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Lemoore is investing $24 million in an infrastructure project to become a “smart city,” according to a press release. The project will be completed by Energy Systems Group, an engineering services company. The ribbon cutting is expected by July 2027, and some upgrades have already begun.
The project will increase the sustainability and resilience of multiple city facilities and systems while upgrading key equipment, saving the city an estimated $14.8 million. The city received $876,000 in grants and tax credits to offset the cost of the project.
A total of 12 total EV charging stations will be spread across three locations: the Recreation Center, Kings Lions Park, and Heritage Park, with hopes that this will bring more people into Lemoore to charge their cars.
Solar-paneled carports are coming to the Recreation Center and 40 G St., which will provide shade and electricity. More energy sources mean that these solar panels will reduce the city’s overall energy expenditures and dependence on utilities, according to the City.
“If we modernize the infrastructure, it’s a hedge against rising energy costs, which are going up in California,” said Amelia Cottrell, senior business development manager at Energy Systems Group. California electricity rates were 80% higher than the national average in 2024, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.
By upgrading HVAC systems and installing LED lighting in multiple city buildings, the city will use less electricity, which also reduces costs.
“We’ve had many different crazy heatwaves, and having new HVAC really combats a really hot summer day when it might break,” said Cottrell, adding that the City is upgrading its systems to make them more resilient to climate change.
Energy Systems Group is also installing 7,401 Advanced Metering Infrastructure water meters, which increase efficiency by automatically reading how much water is being used across the city. Meters used to be manually read by city staff, but in the future, AMI meter readings will be uploaded into an online database for residents to track their water usage. This digitized water system provides the City with real-time data, which will help identify leaks.
“if there’s any problems, you know right away because every resident can log on to a dashboard and say, ‘How much water am I using? OK, do I have any leaks?’,” said Cottrell.
The wastewater system is also getting digitized into a control system that pulls information from plant equipment into one digital platform. That centralized monitoring helps the city make better, data-driven decisions. The wastewater system is also getting much-needed equipment upgrades to its variable frequency drives, aerators, and more, which in the long run will lead to less maintenance.
“These were at the end of their useful life, so they needed to be replaced. And we replaced them with more efficient measures,” said Cottrell. “We’re upgrading systems that might fail.”
The city’s IT system and wastewater treatment facility are getting backup generators.
“If the power goes out for any which reason, we make sure that critical services are being offered to the city residents,” said Cottrell. If, for example, there is a fire nearby and the power needs to be shut off, now with backup generators, key systems can continue operating.
Cottrell says that by digitizing city infrastructure, the city becomes more connected, giving city staff better visibility over key systems and helping them make better decisions.
“if something breaks, they can see it on the screen and react to it faster,” she said.
These digital systems also self-monitor and alert staff before problems occur. By upgrading equipment that might break and replacing it with more energy-efficient models, the City saves money.
“The City is thinking proactively and doing this in a smart way,” said Cottrell.
“There’s community benefits that may be not obvious in the beginning, but once this project is up and running, I think residents will start to see really an improvement of the quality of life,” said Cottrell.
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