Ventura County Public Works Agency brings electricity to the Rocky Mountains and beyond! 

Ventura County Public Works Agency is taking the lead in reducing energy consumption and costs for Ventura County and all those connected to its electrical grid.

VENTURA — Ventura County Public Works Agency (VCPWA) is installing cutting-edge battery technology at its two wastewater treatment plants, aimed at reducing energy consumption and costs for Ventura County and all those connected to its electrical grid. 

After securing two separate grants from Southern California Edison, the Moorpark Water Reclamation Facility and Piru Wastewater Treatment Plant will each house a battery energy storage system (or BESS for short) and a microgrid controller. Moorpark already has a 999-kW solar field, which produces much of the electricity needed for the plant while also exporting excess energy to the electrical grid. However, Moorpark cannot use its solar power system during power outages or when sunlight is unavailable.  

The PowerFlex BESS in Moorpark will store electricity from times when energy is plentiful and inexpensive, choosing with its smart microgrid when it is most advantageous to use this stored electricity. Thus, VCPWA can relieve pressure from the grid during peak periods and seamlessly continue to treat wastewater during power outages without using diesel generators. The energy saved impacts a massive geographical area and people in many regions, as Ventura County’s electrical grid covers land from Canada to the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. 

At the Piru facility, the Tesla BESS allows for a partnership with Tesla, as they provide full-service operations and maintenance of the BESS for a ten-year term. Energy will be provided to the wastewater treatment plant, even during peak usage times, and Piru will also be contributing power back to the electrical grid. While the Piru facility doesn’t currently have a solar power system like the Moorpark facility, there is hope to implement one there someday, improving energy efficiency and resilience.    

VCPWA has consistently demonstrated that it is working to improve efforts in sustainability, and the installation of these innovative battery systems is a testament to its commitment to a brighter, cleaner future, benefiting people in, and out of, Ventura County.