Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors gave staff direction Monday to look into solar power to help the Central Amador Water Project, and will also look at the reliability of a water flume owned by Pacific Gas & Electric. The board heard at a workshop Monday that a total solar power conversion of Central Amador Water Project pumps would cost more than $10 million, not including land acquisition. Acting Engineering Manger Erik Christeson said current CAWP electrical use is about 2 million kilowatts a year, and putting the pumps entirely on solar power would take 5.5 acres of south-facing, “100 percent shade free” panels. David Evitt said AWA “can solve the big problems with solar power,” and a state grant system has a surplus of funding. A man in the audience suggested using battery backup power, as used in nuclear reactors, which would cost about $250,000. And he said costs could be cut with a partial solar power system. Christeson said the agency doesn’t own enough land for solar power near the pumps. To use a 7.5-acre lot near Silver Lake Pines, 32 adjacent parcels would have to be cleared.” The plot also has a seasonal creek and drainage in the center of the parcels, and a wetland delineation that would prohibit setbacks. He said existing CAWP sites were shaded more than 50 percent of the time, by trees on neighboring private property. The Tiger Creek pump station had only 4/10ths of an acre available for solar panels, on the facility’s roof. Interim General Manger Gene Mancebo said on board direction, staff will “look into the possibility of using solar power for the pump stations,” or look at “other locations where power could be put in to benefit the CAWP system.” Staff will also “verify the reliability and vulnerability of the flume system that provides water to the Tiger Creek Reservoir.” Mancebo said staff will also “take a look at connection fees and how they would perhaps be increased with respect to the Gravity Supply Line or the pump station increase, and how much revenue would be generated with new connections.” No time frame was set for a return of findings to the board. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. -
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Amador County – The Amador Water Agency board of directors gave staff direction Monday to look into solar power to help the Central Amador Water Project, and will also look at the reliability of a water flume owned by Pacific Gas & Electric. The board heard at a workshop Monday that a total solar power conversion of Central Amador Water Project pumps would cost more than $10 million, not including land acquisition. Acting Engineering Manger Erik Christeson said current CAWP electrical use is about 2 million kilowatts a year, and putting the pumps entirely on solar power would take 5.5 acres of south-facing, “100 percent shade free” panels. David Evitt said AWA “can solve the big problems with solar power,” and a state grant system has a surplus of funding. A man in the audience suggested using battery backup power, as used in nuclear reactors, which would cost about $250,000. And he said costs could be cut with a partial solar power system. Christeson said the agency doesn’t own enough land for solar power near the pumps. To use a 7.5-acre lot near Silver Lake Pines, 32 adjacent parcels would have to be cleared.” The plot also has a seasonal creek and drainage in the center of the parcels, and a wetland delineation that would prohibit setbacks. He said existing CAWP sites were shaded more than 50 percent of the time, by trees on neighboring private property. The Tiger Creek pump station had only 4/10ths of an acre available for solar panels, on the facility’s roof. Interim General Manger Gene Mancebo said on board direction, staff will “look into the possibility of using solar power for the pump stations,” or look at “other locations where power could be put in to benefit the CAWP system.” Staff will also “verify the reliability and vulnerability of the flume system that provides water to the Tiger Creek Reservoir.” Mancebo said staff will also “take a look at connection fees and how they would perhaps be increased with respect to the Gravity Supply Line or the pump station increase, and how much revenue would be generated with new connections.” No time frame was set for a return of findings to the board. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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