by Donald Eng CTNewsJunkie
CHESHIRE, CT – A multiyear deal could see the state saving big on energy to power its prisons, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Thursday.
Standing in front of a 4,500-panel solar array behind the Cheshire Correctional Institution, Lamont touted the installation of similar facilities at seven Connecticut institutions as a “win-win” for the state.
Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Michelle Gilman, Department of Corrections Deputy Commissioner Sharonda Carlos, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz, and Gov. Ned Lamont react as the solar array at the Cheshire Correctional Institution goes online on April 24, 2025. Credit: Donald Eng / CTNewsJunkie
“We can reduce the load on our grid, and reduce those peak rates,” Lamont said.
The projects are a collaboration between the Connecticut Department of Correction (DOC) and the Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS), along with the Connecticut Green Bank and TotalEnergies, a global integrated energy company, according to the state. They were financed by the Connecticut Green Bank in partnership with TotalEnergies. The company will own, operate, and maintain the systems through a power purchase agreement executed by DAS.
Sharonda Carlos, deputy commissioner at the Department of Correction, said the department was one of the largest government users of electricity in the state.
Sharonda Carlos, deputy commissioner at the Department of Correction, speaks during the dedication of a solar power array at Cheshire Correctional Institution on April 24, 2025. Credit: Donald Eng / CTNewsJunkie
“This is a huge win for the taxpayers of Connecticut, and we project millions of savings over the lifetime of the solar arrays,” she said. “Every small step toward sustainability matters.”
The deal includes solar installations at seven Connecticut correctional facilities: Cheshire, Enfield, Osborn, Willard, the Robinson A and Robinson B Correctional Institutions, and the Manson Youth Institution, which is also located in Cheshire.
Combined, the seven installations are expected to generate just over 11,000 megawatt-hours per year. The Cheshire installation, which is the largest at 2.4 megawatts, is capable of generating up to 90% of the facility’s peak power needs, according to the department.
Under the terms of the agreement, TotalEnergies installed the arrays and is responsible for their operation and maintenance. The state will purchase the resulting electricity from the company for $.075 per kilowatt-hour. The installations cost about $20 million, according to the company, and the state will save an estimated $11 million over 25 years, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz stated.
“This is good for our taxpayers, offering significant savings, and good for the environment, offering clean energy,” Bysiewicz said.