NEW YORK CITY — Amtrak is one of the first transit systems to plan a community microgrid so that it can keep its operations running during power outages, reported Microgrid Knowledge.

In the aftermath of the 2012 Superstorm Sandy, half of Sunnyside Yard had to rely on portable backup generators for a month due to a damaged transmission line. And in July 2006, about 25,000 customers in the Yard’s Long Island City border lost power for more than five days due to wind-related equipment failures, the report said.

Independently owned, the proposed $31.3 million microgrid would secure critical transportation services via 17.2 MW of energy generation and 4 MWh of storage. Operation, maintenance, and fuel costs would total $7.2 million yearly, with annual revenue streams of $10 million, primarily through the sale of electricity to Amtrak and Consolidated Edison, according to Microgrid Knowledge. For the full story, click here.