Ocean Township (New Jersey) seeks solar-power contractor (for 6 MW PV farm)

[jpak]

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/183/story/364076.html

OCEAN TOWNSHIP - Solar panels should be generating power on the Southern Ocean Landfill by the end of this year, according to the township, which started seeking proposals for the project Monday.

The Atlantic County Utilities Authority, with which the township has been consulting on the project, prepared the request for proposals. Thirty acres of the 63-acre landfill are suitable for solar panels, according to its analysis. Those panels could generate approximately six megawatts of energy, or enough to power more than 725 homes.

"It would certainly be one of the largest (solar panel systems) in the state," said Katherine Vesey, the ACUA's director of research and development, who prepared the proposal specifications.

Officials said they expect to be flooded with proposals because of how large the project is relative to others in the state. The proposals are due March 9, the contract will be awarded March 26 and work should be finished by the end of the year.
Proposals will evaluate two different options for how the project will proceed. In the first option - which the township strongly favors - the township would grant a company a long-term land lease for the area where solar panels are installed, and that company would finance, plan, permit, design, build, own and operate the solar panel system.

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