PA Turnpike Building Solar Microgrid at Western Regional Office
PA Turnpike Building Solar Microgrid at Western Regional Office
PA Turnpike Aims to Become America’s First Sustainable Superhighway by 2040
NEW STANTON, Pa. — Construction is underway at the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s (PA Turnpike) Western Regional Office (WRO) for a solar microgrid that will power the PA Turnpike’s 27,000-square-foot office, as well as the PSP Troop T New Stanton barracks. Solar panels have been installed for the microgrid, which is scheduled to become operable in early 2026.
“The PA Turnpike has been an innovator for 85 years, finding new ways to adopt technologies that enhance customer safety, sustainability and reliability,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “Our commitment to sustainability and finding ways to support responsible stewardship continues to guide every decision we make as we advance the PA Turnpike into the future.”
The microgrid, which operates in conjunction with a natural gas generator as a backup, will be the second of its kind that the PA Turnpike has built. The Greensburg District Maintenance Shed, located on the Amos K. Hutchison Bypass (PA Toll 66) in Jeanette, is also powered by a massive solar array. A tolling industry first when it became operational in 2021, the Greensburg microgrid saves the PA Turnpike more than $400,000 a year by selling energy back to the grid.
The PA Turnpike is also working on a plan for 15 solar generation facilities on PA Turnpike-owned land adjacent to its roadway.
“Harnessing the power of the sun reduces our carbon footprint and strengthens infrastructure resiliency,” said Director of Facilities Operations Keith Jack. “We are continuously working to build an organization-wide culture of sustainability where all decisions consider our economic, environmental, and social impacts.”
The PA Turnpike is the only agency in the Commonwealth to achieve a perfect score from the PA GreenGov Council and has done so for four consecutive years. The score is based on a set of approximately 100 standards, grouped into 20 key areas covering achievements such as reducing energy consumption by three precent, improved fleet vehicle efficiency, active employee culture and engagement initiatives. The PA Turnpike has set a goal to become America’s First Sustainable Superhighway by 2040.
Other key sustainability initiatives include:
- Developing, installing and supporting a planned stationary Inductive Charging Showcase at its Central Administration Building in Middletown.
- Continuing to lay a 550-mile fiber optic broadband network.
- Installed 63 EV chargers at eight service plazas to help meet customers’ demand for electric vehicles, with plans for 80 more EV charging stations to be added to each of the PA Turnpike’s 17 service plazas by 2027 (at least four at each).
- Planted six pollinator habitats across the Pennsylvania Turnpike system, with more than 40 more in development along interchanges, services plazas and rights of way
For more than three decades, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has made environmental stewardship and sustainability a top priority. It was the first state agency to achieve three, consecutive 100% scores from the Commonwealth’s GreenGov Council. Its sustainability and stormwater management programs earned three IBTTA Toll Excellence Awards for Social Responsibility. To learn more about the PA Turnpike’s goal of becoming America’s First Sustainable Superhighway by 2040, please visit its website.
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Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com
Crispin Havener, Assistant Press Secretary: (717) 870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com