PSE&G Installing Solar Panels Throughout Bridgewater

Solar panels are being installed on telephone poles around Bridgewater, as part of Public Service Electric and Gas' (PSE&G) Solar 4 All program.

In July, PSE&G began installing the panels, and has completed about 50 of the 520 that will be placed on poles throughout the township. PSE&G Spokesman Fran Sullivan said the company is expected to be done with the work by the end of August.

"Workers have been in and around Bridgewater throughout July," he said. "They are going to 300 towns in PSE&G's territory, and Bridgewater is one of them."

The project is being completely funded by the electric company because the poles themselves are owned by PSE&G.

According to Sullivan, when the sun is out, the panels produce heat, which they then turn into power. Each panel, he said, produces 200 watts of electricity, and they are tied into the company's overall electric distribution system.

The panels themselves are 5 feet wide and 2.5 feet high, and weigh about 60 pounds. They are attached to the poles between 15 and 18 feet off the ground.

"They are not just to benefit the township, they are part of the overall generation, and help in every town," Sullivan said.

The impact for residents, in terms of saving energy and money, Sullivan said, is about 10 cents per month.

In choosing where to place the panels, Sullivan said, the company is looking for poles with southern exposure, as well as ones that are not blocked by trees or buildings.

The entire project is part of PSE&G's Solar 4 All program, with its plan to install, own and operate 80 megawatts of solar power by 2013, investing $515 million into the endeavor. The first project is the solar panels, with the goal of installing them on 200,000 utility poles in total.

The second part of the project has to do with developing solar gardens and roof-top installations on facilities owned by the company and some third-party sites.

Councilman Howard Norgalis said at Monday's township council meeting that he was just recently told about the installations.

But one resident expressed concern about snow falling on the panels during the winter, possibly endangering vehicles and people. Marie Avenue resident Edwin Golubiewski questioned whether it was even possible for snow to slide off the panels during the winter.

Sullivan said Tuesday that there should be no danger of that happening, mainly because, with the heat coming from the panels, the snow will not stick anyway. He said other towns already had their panels installed during the severe snowstorms this past winter, and there were no problems of this nature.

"The panels are also placed at a steep angle, so they are not going to get snow," he said.

Sullivan said this program will not cost the township or residents anything, but will just serve as a benefit for their energy usage.

"We are increasing our uses of solar power," he said.