SOUTHWICK – Representatives of Kearsarge Energy met with the Southwick Board of Selectmen last week to discuss changes to plans for a solar project on Congamond Road.
Kearsarge Managing Partner Andrew J. Bernstein said the project was originally presented by Carbon Finance Strategies but the company was not able to finance the project and Kearsarge Energy acquired it.
Bernstein said there was also a change in the net meter power purchasing allowed by the state that would increase the net metering cap from three-percent to five-percent.
Bernstein said this would allow the town to use more of the energy produced by the solar array. He said more communities would likely vie to take advantage of the increase.
“So it’s a race,” he said. “It’s first come, first served.”
Kearsarge has plans to begin construction at the site near the Congamond Lakes in the next few weeks and Bernstein said the town needs to decide quickly if it wants to purchase more net meter power.
“We’ve spoken to a couple of towns that are interested, but we want to give Southwick the opportunity first,” Bernstein said, adding he believes Western Massachusetts Electric Company would likely reach its cap in the next several months.
Board members were concerned the town would not be able to use all the kilowatt hours produced. Bernstein said he believes if the schools were included, the town would use what was available from the solar project.
Board Chairman Russell Fox said he did not want to make a decision without input from the Southwick-Tolland-Granville Regional School District.
“We need to get the schools involved,” said Fox, who also asked Bernstein about the cons of purchasing the net meter power.
“There is no downside to the town,” he said. “Unless there’s a dramatic push to cut your electricity by 50 percent.”
The board agreed to consult the school department before making any decisions.
