A new power source could be coming to the Savannah River Site.
Avery Hammett, a scientist at the site located 20 miles south of Aiken, told the Facilities Disposition and Site Remediation Subcommittee of the Savannah River Site Citizens Advisory Board on Tuesday that the Department of Energy was considering the development of a solar farm at the site in partnership with Dominion Energy.
She said the Department of Energy was “reevaluating” its response to a 2018 recommendation from the board to use solar power at the site.
In 2018, the board recommended the Department of Energy investigate the possibility of using rooftop solar panels or placing solar panels in common grounds for renewable energy at the site. The board also recommended the department perform a study to determine the economic feasibility of solar power.
The department rejected the first recommendation.
Site Manager Michael Budney said the age and unique design of the roofs of existing buildings was cost prohibitive and that funding would be better allocated to other energy-saving ideas like more efficient lightbulbs and heating.
It accepted the second recommendation and agreed to perform the study by mid-2019.
Board Chairman Gregg Murray said he remembered that the cost per kilowatt hour was very slightly higher for solar power.
But, at the time, there wasn’t a strong federal commitment to alternative energy sources like solar power.
In 2019, Donald Trump, a Republican, was president, Rick Perry, also a Republican, was secretary of energy, and the Republicans controlled the Senate. And the Republicans prefer other alternative sources of energy like natural gas.
Now, the Democrats, strong supporters of solar energy, hold the White House (Joe Biden), the Senate and the House.
Several members of the subcommittee speculated that the Democrats may be willing to pay a premium to have a green energy power source at the site.
Murray added that the cost per kilowatt hour for solar energy may have continued to decrease, making the proposition more economical.
A potential timeframe for the construction of the solar farm is yet unknown.
The potential location of the solar farm would be in A-Area.