October 15, 2026 3:05 a.m. 

This week the Roseburg Urban Sanitary Authority and Ameresco cut the ribbon on a new solar and battery storage system at RUSA’s main office in Roseburg.

RUSA staff and leadership, members of the Oregon Department of energy, Energy Trust of Oregon and elected officials from the area attended the event.

A company release said the $1 million project is the beginning of a multi-phase transformative energy project aimed at enhancing the resilience, sustainability and cost-effectiveness of RUSA’s key facilities, which include its main office, the wastewater treatment plant, and natural treatment system.

The project includes a photovoltaic system designed to generate approximately 51,580 kilowatt-hours annually and offset 100 percent of the electricity used at RUSA’s main office. The solar array is paired with a 184-kilowatt-hour battery energy storage system that helps ensure critical administrative and operational functions remain available during power disruptions.

RUSA General Manager Jim Baird said, “Partnering with Ameresco allows us to modernize our facilities, safeguarding the long-term well-being of our community as a result”. Baird said, “Through smarter energy use and resilient infrastructure investments, we’re advancing reliable wastewater management while ensuring continued service to our customers in both everyday operations and critical situations”.

The second and third phases of the project are expected to begin in the coming weeks.