 35 systems in Chelan County would begin soon and be completed by the end of the year.
Half the revenue from solar power generation at each site funded by Alcoa will be returned to the school or nonprofit organization. The other half will be placed into a trust fund to be used at Alcoa’s discretion for community projects.
"I'm looking forward to the prospect of providing a power endowment to the community from Alcoa and the PUD," said Bob Wilt, Wenatchee Works plant manager.
The program was announced at Monday’s Chelan County PUD commission meeting.
Applications from interested schools and nonprofit groups will be accepted immediately.
Payments to the participants for the energy generated will be made through the public utility district’s award-winning SNAP (Sustainable Natural Alternative Power) program, which relies on customer donations for support. Estimates for the revenue that will be returned to the schools and nonprofit groups range from $164,000 to $300,000 over 10 years, depending on the number of panels at specific locations, the amount of energy generated and the community support for SNAP.
The estimates are based on the installation of up to 50 kilowatts of solar generation under the Alcoa endowment.
Chelan County PUD launched the SNAP program in 2001 and has four local solar power producers and two local wind power producers. The program generated 30,722 kilowatt hours of electricity in 2002-03.
About 700 Chelan County PUD customers are SNAP purchasers. They agree to pay from $2.50 to $50 a month to support the local wind and solar power producers.
The program is also available free of charge to other organizations interested in promoting local production and purchase of alternative or “green power.”
A SNAP “starter kit” and more information about the program are available on the PUD Web site.
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For more information about the program and to apply, contact Alcoa Communications Manager Jim Baxter, 663-9246.
For general SNAP information and for site surveys to determine solar potential at specific locations, contact Jim White, PUD energy services project engineer, at 661-4829.
Kimberlee Craig
Public Information Officer
509-661-4320, direct line
509-679-6858, cell
kimc@chelanpud.org