AMHERST — Amherst officials are taking steps to ensure the projects to bring solar arrays to the capped landfills on Belchertown Road continue, even with solar developer SunEdison’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing last week.
Interim Town Manager Peter Hechenbleikner said Tuesday that he and other town officials have been on top of what he describes as an “evolving” situation, with several actions underway to ensure that the photovoltaics are installed, which had been anticipated to be done by the end of 2016.
“It may be a stretch to be in business by this December, particularly considering all this, but it’s a good project,” Hechenbleikner said.
Ahmad Chatila, chief executive officer for SunEdison, sent a letter to the town stating that “at this time, we anticipate no changes to our business relationship” and that the Chapter 11 filing will put the company “in an even better position over the long term to continue to deliver outstanding results for our customers and business partners.”
In December, the town signed two power-purchase agreement with SunEdison. The first calls for the company to build a 3.7-megawatt solar array on the newer capped landfill, on the north side of Belchertown Road near the transfer station. If this is built by December 2016, the town would receive more than $180,000 in new revenues annually.
The second, to construct a 2.8-megawatt solar array on the older capped landfill on the south side of Belchertown Road, would, in its first year,earn the town $47,500 in net-metering credits and $41,500 in tax revenues.
Even with its bankruptcy filing, SunEdison recently hired an engineering company to begin examining the two landfill sites for any endangered species. Hechenbleikner said he has also had conversations with SunEdison, whose representatives have ensured him that the solar development remains a go.
Hechenbleikner said he will have a conference call on Wednesday with Richard Holland, an attorney for town counsel Kopelman and Paige specializing in renewable energy, and will use this as the basis of a report to the Select Board at its meeting Monday.
“This is evolving,” Hechenbleikner said. “What I say (Wednesday) may change by Monday.”
Hechenbleikner said he will also speak to Meg Lusardi, executive director of the Boston-based PowerOptions consortium, a company that assists municipalities and nonprofits to aggregate power purchases.
Even before the Chapter 11 filing, some residents expressed concerns about SunEdison, worrying about its financial stability and that it was not a company with local ties.
There also have been repeated concerns expressed by some residents that solar panels on the older landfill might jeopardize the cap and compromise a municipal water supply.
Michael Krasnik, a member of the Amherst Residents for Environmental Accountability group, said in an email Tuesday that it is still seeking answers about who would be liable if SunEdison builds the project and then goes out of business.
“We have not received any replies from either the town or SunEdison,” Krasnik said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
