New Jersey BPU approves Montclairʻs microgrid feasibility study

New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) approved Montclair Township’s application to conduct a Town Center Distributed Energy Resource microgrid feasibility study.

Montclair’s proposal is different from other feasibility study applicants as the town center microgrid would include a mass transportation component in New Jersey Transit’s Bay Street Station. The microgrid application was submitted by the township along with the Montclair School District, United Methodist Communities, New Jersey Transit, and Hackensack UMC –Mountainside Hospital.

“Montclair presented an excellent proposal for a Town Center microgrid that would keep electricity flowing to critical facilities in the community should they ever face a major power outage in the future,” NJBPU President Richard Mroz said at a press conference to announce the approval. “What makes this project particularly interesting is the inclusion of a
transit component as part of the proposed microgrid.”

Mroz was joined at the press event by NJBPU Commissioner Joseph Fiordaliso, Montclair Acting Township Manager Timothy Stafford, and elected local officials.

“This grant from the NJBPU – enabling us to create a Feasibility Study – represents an excellent opportunity for Montclair, and also for several of the critical emergency facilities in our township, Stafford said. “Just by planning and preparing for possible disruptions, we bring
resilience and security to our communities. Being aware and being prepared are the indicators of responsible local governments.”

The feasibility study will evaluate approximately 2.3 MW of new power capacity that may include solar, dispatchable generation such as combined heat and power, battery storage, and other new electric infrastructure. The board is providing approximately $142,480 in funding for the feasibility study, which should be completed in about eleven months.

“After living through Sandy, this plan will provide us with an important way of keeping our vital institutions and services up and running should we experience another such major event,” Montclair Mayor Robert Jackson said. “We are very pleased the BPU recognized the planning and work that went into our feasibility study proposal, and we welcome the opportunity to move forward on this plan.”