Solar Backup System Ensures Resilient Power Source for Lander During Outages

In Lander, residents depend on the police department and city services to remain operational during emergencies, but a 2023 power outage revealed a critical vulnerability when the backup generator failed to start. This left essential communications systems offline, including connections to the water treatment plant and other vital city facilities. When a member of the city’s Energy and Environment Task Force recognized the need for a more reliable backup power system, she reached out to LOR with a solution: Install solar panels and battery backup that will provide a redundant and resilient power source in the event of a power outage. LOR’s funding will help bridge the gap between a Rocky Mountain Power Blue Sky grant and the total cost of installing a 25-kilowatt solar array and battery backup system at City Hall and the police station. This redundant power source ensures that critical operations continue during outages while also reducing the city’s energy costs.