Oceanside may expand a solar energy program that is expected to save the city millions of dollars in power bills.

On Wednesday, city officials held a groundbreaking ceremony at Fire Station 7 for a project that will put solar panels at five city-owned facilities. Last summer, the city signed a power purchase agreement with PFMG Solar LLC, a Huntington Beach-based firm that will install and maintain the panels in exchange for the city buying the energy they produce.

“It’s a great deal for the city, our residents and the environment,” said Councilman Chuck Lowery.

The panels will be added — at no cost to the city — to Oceanside’s police headquarters, Fire Station 7, the city operations center, Melba Bishop Recreation Center and El Corazon Senior Center.


Earlier this month, the city’s Utilities Commission recommended expanding the agreement to include solar panels at the Mission Basin Groundwater Purification Facility; Fire Stations 4, 5 and 6; Martin Luther King Jr. Park; the Jones Road Fire Training Facility; and two sites at the Oceanside Harbor.

The original deal was expected to save the city roughly $8 million over the life of the 25-year contract. It guarantees the city a fixed rate of 16 cents per kilowatt hour produced by the system. The city pays SDG&E an average rate of about 23 cents per kilowatt hour, officials said.

If approved, the expanded agreement would save the city an additional $3.1 million, officials said.

The city will pay no upfront capital costs for the project and will receive the added benefit of shaded parking structures at several of the locations. The panels will provide shade to at least 175 parking spots.


The first set of solar panels will generate roughly 1.3 million kilowatt hours of energy a year. For comparison, the city uses about 20 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year purchased from SDG&E at an annual cost of about $3.5 million.

The company has similar agreements with government agencies throughout Southern California, including the cities of Palmdale and Lancaster and school districts in Palmdale, Redondo Beach, and Pomona.

Installation of the panels is expected to take about nine months to complete.