Medford (OR) nears deal on solar-powered (2 MW) sewage treatment

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http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080207/NEWS/802070341

MEDFORD — The region's wastewater treatment plant may be running off the sun later this year.

The Medford City Council is set to approve a deal with SunEnergy Power Corp. of Bend for construction of a 15-acre, 11,000-panel solar farm at the regional sewage treatment plant. The council meeting is scheduled for noon today in the Council Chambers.

"This is the first stage of a process to bring solar power to the regional water treatment plant," said Jim Hill, water reclamation administrator for Medford public works.

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"They were the ones that were able to put together a package that saves our sewer rate payers the most money," said Cory Crebbin, Medford public works director. Crebbin said the region's sewer rates won't decrease, but any rate increase will be deferred because of the savings.

"We anticipate we're going to save money, and we anticipate it's going to be more each year," said Crebbin, though he didn't want to estimate a dollar amount. "We don't control all the factors that control how much we're going to save over the years."

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