NORWICH – The Chenango County Board of Supervisors will take up a discussion over a possible land lease agreement with the City of Norwich that will allow the city to develop a solar power generating site on a parcel of county-owned land.

The county’s Public Works Committee met with City of Norwich officials last week to discuss the pros and cons of a land lease agreement which would allow the city to install solar pannels on a county-owned plot adjacent to the Chenango County landfill facility on Route 12 in North Norwich.

City of Norwich officials have been investigating a possible solar project since August, when the Norwich Common Council learned of grants available through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

While not in any official agreement, the Common Council has passed a resolution authorizing the Norwich mayor to begin negotiations with SolarCity, an energy service provider specializing in solar power technologies. SolarCity was the low bidder on a proposal to design, build, finance, and provide a solar system to be utilized by the City of Norwich.

City officials, along with representatives of SolarCity, first pitched a land lease agreement proposal to the Chenango County Public Works Committee last month. The 26-year agreement would allow the city to use the dormant gravel pit next to the North Norwich landfill to house an array of solar pannels which Norwich officials say would provide tremendous savings to city taxpayers by generating power for municipal buildings like City Hall, the Norwich Police Department, the city DPW, and the firehouse.

In return, the county would receive approximately 2.5 cents per kilowatt to offset some of their own energy costs.