NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Water Services says it has installed its largest group of solar panels, meant to reduce the sky-high energy bills it gets each month, at the Whites Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Metro Water says it takes a massive amount of energy to convert sewage into clean water that it discharges into the river, saying it is Nashville Electric Service's second-largest customer. With the addition of the solar panels, it hopes to free up some of the money it uses on electric bills to use on aging infrastructure projects.
It was an installation that had almost instant impact, with a chart showing a marked energy usage drop in a matter of hours after the solar panels were activated.
"It's great, it makes us realize these are actually working and helping us offset our electrical usage here," said John Barnett with Metro Water Services.
But could this also mean a rate drop for you?
While Metro Water couldn't say that. In 2019, Metro Water said it was the aging infrastructure and backlogged projects that led to the need for a rate increase.
Now Metro Water hopes saving money in energy can help fund more projects through the money it already has.
