PSE&G Cuts Ribbon at Wastewater Treatment Plant Solar Storage Project

NEWARK, N.J., Oct. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Officials from Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) and the Borough of Caldwell, N.J., today cut the ribbon on a solar storage project that will help keep the borough's wastewater treatment plant running during an extended power outage as a result of severe weather.  The Caldwell solar storage system is one of three similar projects that are in service as part of PSE&G's Solar 4 All® program and the ribbon cutting comes nearly five years to the day that Superstorm Sandy made landfall in New Jersey, causing extensive damage and outages. 

The Caldwell solar storage system combines a 2,682 panel, 896 kilowatt-dc solar system with 1 megawatt -hour batteries.  During normal operation, the solar system provides electricity directly to the grid and can power about 165 homes annually.  In the event of an extended power outage, the combined solar and battery system works in conjunction with the treatment plant's existing diesel back-up generators.  During the day, the solar panels recharge the batteries and help power the wastewater treatment plant and at night, the batteries help keep the facility running. 

"I'd like to thank PSE&G for choosing the Caldwell wastewater treatment plant as the location for this valuable solar project, which will not only provide power to the grid on a daily basis, but will also keep our plant up-and-running in the event of an emergency, such as a hurricane," said Borough of Caldwell Mayor Ann Dassing.  "I'd like to also thank everyone from Caldwell who was involved for both bringing this opportunity to the borough's attention and for working alongside PSE&G to make it a reality."

The combination of the new solar storage system and the existing back-up generators will allow the Caldwell plant to operate for as long as 10 days without outside power, which will help keep wastewater from the facility out of local waterways.  The solar storage system can also participate in PJM's frequency regulation market.

"The PSE&G solar storage project at the Caldwell wastewater treatment plant is a great example of how a public/private partnership can work to benefit the people of New Jersey," said New Jersey State Senator Richard J. Codey.  "We are already a national leader when it comes to solar power, so it makes sense to take renewable energy a step further and use it in a way that helps make our state more resilient to storms."

"PSE&G has taken a number of major steps during the past several years to both harden our electric grid in the face of major storms and also make it more resilient," said Courtney McCormick – vice president renewables and energy solutions, PSE&G.  "The Caldwell wastewater treatment plant and our other solar storage projects around the state are an important part of that work because they all demonstrate how well-suited solar storage is for ensuring the reliability and resiliency of critical pieces of infrastructure."

The Caldwell wastewater treatment plant solar storage system is part of a 3 megawatt-dc carve-out in the Solar 4 All program dedicated to developing projects that integrate solar with other technologies to reduce the impact solar has on the grid or increase reliability and grid resiliency for critical facilities during prolonged power outages. The two other PSE&G solar storage projects in service are located at Hopewell Valley Regional High School in Hopewell, N.J., and at Cooper University Hospital in Camden, N.J.  The former allows the high school to serve as a warming or cooling station for the public during an extended power outage and the latter provides back-up power for refrigeration needed for vital pediatric medications at the hospital. 

Advanced Solar Power of Flemington, N.J., was the engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the Caldwell project.  Eos Energy Storage of Edison, N.J., supplied the batteries, Siemens AG integrated the batteries and solar system and A.F. Mensah of Princeton, N.J., is the storage system operator.

Solar 4 All is a 158 megawatt-dc community solar program that utilizes rooftops, parking lots, utility poles and landfills/ brownfields for large-scale, grid connected solar projects. There are currently 124 megawatts-dc of the 158 megawatt-dc total in-service. 

About PSE&G

Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is New Jersey's oldest and largest regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly three-quarters of the state's population.  PSE&G is the winner of the ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system reliability.  PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE:PEG), a diversified energy company.

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