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Politics & Government

Electric Substation Going Ahead For East Mansfield

East Mansfield electric substation almost ready to start.

The final plans for the East Mansfield electric substation are mostly complete, and of last week were down to the color of the wall. Department director Gary Babin told the selectmen, in their role as light commissioners, that neighbors on Bird Road were presented with a choice of 13 different colors, and then two samples people seemed to like the best were brought out to homeowners for a selection.

He reported abutters had picked the color the planning board had disliked during their hearings on the substation building, a brown version, and asked the board if they had any opinion - to which board members responded with complete silence. "I'm not sure you are compelled to vote on it," he said.

"It's the residents who are going to be staring at it every day," commented Babin. "They wanted to avoid the 'penitentiary look.'"

The commission decided to invite any of the affected neighbors to the next light commission meeting for comment.

In other news, Babin also reported the department has received four different proposals from solar companies wanting to set up a solar energy "farm" on the abandoned landfill off Route 106. Upon opening the financial part of the proposals, the department representatives had selected the most attractive package.

"We are now clarifying the proposal with the bidder," Babin said, adding he would come back to the commission within a month with a recommendation.

He described the project as a two-megawatt installation over 10-acres of land, and said three separate contracts would have to be finalized before the solar energy farm construction could proceed - for the purchase of power, for the lease of land and for connection to the Mansfield department's grid.

The department had also received proposals from a number of businesses and even private residents who want to create their own solar energy arrays to generate electricity.

One of the electric customers already moving to set up its first set of panels is in the old Owens Illinois industrial building in the town's original north end industrial park.

Under such arrangements, power generated by the solar energy panels would be sold back to the town under a contract called a "net metering" tariff.

"We do experience a revenue loss (to the town electric department,)" Babin said, adding the creation of the net metering surcharge will allow the electric department to recoup at least some of the lost revenue.

Babin said the agreement would set up specific financial terms for the energy sales, but said the details are complicated. "How does the utility handle power generated from solar?" he asked. "At what rate do we pay them back?"

Terms of the tariff agreement will mimic existing state regulations for solar power generation and sales, he said.

Babin will set up a public meeting soon with the light commission where the department will explain the new net metering tariff and seek public input. 

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