Norwich Mayor Hinchey praises the Mountain Ash Solar Farm as one of the finest projects she had witnessed since becoming mayor. And while that is most likely true, due to the limited list of actual projects that she has brought to Norwich in the last four years, Hinchey fails to acknowledge the hypocrisy that Norwich Public Utilities is allowed to partner with Solar City, but if a Norwich resident tries to partner with them they get this stock response from Solar City: "Unfortunately, we do not work with Norwich municipal utilities."

So, this solar farm benefits NPU, its employees (who are tasked with managing and maintaining the property) and Solar City, a billion-dollar corporation. There is no mention of this project actually lowering residents’ utility rates. What would benefit resident's rates is to allow residents the same partnership that NPU shares with Solar City so that we can all feel the savings, and benefits, of renewable energy to alleviate the effects of Norwich's ever-increasing utility rates and high taxes. 

Philip Brose

Norwich