The solar panel project for the Swampscott Elementary School is expected to move forward this year, but the canopy remains “a big question mark,” according to Facilities Director Max Kasper.

Swampscott opened its new elementary school this year at 10 Whitman Road, consolidating three former buildings into one modern facility. The school’s design includes infrastructure for a photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system, featuring both rooftop panels and a ground-mounted canopy.

“National Grid has been exceedingly difficult through this process, but we believe that it is greenlit,” Kasper said. “The canopy has a number of challenges, almost all of them due to National Grid. The ability to install the canopy on the timeline we had is in question, but it’s not impossible.”

The solar impact study from National Grid, covering the system and design, cost $15,470, according to Trevor Fuce, assistant project manager at Hill International Inc.

“That would reduce the sub(contractor) cost contingency to $180.37,” Fuce said. “We’re almost done. This is a direct project cost.”

Kasper also noted that the canopy’s cost remains uncertain due to “infrastructure improvements” by National Grid.

The town aimed to make the new elementary school sustainable through rooftop solar panels and more than 80 underground geothermal wells for heating and cooling.

The Inflation Reduction Act, through the Internal Revenue Service, refunded the town approximately $2.3 million for the geothermal wells, as announced at Tuesday’s meeting.

“That is fantastic news,” Fuce said.

Fuce shared CTA Construction Managers will apply sealant to the expansion joint this week. He said once the last touches are done, the final retainage money can be released.

“CTA (Construction Managers) has done a fantastic job addressing all of the punch list items,” Fuce said.