San Juan Islander

News from San Juan County in Washington state - Including Orcas Island, Lopez Island, Shaw Island, San Juan Island

Guest column by Rikki Swin: WHY? – Why Is OPALCO Spending Our Money Needlessly?

WHY? – Why Is OPALCO Spending Our Money Needlessly?

Since my comments on December 22, 2025, I have heard nothing from OPALCO regarding the costs or justifications for the Bailer Hill Microgrid solar array and battery project. This silence raises concerns, so I have conducted independent research that fellow members may find eye-opening.

OPALCO describes the Bailer Hill project as a resilient “islandable” microgrid for Friday Harbor, capable of operating independently during mainland grid failures. The battery storage (roughly 1 MW output capacity, with 5 MWh total energy storage across two units) can provide about 4 hours of power to critical loads like the Peace Island Medical Center, San Juan Island Fire Department, Friday Harbor Airport, Water Treatment Facilities, and essential town services. This sounds reassuring in theory, but the facts suggest the project may be unnecessary and overly expensive:

  1. Most Critical Facilities Already Have Backup Power The designated critical loads – Peace Island Medical Center, San Juan Island Fire Department, Friday Harbor Airport, and town water treatment facilities – largely have existing diesel generators. Only the airport appears to lack robust permanent backup.

    • Peace Island Medical Center: Yes – required by federal codes (NFPA, Joint Commission, CMS) to have automatic-start diesel generators for life-safety systems, equipment, and lighting.
    • San Juan Island Fire Department (Station 31): Very likely yes – standard for 24/7 staffed stations to maintain lights, communications, radios, and essential operations.
    • Water Treatment Facilities: Yes – municipal plants are legally required to have diesel backups; recent project documents confirm generator controls and capability.
    • Friday Harbor Airport: Limited or none – small general aviation airports like this typically rely on grid power, portable generators, or pilot-controlled LED lights. Power needs are minimal (mainly runway lights for night/poor visibility ops, weather station, and terminal basics). Local pilots emphasize that in good weather or daylight VFR conditions, no airport lighting is needed, and diversions are common if lights fail.

  2. No Major Power Outages from Cable Failures Since 1964 Historical records show only three documented submarine cable failures affecting San Juan Island power since 1955 – all before 1965. Redundant cables were added in 1966 and 1972, and no power outages from cable breaks have occurred since.

    Date Description/Cause Duration Notes
    April 13, 1955 Tidal abrasion on Lopez-San Juan cable ~26 days Diesel generators used in Friday Harbor
    June 23, 1959 Repeat tidal-related failure ~24 days Diesel generators provided power
    Nov. 1, 1964 Vibration-induced break Prolonged Led to redundancy upgrades in 1966/1972

    Recent issues have involved communications cables or preventive maintenance – not power loss.

  3. Far Cheaper Alternatives Exist If enhanced backup is truly needed for rare, prolonged events, simpler options would cost far less than the full solar + battery project (estimated $4.5–7 million total, with upwards of $3.6 million net to members after grants).

    The lowest-cost, quickest solution: Upgrade or add diesel generators with expanded fuel storage at key sites.

    • Estimated cost: $1–2 million (e.g., $500k–$1M for a 1 MW genset + storage; $200–500k per site upgrade).
    • Annual maintenance/fuel: ~$50–100k (only if used).
    • Savings vs. solar project: 50–70%, with proven reliability (diesel sustained the island during past outages).

    Why pursue an expensive solar array in a cloudy region when critical facilities are already protected, outages are historically rare (with redundancy in place), and diesel upgrades would suffice at a fraction of the cost? These funds have contributed to substantial rate increases – money that could better support rate relief, infrastructure maintenance, or community needs like housing.

Ratepayers deserve transparent answers and justification for this expenditure. Is enhanced resilience truly warranted, or could resources be redirected more wisely? Is it too late to stop this FIASCO?

Help me, Rhonda.

Rikki Swin

Friday Harbor