RPower announced an award from Bell County Water Control and Improvement District (WCID) #1, the operator of the Lake Belton Water Treatment Plant, to develop a 10 MW microgrid system fueled by clean-burning natural gas generators. The project will provide a cleaner alternative to traditional backup diesel generators, allow the facility to better manage energy costs, and meet the requirements outlined in the Texas Water Code.
The Texas Water Code was amended in early 2021 to require water utilities to develop an emergency preparedness plan that includes a means to operate the water system during an extended power outage.
Bell County WCID1 engaged 5 (www.energyby5.com), a Texas-based energy advisory firm, to develop the project requirements and an RFP to solicit proposals from qualified generation service providers. In addition to delivering a resilient source of backup power, the project will allow Bell County WCID1 to participate in a variety of grid reliability programs and other cost saving measures that will deliver significant cost reductions to the district.
“After a thorough review process, we selected RPower as our partner to develop our microgrid system. This project is extremely important for Bell County WCID #1 as it ensures our compliance with Texas Water Code and provides a benefit to our community,” said Ricky Garrett, General Manager for Bell County WCID #1. “The RPower team delivered a competitive proposal that pulled the entire turnkey microgrid solution together for us. We feel very confident in the RPower team and their ability to deliver what we need to make this project a success.”
“We are proud to have been selected for this important project in Bell County,” said Jeff Starcher, RPower Chief Executive Officer. “Resilience solutions are critical for utilities and the communities they serve, and our business is to deliver the best resilience solution available to meet these needs. We’re honored to be the trusted partner for the Bell County WCID #1 and look forward to a long-term partnership.”
