The Town of Wilkie is getting almost $365,000 in government funding for a solar panel project to offset costs at the ice plant. (submitted/Town of Wilkie)

By battlefordsNOW Staff

Going solar

Wilkie approved for solar panel project fund

May 11, 2021 | 2:16 PM

Wilkie is getting a solar panel powered financial boost in 2021.

The town was approved for government funding of upgrades to the ice plant’s power supply. Almost $365,000 will go towards attaching approximately 500 solar panels and associated equipment to the rooftop to serve a large portion of the building’s electricity needs. Administrator Lana Gerein said the town will provide the remaining $132,676, roughly 27 per cent of the project’s funding.

“That is money we plan on getting through long-term borrowing,” she said.

The decision to move forward on the project came when pandemic related funding was announced last year. Gerein said it’s important for Wilkie to start offsetting maintenance costs, which have risen significantly over the past decade. Freeing up that money would allow the town to cover other costs, even at the same facility.

Sometimes we typically have a $7,000 bill in the winter for month,” Gerein said. “That’s a lot of funding that could be recouped and used, even at the facility, like programming or refurbishing dressing rooms.”

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“We run a large deficit with our recreation facilities and programs. So, this is to help balance that cost.”

A blueprint for the Town of Wilkie’s solar panel project. (submitted/Town of Wilkie)

This is the first solar panel project in the town’s history. Gerein said the request for proposals goes out this week, which will allow for a three-week timeframe before they make decisions.

“We’re hoping to have the project online by the time the ice plant is turned on in October,” she said. “So, it’s a quick time frame.”

Gerein said they expect to recoup costs within five-to-seven years of putting the solar panels up. And while this is the early stage of the project, she said it could pave way to more in the future.

“We’ll be learning from this one, see what level of impact it has on our operating costs and go from there.”

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cjnbnews@jpbg.ca

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