In an effort to prevent the possibility of future Pacific Gas & Electric's Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) disrupting the functioning of Town facilities such as the Moraga Police Department, Town Hall, Corporation Yard or the Moraga Library, the Public Works Department has been reviewing options that would provide backup power in an emergency.  While there currently are generators on the premises, they are not sufficient to meet the needs of a long duration.

    Interim Public Works Director/Town Engineer Nate Levine’s March 11 staff report to the Town Council gave an update to the project that was begun in 2021 with a study meant to identify the Town’s needs and “evaluate alternative power options such as solar and battery backup, and develop preliminary costs and recommendations to support future design and funding decisions.”

    The Town awarded a professional services agreement to energy consultant firm Clean Coalition in January 2022, with the goal of considering “multiple project configurations combining solar generation, battery storage, and backup generators, and evaluated resilience, site constraints, and long-term economics,” stated Levine.  “This work also supported the Town’s 2021 Council goal of continuing to evaluate viable Climate Action Plan strategies by using the Town’s emergency power needs as an opportunity to review more sustainable energy options.”

    Fast forward to March 2025 when staff and Clean Coalition presented the Town Council with a project status update in preparation of issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) in order to obtain costs and project delivery options.  Upon reviewing RFPs in late 2025, staff determined that “while broader microgrid concepts remained technically feasible, the proposal review showed that several of the configurations involved greater long-term cost, complexity, and site-related impacts than the Town was prepared to pursue under current conditions,” Levine noted.

    Staff proceeded to refine alternatives with a focus on the Town’s primary functioning needs and came up with four options for Council to choose from.  Option 1 – No Change: would keep existing conditions; however, the Town Hall parking lot replacement would be completed as a separate project ($375,000 of available funding).  Option 2 – Generators Only: would see the installation of new backup diesel generators to the Town Hall, Council Chambers, Library and Town Hall parking lot (total project cost $900,000 has available funding; would incur ongoing annual operating and maintenance cost for generators).  Option 3 – Generators + Solar: would see the installation of solar panels at Town Hall, Corporation Yard, and the Library along with diesel generators -- which would be included in the Town Hall parking lot (total project cost $1.38 million; has $900,000 in available funding. Additional funding of $480,000 needed.  Annual Town budget impacts seen through loan repayments and operating/maintenance costs for generators and solar panels.  Cumulative savings of $265,000 over 20 years).   Option 4 – Generators + Solar + Batteries: would see the installation of new backup generators at Town Hall, Corporation Yard, and the Library, along with solar improvements and battery storage (total project cost $1.723 million; has $900,000 in available funding.  Additional funding of $823,000 needed.  Annual Town budget impacts seen through loan repayments, annual operating/maintenance costs for generators and solar panels.  Cumulative savings of $129,000 over 20 years).

    Staff’s recommendation of Option 3 was unanimously selected by the Council as the preferred choice for the Town Facilities Energy Generation Project.  Levine’s staff report stated, “Estimated dates of actual project construction are unknown and will be determined as part of the negotiated contract.  A project schedule will be provided when this item is returned to the Town Council.” 

    It was noted that in order to secure a tax credit, the program would have to be implemented by the end of 2027.