At Sewage Plant—

Town Becomes An Electricity Generator

By Andrew Gorosko

Although Tuesday was marked by heavy rains and blustery winds, town officials were undeterred in their efforts to note the start of operations of a new photovoltaic energy array at the municipal sewage treatment plant at 24 Commerce Road.

Water & Sewer Authority (WSA) Chairman Richard Zang served as the master of ceremonies.

Sheltered from the inclement weather by a broad, white open-sided tent, officials gathered next to a large color aerial photo of the sewage plant site that was bound by a broad yellow ribbon.

That photo depicts new solar/electric energy panels positioned on a rise overlooking the plant’s water cleansing equipment.

On cue, First Selectman Pat Llodra cut the yellow ribbon, symbolizing that the solar/electric energy system is now in operation.

The solar energy panels are designed to produce about 95 kilowatts of direct-current electricity when exposed to sunlight. To maximize their efficiency, the panels rotate on single-axis trackers to follow the daily course of the sun across the sky.

The project’s goal is to produce more than 100,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually.

It is estimated that the solar array would produce about 30 percent of the electricity that the sewage plant uses. The complex uses much electricity for powering its various equipment, including multiple pumps.

Direct-current electricity produced by the solar equipment would be converted into alternating-current power and used at the complex, with occasional excess amounts of electricity diverted to the Connecticut Light & Power Company’s (CL&P) electric grid for distribution via its electric network.

The solar/electric project cost about $480,000, with about $325,000 of that amount covered by a Connecticut Clean Energy Fund grant, and the remaining $155,000 covered by the WSA’s capital reserve fund.

Mrs Llodra told the about two dozen people who attended the event that through the electrical generation project, the town will illustrate the concept energy sustainability.

The project is “a very good thing,” she said, adding that credit is due the people who worked to make it happen.

Ed Kranich, of the Connecticut Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA), said that Newtown’s proposal for the photovoltaic array at the sewage plant was selected for grant funding “as the best of the best” among projects competing for energy grant funding by CEFIA.

“It’s a beautiful [electric] installation, but it’s not a very good day to see it,” he said of the adverse weather.

“We hope it serves you well for years to come,” Mr Kranich said.

 Public Works Director Fred Hurley said that nearly 50 years ago, he had worked with toy photovoltaic cells to produce electricity for energy demonstration projects.

His vision of using sunlight to produce electricity on a much larger scale has come to fruition with the sewage plant’s new photovoltaic array, he observed.

OPEL Solar, Inc, of Shelton installed the solar array for the town. The solar array is expected to operate for about 25 to 30 years.

Mr Zang noted that the municipal sewage treatment plant’s staff has received awards for their skillful operation of the wastewater facilities, adding “This is one of the top [sewage] plants in the country.”

Julio Segarra of United Water, who manages the plant, gave a talk explaining the elaborate process used to cleanse wastewater.

The sewage plant provides wastewater treatment for the central municipal sewer system. The plant started operation in 1997.