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Direct Relief Announces Completion of Fifth Resilient Power Project in California as Part of Power for Health Initiative

Alliance Medical Center, located in Sonoma County, California, is the latest health site in the state to have resilient power options through Direct Relief’s Power for Health program.

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Resilient Power

Solar panels cover portions of the roofline at Alliance Medical Center in Healdsburg, California. The resilient power system, which also includes battery storage, was funded by Direct Relief's Power for Health program, and the system has the ability to power the health center for up to 15 hours during a power outage. (Courtesy photo)
By Brea Burkholz
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Direct Relief today announced the completion of its fifth resilient power project site in its home state of California. For a health site focused on providing services to vulnerable patients, the project will provide access to uninterrupted power in case of an outage, including from a natural disaster.

Alliance Medical Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center located in Healdsburg, California, stated that its resilient power project, made possible through a $495,000 grant funded by Direct Relief, was completed and online. The project represents a significant step forward in ensuring uninterrupted healthcare services for the Healdsburg community, particularly during times of emergency, disaster, or public safety power shutoff. Healdsburg is located in Sonoma County, which has been impacted by large wildfires in the past, including the deadly 2017 Tubbs Fire, which killed 22 people, destroyed thousands of structures, and interrupted health services in the area.

The project is part of Direct Relief’s Power for Health initiative, an effort that seeks to bring clean, renewable backup power to community health centers and free clinics to ensure they can deliver critical healthcare services during power outages. Direct Relief has provided more than $20 million in grants to health centers and clinics throughout the United States for the installation of off-grid, renewable, reliable power systems, improving resiliency and continuity of care for critical health services in vulnerable communities.

Other projects completed in the state of California are located in the communities of Laguna Beach, Los Molinos, Magalia, Mendocino, and Ventura, and 16 additional sites across the United States, including Puerto Rico, have been completed, with others slated to come online in the future.

The just-announced project features the installation of state-of-the-art backup power systems at Alliance Medical Center, including a 58-kilowatt solar array and 330-kilowatt-hour battery storage. The system is equipped to provide up to 15 hours of reliable electricity supply in case of an outage, safeguarding critical medical equipment and refrigeration of medications, and ensuring continuity of care for patients.

Battery storage, connected to Alliance Medical Center’s solar panels, can store enough power to keep the health center running for up to 15 hours in the event of an outage. The system was funded by Direct Relief’s Power for Health program. (Courtesy photo)

“We are delighted to see the completion of this important project, which will greatly enhance the resilience of Alliance Medical Center’s Healdsburg clinic and its ability to serve the healthcare needs of our community,” said Sue Labbe, CEO at Alliance Medical. “The support from Direct Relief has been instrumental in making this project a reality, and we are immensely grateful for their partnership and commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure.”

Direct Relief’s funding for resilient power projects like this one underscores its dedication to building resilient healthcare systems worldwide, ensuring that communities have the capacity to withstand and recover from unforeseen challenges. By investing in initiatives that enhance healthcare infrastructure and preparedness, Direct Relief aims to improve health outcomes and save lives, particularly in underserved and vulnerable populations.

“It’s a privilege for Direct Relief to support Alliance Medical Center, help boost its resiliency, and ensure that power outages won’t prevent its dedicated team from serving the essential role of providing quality health services to thousands of people who otherwise would go without,” said Thomas Tighe, Direct Relief President and CEO.

“The project at Alliance Medical Center is just a perfect example of what California’s vast nonprofit health safety net needs more of in the face of increasingly frequent and intense climate emergencies and power outages. These events disrupt essential health services when they’re most needed by people who are most vulnerable and lack other options for needed care. Direct Relief’s Power for Health initiative aims to engage more philanthropic support to build resilience in a clean, practical, efficient way for health facilities that serve people who face chronic challenges that are only intensified by emergencies, and Alliance Medical Center is a shining real-world example of why it matters.”

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