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RSU 18 residents approve woodchip plant

OAKLAND -- Residents of Regional School Unit 18 approved a $3.7 million central biomass plant in Tuesday's five-town referendum, 224-175.

Construction of the plant, which will use woodchips to heat Williams Elementary School, Messalonskee Middle School and Messalonskee High School, all in Oakland, is slated to begin immediately. The target for completion is April.

Tallies of the five communities comprising the Oakland-based district were: Belgrade 47-17; China, 33-43; Oakland 79-79; Rome, 20-4; and Sidney, 45-32.

Superintendent Gary Smith said he is pleased that voters seized what he said is a momentous opportunity.

Smith said he has been involved with many energy savings projects over the years but that this one tops them all.

"This project will bring long-term, real savings to the school district," he said.

The plant's lifetime, estimated to be from 30 to more than 40 years, will be paid for in 15 years with a $500,000 Maine Forestry Service Grant and a zero percent interest loan.

Smith estimated the plant will save the school district between $5 million to $10 million over its life.

Smith said the plant will have a lower long-term energy cost than the boilers that are used now and will have a higher energy output.

To project savings over 15 years, Smith said the district conservatively estimated the price of oil, currently at $3.50 per gallon, would annually increase 4 percent -- for a total of a 74 percent increase.

Smith said in 1995 the district paid 48 cents per gallon for oil. Since that time, the price per gallon has increased 700 percent.

The price of woodchips is just less than $50 per ton. Even if the price doubled to $100 per ton, based on BTU output or energy content, that would still be the equivalent of paying $1.61 per gallon of oil.

Woodchips, said Smith are a local, renewable energy source. He said they'll reduce the district's dependence on foreign oil and help it avoid wildly fluctuating global markets.

The central biomass plant, which will be sited adjacent to the bus garage, will replace a 43-year-old boiler at the high school and a 27-year-old boiler at Williams Elementary.

Beth Staples -- 861-9252

bstaples@centralmaine.com