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Solar & Renewable Energy

Exploring Local Solar Power for Our Community - a Behind‑the‑Meter Solar Project Feasibility Study
February 2026

Perkasie Borough has a long tradition of operating the Perkasie Electric Company - our own Public Power utility, locally owned and locally governed for the benefit of our residents and businesses. Because we purchase electricity on the wholesale market and deliver it directly to our customers, decisions made here at home have a direct impact on reliability, costs, and electric rates.

Recently, Borough Council asked staff and the Borough’s utility consultants to evaluate the feasibility of installing a “behind‑the‑meter” solar power system. This page explains what that means, why it is being studied now, and what factors are being carefully reviewed before any decisions are made.

What Is a “Behind‑the‑Meter” Solar Project?
A behind‑the‑meter solar system is a locally installed solar facility that directly supplies power to the Borough’s electric system, rather than selling power into the regional grid. In simple terms:

  • The solar panels would generate electricity for local use
  • That power could reduce the amount of electricity that Perkasie Borough must purchase from outside suppliers
  • Savings could help stabilize or reduce electric rates over time

This is different from large commercial solar farms that export power elsewhere. The goal here is to offset a portion of Perkasie Borough’s electric load, particularly during daytime hours when power costs are often highest.

Why is Perkasie Borough looking at this now? There are two primary reasons:

  1. Long‑Term Cost Control for Electric Customers: wholesale electricity prices are influenced by fuel costs, transmission congestion, high capacity demand, and regional market conditions that are outside local control. Generating a portion of our own power can help:
  • Reduce exposure to price volatility
  • Lower peak‑period power purchases
  • Keep more energy dollars circulating locally
  1. Time‑Sensitive Federal Incentives: Federal clean‑energy incentives created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) significantly improve the economics of solar projects. These incentives are available through a mechanism known as “direct pay”, which allows municipal utilities to receive the value of federal tax credits as a cash payment from the U.S. Treasury, even though municipalities do not pay federal income tax. However, these incentives are time‑limited.

For this reason, Borough Council has directed staff to move efficiently—but carefully—through the feasibility process, so that informed decisions can be made by the Borough Council while these federal opportunities remain available.

What Is Being Evaluated in the Feasibility Study? With assistance from professional utility consultants, the Borough is conducting a detailed feasibility review. The feasibility study will explore whether local solar could reduce purchased power costs and evaluate the community, environmental, and financial impacts. Key areas under evaluation include:

  1. Interconnection and Utility Infrastructure: making sure that the solar system properly connects to the Borough’s existing systems.
  2. Site and Infrastructure Considerations: making sure that any installation sites are a good fit
  3. Community and Neighborhood Impacts: checking for all and any impact on the community
  4. Legal and Property Matters: looking at potential site lease or purchase, easements etc
  5. Zoning, Permitting, and Local Regulations: understanding local, county, state permitting & regulations
  6. Environmental and Physical Conditions: considering potential site characteristics
  7. Commercial and Financial Structure: project lifespan, estimated costs and potential returns & savings

Each of these items would be addressed before any project could move forward.

Local solar generation is one of many tools public power utilities across the country are examining to manage costs and plan for the future. Borough Council is studying this opportunity now, while incentives are available, but before any commitments are made. As a Public Power community, your voice matters. Perkasie Borough is committed to keeping residents informed and engaged as this evaluation continues.

Perkasie Borough and Renewable Energy

Perkasie Borough is a member of American Municipal Power (AMP), a non-profit wholesale power supplier and service provider. AMP focuses on providing, managing and supplying power to more than 130 member-owned municipal electric systems across nine states. Perkasie Borough purchases a mix of power through AMP, including power generated through hydroelectric (water) and fossil fuel (gas & coal) facilities.

Hydroelectric power is the most prevalent form of renewable energy used to generate electricity and is far more dependable than other forms of renewable generation. Through a Power Purchasing Agreement with AMP, Perkasie Borough’s power portfolio includes hydroelectric power generated by the New York Power Authority (NYPA) at their facilities in Lewiston, NY and Massena, NY.

The electric grid continues to see rapid load growth from new data centers and generation supplies have struggled to keep up. The explosion of new load has resulted in much higher prices in both energy and installed capacity markets. AMP is offering a new Power Purchase Agreement to municipal electric systems which would allow Perkasie Borough to participate in the Bright Mountain Solar Project, located in Southeast KY. Perkasie Borough Council is currently considering whether to join other municipal electric companies in purchasing this solar generation in our power portfolio.

Perkasie Borough Council works closely with AMP to create a portfolio approach to energy supply as the best way to respond to the volatility that exists in the electricity markets. That means purchasing a range of power supply products that meet the Borough’s needs during periods of base and peak demand. Renewable energy sources are becoming increasingly important in the portfolio mix as Perkasie Borough works with AMP to hedge against the potential for even higher prices, and secure economical, long-term power supply for residents and businesses.