Politics & Government

Hopatcong Schools Clear Final Hurdle Toward Solar Power

Official: Construction to begin in late June.

The Hopatcong school district cleared its final hurdle en route to starting its much-anticipated solar project Wednesday night.

The borough zoning board voted unanimously to grant the district a land-use variance, which will let the school district start a project Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano said could save the schools more than $3 million over 15 years.

"It's a no brainer," zoning board member Mark Jenkins said. "It's a win-win for everybody."

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School Director of Grounds Neil Piro said he was relieved by the outcome.

"[Zoning board members] were on the issues," Piro said. "It was very professionally handled. I thought it was excellent."

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Piro said the district, once it secures building permits, hopes to begin construction within a week after the school year ends in late June.

The project will bring more than $500,000 of reinforced roofs to Durban Avenue and the middle school. It will also bring solar panels, which Maranzano said will account for about 90 percent of the district's electricity, to the reinforced roofs and to the fields at the Wayne Threlkeld Sports Complex. These will be surrounded by a 6-foot wire fence.

Piro said he expects the roofs to be finished at the end of August and for the solar panels to be at least 20 percent functional by Dec. 31. He said the solar panel installation wouldn't inturrupt classes.

The project, a partnership between the district, solar power company Sun Edison and SP-One, a solar developer, will help the district receive energy at .a guaranteed 05 cents per kilowatt-hour—almost three times less than its current Jersey Centeral Power & Lights rate of .149. Superintendent Dr. Charles Maranzano has said the district won't pay for anything but energy under the agreement.

Business administrator Thresea Sierchio said the district looks to save about $175,000 in the first year.


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