Connecticut Water Announces Plan for Solar Array in Clinton
CLINTON, Conn., March 28, 2023 - The Connecticut Water Company is pleased to announce that construction will begin next month on a solar array installation at the company’s corporate office and southern region work center in Clinton. When finished, it will completely offset electrical consumption at both facilities, and provide for additional clean energy for two high-capacity electric vehicle charging stations as the company intends to electrify part of its utility fleet.
“We recognize our opportunity, and our responsibility, to serve customers, communities, employees and the environment by reducing our own impact on climate change, and carbon-free energy sources must be a part of that solution,” said Connecticut Water president Craig J. Patla. “During this Climate Action Week we are proud to announce this latest step toward our company’s goal to reduce emissions by 50% from 2019 levels by 2030.”
The goal, announced in 2021, aligns with the Paris Agreement goals to limit total global warming to 1.5◦ Celsius.
Governor Lamont, in partnership with environmental organizations across the state, declared May 2229, 2023 as Climate Action Week. As a state, Connecticut aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a level at least 45% below the level emitted in 2001, no later than January 1, 2030.
In addition to the environmental benefits that clean energy provides, solar installations like this one also represent a commitment to more stable water costs for consumers. By generating enough electricity to power its corporate office and southern region work center, Connecticut Water’s annual operational costs for these facilities will not be subject to fluctuations in energy pricing from traditional sources.
The array is expected to be complete in June of 2023 with the capacity to generate 275 kilowatts of power.
This project follows several measures to reduce energy consumption at the Clinton location including two separate lighting changes, natural gas conversion and the replacement of parts of the heating and cooling system with more efficient heat pumps.
The installation follows two other solar installations by the company; an array at the Stewart Water Treatment Plant in Naugatuck, generating 25% of the power needed for that facility, and an array in Colchester at the Westchester Village system, which provides a near offset to power use for that system.
About Connecticut Water: Connecticut Water provides water service to about 107,000 customers in 60 Connecticut towns and wastewater services to 3,000 customers in the town of Southbury, Connecticut. The towns served are Ashford, Avon, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bolton, Brooklyn, Burlington, Canton, Chester, Clinton, Colchester, Columbia, Coventry, Deep River, Durham, East Granby, East Haddam, East Hampton, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Essex, Farmington, Griswold, Guilford, Haddam, Hebron, Killingly, Killingworth, Lebanon, Madison, Manchester, Mansfield, Marlborough, Middlebury, Naugatuck, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, Oxford, Plainfield, Plymouth, Portland, Prospect, Simsbury, Somers, Southbury, South Windsor, Stafford, Stonington, Suffield, Thomaston, Thompson, Tolland, Vernon, Voluntown, Waterbury, Westbrook, Willington, Windsor Locks and Woodstock.