Ribbon cut for PSD solar system

PRESCOTT – History was made Thursday morning with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Prescott School District’s solar system.

The system has 1,685 panels and will generate 1.143 million kilowatts of electricity per year, which will save the district money on utility bills. The project cost $1.6 million and will pay for itself with the savings.

Superintendent Robert Poole thanked everyone for coming out, and thanked the city for allowing this to be done. He said the city’s electric department worked to make this possible being on site and making sure everything was done properly. “This is a big day for Prescott. You hear about things like this being done at other places, but there’s no reason it can’t be done here.”

According to Poole, this will allow the district to put about $1 million back into education for the students, from the savings.

Bill Halter, with Scenic Hill, and former Lt. Gov., thanked the district for doing this, adding the PSD is in a lead position in doing this, though similar things are happening across the country. Prescott, though, is one of the first in the state to go solar. He thanked the mayor and council for allowing this. Halter said this will save the district about $80,000 is first year and $3.8 million over 30 years and this money can go back into education.

The system will also be educational as students can learn math and science in how the sun is converted into energy. Scenic Hill, he added, makes it a tradition to make a donation back to its clients and is donating $5,000 to the PSD to provide extra books for children 3-6-years-old.