The inverter at the solar farm burned up last Friday, May 12, new Truth or Consequences City Manager Angela Gonzales confirmed, but it is unknown if the whole facility is down or how long it will be down.
The solar farm’s inverter is housed in a large metal cabinet and its function is to convert direct current to alternating current before being fed into the city’s grid.
The T or C volunteer fire department was called to the scene by Sierra County Regional Dispatch Authority just after 1 p.m., according to a witness, who wishes to remain anonymous. Flames about two feet high were coming out of the metal cabinet and foam was used to put out the fire, the witness said. The solar farm’s maintenance man was there, “and shut the whole thing down,” the witness said.
Although the city has a contract with the solar farm’s owner to purchase power, Gonzales said the city doesn’t know who the current owner is, and any other questions will have to be answered by them.
The city has had a power-purchase agreement with various solar-farm owners since 2014. Ownership has changed hands about five times since 2015, when the facility went online, according to Ron Fenn, a local activist who has regularly made public-records requests for the annual “cost savings report” the owner is required to submit to the city on a yearly basis. Fenn has also contacted some of the various owners.
Fenn was on scene during the fire and was told by the solar farm’s maintenance man that the current owner is Q Solar, a firm in New Jersey. The Citizen’s online search for such a company was fruitless.
The solar farm is located on city property on Broadway, close to the Williamsburg border.
The 2014 power agreement states the owner will lease the city’s property for $2,500 a year for 25 years. Gonzales said no city property was damaged by the fire and the solar farm’s owner is responsible for any repairs.
The city entered into a power purchase agreement with the solar farm in order to save money. Savings were meager until 2020 and then the solar farm’s kilowatt price exceeded Sierra Electric Cooperative’s rates, the city’s other wholesale source. For more information on the purchase agreement, see the Sierra County Sun article: https://sierracountysun.org/feature/solar-farm-is-not-cutting-down-on-electric-bills/
The city purchases electric power at a wholesale rate from three entities. The least costly source is Western Area Power Administration, but the amount that can be purchased is limited, since it is equitably apportioned among many governmental entities. The second least costly wholesale source is Sierra Electric Cooperative. The third source is the solar farm.
The city may save money while the solar farm is down, since it will probably purchase more kilowatts from Sierra Electric at a less costly rate.
Wait, What? The most expensive energy “WE” purchase is from “our” solar farm?
I did read that right, yes?
The city doesn’t own the solar farm, just the land it is on. Of the three wholesale sources the city purchases from, yes, the solar farm is the most expensive.
The “deals” that our elected officials make in this town are beyond comprehension. So, the solar array is owned by a company in New Jersey but on “our” land. So, who is responsible for maintenance – their employees or ours? Why is “solar energy” produced on our own land more expensive than buying it from others? Who will be left holding the slippery end of the stick and who profits? Let me guess…………!
The company in New Jersey or whoever the current owner of the solar farm is responsible for its maintenance.
I suspect the solar farm has changed hands often because the 2014 city commission negotiated a rate that gives them a really good return and they get tax relief through green energy tax credits as a bonus. You asked why the solar energy rate is what it is? The 2014 city commission agreed to it and then-Mayor Sandra Whitehead signed it. Ron Fenn pointed out the contract was bad, but was ignored in favor of George Szigeti, who was integral to the deal. Szigeti is going on his 10th year or so as a T or C Public Utility Advisory Board member.
That’s the other reason. The PUAB is made up of ex city employees or people like Szigeti who think their job is to be hand maidens to the city employees and city commission. Forget the notion of “citizen advisory board.” They represent the city, not the citizens.
More authoritarianism. The wisest decisions come from a consultation with neutral parties based on evidence and research and fact finding. We never seem to get there.
Fenn has done research on what other NM cities are paying in their power purchase agreements…Deming was one, if I remember correctly, and its about half T or C’s price.
Looks like the profit margin is dipping for the owner at this point. Higher maintenance costs are going to eat more of the profits. I looked up the life cycle of solar farm inverters and could only find the ones for each solar panel–10 to 12 years. Evidently this one blew about one year sooner than expected.
According to the illustrious S.C.Sentinel the owners of the solar array belong to MNH Energy, LLC.
Go to the website and it states that MNH no longer exists.
Wonder what’s going on?