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Storm Protection: State Picks 9 Microgrid Projects For $18M In Funding

By BRIAN DOWLING
The Hartford Courant

BRIDGEPORT — As part of the state’s plan to better prepare for destructive storms, Connecticut officials on Wednesday announced nine microgrid projects that will receive a total of $18 million in funding.

The projects will connect neighborhoods or communities with a small power plants, like a fuel-cell or a natural gas turbine, that will be able to operate independently from the grid. The systems have gained increased attention after a number of large powerful storms have hit the Northeast in recent years, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without power for days.

“Today marks another step forward for how we handle extreme weather,” Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said, standing outside of City Hall flanked by state and local officials.

He said Connecticut is the first state in the nation to undertake a broad microgrid program of this kind.

The convenience of having power close by, though, comes at a slight premium, said energy officials. The cost of energy from the nine microgrids will average a few cents per kilowatt hour more than the cost of energy from the grid. Officials say those premium costs will probably go down as projects are completed and the technology is more widely used. 
 

The systems are spread across the state in Mansfield, Bridgeport, Middletown, Hartford (2), Groton, Windham, Woodbridge and Fairfield. Three of the nine are at universities: the University of Connecticut, the University of Hartford, and Wesleyan University.

In the event of a widespread power outage, the systems are set up to continue delivering power to critical facilities including police stations, supermarkets, dormitories, city halls, senior centers, fire departments, gas stations, cell towers and shelters. In Groton, the microgrid is set to power a number of buildings and piers at the submarine base.

The nine final projects were chosen from 36 that were initially proposed to the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. This first round of projects chosen were funded by Malloy’s storm bill passed in June 2012.

The governor’s budget for the next two years provide an additional $30 million for funding additional microgrid projects.

Here is a breakdown of the nine projects, as detailed by the governor’s office:

Bridgeport: $2.97 million for three natural gas turbines for city hall, the police station, and a senior center.

Fairfield: $1.16 million for two natural gas reciprocating engines and solar power for the police station, emergency operations center, cell tower, fire headquarters, and a public shelter.

Groton: $3 million for a cogeneration turbine and a diesel generator for the Naval Submarine Base.

Hartford: $2.27 million for two existing diesel generators and two additional diesel generators for the University of Hartford and St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center.

Hartford: $2.06 million for a natural gas turbine for the Parkville Cluster school, a senior center, a library, a supermarket and a gas station.

Middletown: $694,000 for a natural gas combine heat and power reciprocating engine for the Wesleyan University campus and athletic center (public shelter).

Storrs: $2.14 million for a fuel cell and solar power for the UConn Depot campus.

Windham: $693,950 for two natural gas, solar power, battery power and two diesel generators.

Woodbridge: $3 million for a natural gas turbine and a fuel cell for the police station, fire station, Department of Public Works, town hall and high school.

Partners in the first round of the program include the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the state Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, towns and cities and the U.S. Department of Defense, which has promoted microgrids for years.

Esty, Microgrids

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