St. George residents can go solar in December Service to be offered to 39K people; electricity rate may drop about $9 By Mark Havnes
The Salt Lake Tribune Article Launched: 10/15/2008 12:03:02 AM MDT er_currentlySelected = 1; viewer_lastIndex = 1; viewer_images = ['http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site297/2008/1015/20081015__ut_solarstgeorge_1015~1_Viewer.jpg']; viewer_widths = ['199']; viewer_heights = ['131']; viewer_captions = ["Phillip Solomon, energy services director for St. George,... (Mark Havnes/The Salt Lake Tribune )"]; viewer_galleryUrl = '/portlet/article/html/render_gallery.jsp'; viewer_articleId = '10722906'; viewer_siteId = '297'; viewer_isPreviewing = 'false'; viewer_isEmbedded = ''; viewer_activeButtonLead = 2; viewer_visibleButtonCount = 5; viewer_allowEnlargement = !isEmpty(viewer_galleryUrl); selectImage(1); function addToDimension(dim, val){ index = dim.indexOf('px'); if(index != -1){ dim = dim.substring(0, index); } dim = parseInt(dim) + val; return dim; } if(navigator.userAgent.indexOf("MSIE") != -1){ $('photoviewer').style.width = addToDimension($('photoviewer').style.width, 2); $('caption').style.height = addToDimension($('caption').style.height, 2); } requestedWidth = 202;
ST. GEORGE - The sun is shining on St. George power users.
Starting in December, residents can go solar - at least partially - without having to attach panels to their home and have solar power supply about 15 percent of their energy.
While the investment might cost in the short-run, residents will reduce their carbon footprint and are protected against possibly surging energy costs, said General Manager and CEO of Dixie-Escalante Electric LaDell Laub.
Laub said the average monthly bill for St. George power customers is about $75. Factoring in a 15 percent credit from the SunSmart program, the rate could drop about $9.
St. George is working with the privately owned Dixie Escalante Electricity to offer the program to 39,000 city residents.
Under the plan, residents make a one-time payment of $3,000 for a 70 kilowatt-hour unit or $6,000 for 140 kilowatt-hours. Solomon said 140 kilowatt-hours is about 15 percent of a homeowner's average monthly power bill. The payment gives participants ownership of the power-generating panels for a minimum of 19 years, the average lifespan of a solar panel. After that time, customers can decide if they want to continue with solar power.
Laub said the solar panels provide customers certainty in energy costs.
"What the program provides is a long-term hedge against the future price of electricity if it continues to go up," Laub said.
St. George Mayor Dan McArthur said there is a growing number of residents seeking renewable forms of energy who are blocked by restrictive neighborhood covenants.
"Not all people are treated the same, but with the city program anyone can get solar power no matter where they are and get credit back on their bill," McArthur said.
The system means St. George is ready if either federal or state government mandates use of renewable sources.
"We want to be on the edge if that happens," McArthur said.
Laub said the program gives customer fixed rates, even if energy costs increase.
"What the program provides is a long-term hedge against the future price of electricity if it continues to go up," he said.
The SunSmart program has city officials erecting 561 solar panels on 14 acres on St. George's southern border. The power is funneled through a substation to the subscriber's home.
"Our slogan is 'Tomorrow's Power Today,' " said St. George Energy Services Director Phillip Solomon.
Panels produce a guaranteed minimum of 800 kilowatt hours per year in southern Utah, which averages 310 sunny days annually.
Solomon said the panels will start being installed next week and servicing customers by December.
In its session earlier this year, the Utah Legislature approved a one-time state tax credit of 25 percent of the purchase price for solar-power equipment up to a maximum of $2,000.
Laub considers the program a first for Utah.
"We're plowing new ground," Laub said. "The driver of this is that we get a lot of requests from customers who want to have solar [capabilities] on their own homes and integrate it with the grid, but can't because of challenges including cost. We can do it for about half the cost of an individual doing it on their own."
mhavnes@sltrib.com
More info
To learn more about the program and how to participate, visit www.sgsunsmart.com, or, city power customers can call 435-627-4841. Dixie Escalante Electric customers can call 435-673-3297.
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