Nine of the 36 microgrid projects submitted by municipalities to the state will be funded with $18 million in state bonding.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy made the announcement Wednesday in Bridgeport which will use $2.97 million to fund three 600 kW natural gas microturbines that will keep the lights on at the police station, city hall, and a senior center.
A microgrid is a small power plant that’s usually fueled with natural gas or fuel cells and allows a town center to continue operating when power is out.
The money for the projects was allocated in 2012 following at least three devastating storms which saw large portions of the state lose power for weeks at a time. The state Bond Commission is expected to authorize the spending this fall.
Bridgeport, Fairfield, Groton, Hartford, Middletown, Storrs, Windham, and Woodbridge are eight of the municipalities that had their projects approved Wednesday. Two projects approved are located in Hartford—one at the University of Hartford campus and St. Francis Hospital and one near Parkville School where there is a senior center, library, supermarket, and gas station within one city block.
“Microgrids play a major role in our efforts to modernize and harden our infrastructure to withstand severe weather,” Malloy said in a press release. “These projects will help protect residents and vital public services even when the power goes out, and in doing so allow us to provide critical services during times of emergency.”
Malloy hopes to borrow up to $30 million for future microgrids.
Click here for a detailed list of the nine projects.
