Plan could energize sewer plant’s options.
HERMITAGE – Hermitage Municipal Authority is exploring a new use for the energy it generates at the water pollution control plant – charging batteries.
These aren’t batteries like the 9-volts in your smoke alarm or the C’s in a flashlight.
The power stored in the batteries would be "available to the grid as a backup system," Darby said.
"We would charge them with our generator," Darby said.
The authority has been selling electricity to the electrical grid – the interconnection between power companies – and getting a credit for the amount sold on its Pennsylvania Power Co. electric bill.
Viridity officials want to visit the plant, meet operators and review the plant’s capability, said consulting engineer Jason Wert of RETTEW Inc.
If Viridity thinks an arrangement will work, it will make a formal proposal to the authority, Penn Power will review its responsibilities under the proposal and PJM will make a final determination, Wert said.
"It’s on your property but you’re not managing and running the cell tower," Wert said.
"I think it’s going to be for the public’s benefit and it will be available to us in an emergency as well," Darby said.