The Bristol City Council last week voted to participate in a state solar revenue-sharing program that could generate nearly half-a-million dollars over 20 years without requiring construction of solar facilities within the city.
The Bristol City Council last week voted to participate in a state solar revenue-sharing program that could generate nearly half-a-million dollars over 20 years without requiring construction of solar facilities within the city.
During a June 30 special meeting, the council authorized Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu to sign a letter of intent with North Haven-based Greenskies Clean Energy LLC to participate in the state’s Non-Residential Renewable Energy Solutions (NRES) program. The council also approved no-cost energy audits for a separate school lighting project aimed at securing additional incentives from Eversource Energy.
According to a memo from Purchasing Agent Nancy Haynes, Greenskies plans to develop solar projects in Cromwell, Mansfield, North Stonington, Portland and Stonington. If the projects are accepted through Eversource's March 2027 solicitation, Bristol would receive an estimated $454,700 over the 20-year agreement, or about $22,735 annually, beginning in 2029.
Unlike traditional municipal solar projects, the city will not host any solar arrays. Instead, Bristol will enroll municipal electric accounts in the state program and receive a share of revenue generated by the privately developed solar projects elsewhere in the state. During the meeting, Titan Energy consultant Adam Teff said the city would receive quarterly payments over the life of the agreement.
Bristol's action comes weeks after Gov. Ned Lamont signed
House Bill 5340, now Public Act 26-127, which extends
Connecticut's residential, non-residential and shared solar incentive programs through 2035 while directing regulators to establish successor programs and adding cost controls. The legislation removed uncertainty that had surrounded the future of the state's solar incentive programs during this year's legislative session.
The move also comes as Connecticut businesses and solar developers race to advance projects before changes to federal clean-energy tax credits reduce their value, creating pressure to move projects into development while current incentives remain available.
