Title
Joint resolution accepting the electricity rates proposed by Standard Solar, Inc., Rockville, MD for solar installations at Lake County’s Mill Creek Waste Water Treatment Facility, and on the Libertyville Campus near the Central Permit Facility.
Staff Summary
• On November 6, 2019 Lake County entered into a Power Purchase Agreement and Lease with WCP Solar of Naperville, Illinois for the purpose of advancing the solar panel project feasibility process for 10 proposed County sites. At that time it was stated that the final electrical rates for the solar panels will be calculated based on a series of criteria and will be brought back to the Committee in the form of a contract modification.
• The County has worked with WCP Solar and Standard Solar to obtain State funding opportunities for the 10 proposed County sites. Three of the sites in Lake County were assigned to Standard Solar, which was anticipated in the agreement, and two of those three sites are economically viable at this time.
• In late FY21, Standard Solar secured state funding for two economically viable sites in Lake County. This allowed planning and design to commence resulting in a recalculation of the originally proposed rates. Standard Solar provided the updated rates to Lake County and they were reviewed in consultation with the State’s Attorney’s Office, and our sustainability consultant, Quercus Consulting.
• The proposed electrical rates for these two sites, even when factoring in the cost of operations and maintenance (“O&M”) for the solar systems, still remain lower than current electricity rates the County is paying, although the rates are higher than were initially projected.
• The third site, to be located at Lake County’s Des Plaines River Water Reclamation Facility, is being further reviewed by Standard Solar based on Lake County comments and is not contemplated with this action.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, on November 6, 2019, Lake County signed an agreement with WCP Solar of Naperville, Illinois, (“WCP”) to develop solar panel projects at 10 proposed County sites; and
WHEREAS, the agreement provided that WCP could assign the development of individual sites to another entity, Standard Solar, at WCP’s discretion; and
WHEREAS, the agreement also provided that the final step in creating a power purchase agreement for any specific site would involve the contractor-either WCP or Standard Solar-presenting to the County the final electrical rates for the site, based on a series of criteria that could only be determined after the initial agreement was signed; and
WHEREAS, upon being provided the final electrical rate, the County would decide whether to allow site development to proceed by reviewing the pricing and, if acceptable, approving a contract modification; and
WHEREAS, the County has worked with WCP Solar and Standard Solar to obtain State funding for the 10 proposed County sites. WCP assigned three of the sites to Standard Solar for development, as anticipated in the agreement; and two of those three sites are economically viable at this time; and
WHEREAS, in late FY 21, Standard Solar secured state funding for the two economically viable sites in Lake County, and this has allowed planning and design to move forward, resulting in a recalculation of the originally proposed rates; and
WHEREAS, Standard Solar provided the updated rates to Lake County and they were reviewed by the County’s sustainability consultant, Quercus Consulting; and
WHEREAS, the proposed electrical rates for two sites, even when factoring in the cost of operations and maintenance (“O&M”) for the solar systems, still remain lower than current electricity rates the County is paying, although the rates are higher than were initially projected.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the County Board accepts the implied “all-in” PPA rate (which includes O&M costs) of $0.0401 per kilowatt-hour proposed for the construction of solar arrays at the Mill Creek Water Reclamation Facility, which includes costs for operations and maintenance; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the County Board accepts the implied “all-in” PPA rate (which includes O&M costs) of $0.0515 per kilowatt-hour proposed for the construction of solar arrays at the Central Permit Facility at the County’s Libertyville Campus, which includes costs for operations and maintenance.
DATED at Waukegan, Illinois, June 14, 2022.