BART has entered an agreement with a company that makes solar power systems to install, operate and maintain solar panels at the new, upcoming Antioch Station as well as the Lafayette Station, according to BART officials.
BART's Board of Directors authorized the agreement with San Mateo-based company Solar City Thursday, BART officials said.
As part of the agreement, BART will purchase electricity generated from these two new installations. Once constructed, the installations will be the largest solar generation facilities on district property.
As an additional benefit, the panel canopies will also provide shade to part of the stations' parking lots.
"The BART to Antioch project is putting a brand new face on transit in eastern Contra Costa, and it's exciting to see new, environmentally friendly technologies like solar powering up these upcoming stations," BART Director Joel Keller said in a statement.
The project will be paid for using money from BART's energy operating budget and will cost a total of $3.75 million and $3.85 million at the Antioch and Lafayette stations, respectively, over the 20-year term of the agreement.
Construction on the panels should be completed at Antioch by Fall 2017 and in Lafayette by late Spring 2017.
