Politics & Government
Solar Panel Construction at Community Center Begins June 24
Mercer Island was awarded a $30,000 grant from PSE after several hundred residents agreed to participate in the power provider's 's Green Power Program.
Construction of a new solar array at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center is expected to begin on Monday June 24, according to a city news release.
The solar panel will be the first City-owned solar project on the island, and has been funded with a grant from Puget Sound Energy and community donations from Transition Initiative Mercer Island (TIMI) and IslandVision equalling $5,580.
Use of the community center will not be disrupted and all pre-existing room reservations will be unaffected. The solar panels will be located at ground-level on a sloped vegetated area to the southeast of the Mercer Room at MICEC. Some vegetation will be removed and heavy equipment may be intermittently in the area for several weeks.
The solar array will serve to provide energy for MICEC operations and to educate the community about solar power.
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The city currently purchases power from PSE at 5-6 cents per Kilowatt hour (Kwh), but the solar array, once connected to the power grid, will earn the city ten times that amount back — $0.54 per Kwh.
A formal ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration of the successful installation will be held later this summer.
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For more project information, contact Ross Freeman, the City’s Sustainability & Communications Manager at (206) 275-7662.
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