PRAIRIE CITY – Staff and board members from Prairie City School broke ground last week for a new biomass boiler system to be installed at the school.
The system is under the direction of Portland-based Wisewood Inc., which develops state-of-the art biomass energy products. Construction is set to start in early July, with the boiler up and running by sometime in October 2012.
According to Nerissa Lindenfelser, project manager for Wisewood Inc., the project will be the fourth large biomass installment in Grant County in the past few years. It will also utilize wood fuel pellets made at Malheur Lumber Company in John Day. Malheur is providing a discounted fuel rate to the school over the next 10 years.
The new energy system will provide steam heat for the high school building, and heat the new gym and cafeteria via hot water. The school will save money in the first year of operation including the loan payments, Lindenfelser said.
The project was made possible by a zero percent loan from the Qualified Zone Academy Bond program, and is being administered by Bank of Eastern Oregon.
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