The United States Department of Energy has awarded and signed a contract with New York-based public power utility Jamestown Board of Public Utilities to finalize an agreement for $17,377,034 in grant funding to create a microgrid and install associated resiliency upgrades in Jamestown with a start date of October 1, 2024.
After the DOE selected the project for possible funding in late 2023, contract negotiations have now been completed, and work is authorized to begin in the Greater Jamestown community.
The funds will advance the “Jamestown Community Microgrid Project,” with the BPU providing a $5,792,648 match. Within five years, the project will deploy a microgrid with electric vehicle charging, energy storage and underground cabling replacement.
“The BPU works hard to provide dependable utilities for our customers,” stated BPU General Manager David Leathers. “The Jamestown Community Microgrid Project will significantly upgrade the BPU electrical system to further enhance consistency and durability, especially during a catastrophic event.”
Leathers explained that the BPU microgrid system will utilize existing generation equipment to power a strong network of underground electrical distribution circuitry, ensuring a high plane of utility service reliability and resiliency in the core of Downtown Jamestown, independent of the regional system.
If an emergency occurs outside BPU territory to cut power to the utility’s service area, the microgrid system, utilizing the utility’s existing gas turbine, its network of underground circuits, the District Heating system and the addition of a black start battery storage system, will enable the core area of Downtown Jamestown to remain up and running with both electric and thermal service.
The second possibility would be that the area experiences only a brief outage in a disruptive event if the microgrid is in place.
The microgrid will enable most of the community’s first responders and critical services to operate more efficiently in case of a significant service interruption during a disastrous event.
These organizations will include the Jamestown Police Department, the Jamestown Fire Department, the Jamestown Department of Public Works, the BPU Electric and Water Resources Divisions, Alstar EMS Ambulance Service, UPMC Chautauqua Hospital, the Urgent Care Medical Facility and several large community buildings that could host shelters in case of a prolonged emergency event.
“The Microgrid Project will enable our administration and employees to continue the delivery of utility services to our customers in the case of a major interruption in power from outside our community,” said Jamestown BPU Chair Greg Anderson. “We are gratified to have received this grant and will work to safeguard electric distribution in the Downtown Jamestown core area.”
“The implementation of this project will provide the Jamestown BPU with critical infrastructure to maintain essential services during power outages,” commented Jamestown BPU Board President and Jamestown City Mayor Kim Ecklund. “The project aligns with the BPU’s ongoing effort to modernize our utility infrastructure, reduce operating costs and continue to improve the customer experience.”
Leathers expressed his deep appreciation for the Department of Energy grant. “Significant assistance from this grant will enable the BPU to further strengthen our delivery of electrical services to our customers,” stated Leathers. “We thank the DOE administration and staff as well as our government officials for their support during this application, selection and contract negotiation process. I also commend BPU staff for the grant preparation and all the effort needed to successfully get to this point of starting work on the project."
