Damakant Jayshi
Plans for a solar panel near Wausau’s new drinking water are closer to reality after approval by the Water Commission, which accepted a recommendation from the Solar Array Task Force on Tuesday.
The task force recommended plans be prepared for the panel, which will be installed near the city’s new drinking water treatment plant at an estimated cost of roughly $2.5 million.
The location of the solar array will be in the field to the east of the water plant at 700 Bugbee Ave., according to SATF Chair Chad Henke. The potential capacity of the solar panel is 875 kilowatts DC and 720 kW AC, with no increase to water utility bills or levy rates.
Instead, Henke said, the plan is to put the cost into the budget next year or use American Rescue Plan Funding for the project.
“We got a lot of feedback that no one wants to see the levy rates or water utility rates increase because of this project,” Henke told this newspaper. “We are passing this along to the financial people with the utility and city and letting them budget appropriately.”
Based on past discussions on funding for the solar panel, this could be a challenge since the city has been forced to look for external financial sources like tax credits, energy rebates, and a grant from Wisconsin Public Service Commission, among others.
Public Works Director Eric Lindman said the city will seek funding for the project and said the construction timeline will depend on multiple factors, though it will likely launch in late 2025. Factors include funding, agreements with the state, Wisconsin Public Service, and time necessary for design and layout.
The utility commission made the decision after Henke presented the advisory body’s recommendation and the rationale behind it. Henke, who represents Dist. 11 on the Wausau City Council, said they chose the specific plan among a range of options because it would give the city the best return on investment.
The task force took community input in a series of meetings over a year. As a result of those discussions, no trees in the forest area north of Bugbee Avenue will be removed. The task force has also recommended building a berm along Tierney Road to limit the view of the array from the street. Residents around the proposed venue were worried about the size of the solar panel as well as the aesthetics and its impact on their property prices.
Defending the smaller size of the installation capacity, Henke said the task force felt it would be best to start on a smaller scale and leave room for future expansion. Potentially, the city could add an additional row every five years., though that could be determined at a later date
Commissioner Jim Force lauded the stated emphasis on environmental sustainability and termed it ecologically and environmentally-friendly project, adding it will put the city on the map as supporting green energy.
The commission directed staff to prepare necessary presentations to implement the project. The proposal now heads to the City Council for its consideration.
Appearing as part of the Commission was Joe Gehin, a former member whose term expired last month. Unclear was why he appeared or whether he has been reappointed. Gein was under fire in 2022 amid accusations that his position on the Commission could be a conflict of interest, due to his employment with Becher-Hoppe. The company, since Gehin’s appointment in 2013 to the Commission, has received multiple contracts from the city for high-profile projects including work on the Thomas Street redesign, Wausau Business Campus Water Tower, Wausau sewer siphon, downtown airport hangar and parking lot, Townline Road project, River Edge Trail, and the multi-million dollar water treatment facility now under construction . Also unclear is whether Gehin, who denied any conflict, is still employed by the organization.
Mayor Doug Diny, when contacted about the matter, initially did not say whether Gehin had been reappointed. Immediately prior to the meeting in which Gehin appeared, Diny simply stated that “no decisions have been made in that regard.”
Wausau Pilot & Review is reaching out to multiple officials for clarification.
