A new solar farm may soon turn up some Henry County heat.
The Henry County Council on Wednesday cleared the way for the construction of a solar farm near Interstate 70.
“We’re very appreciative of the support and extra effort the Henry County Council has gone to regarding our request for the abatement,” Chuck Martindale, Hoosier Energy’s Manager of Key Accounts and Economic Development, said.
Hoosier Energy Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. plans to invest $2.7 million in a solar farm on 11 acres in Franklin Township on West County Road 500 South. The planned sun-powered facility is possible because of the roughly $1 million in electrical upgrades Hoosier Energy and Henry County REMC made to a substation on Commerce Drive and the circuits serving the industrial park. Those upgrades played a significant part in the Boar’s Head Meats decision to build a new facility here, according to New Castle-Henry County Economic Development Corporation President Corey Murphy.
Martindale said preliminary design work is done and engineering for the project is almost finished.
“We have one or two administrative items to address, but anticipate our contractor who is building the Henry County solar array will start immediately, as soon as weather permits and things dry up so we’re able to get back in there and get started,” he said.
County council vice-chair Richard Bouslog noted the solar farm is good for the industrial park on County Road 400 South because it adds stability to the local electric grid.
“The solar farm is going to be visible to about 40,000 vehicles daily traveling Interstate 70. It will put us in a positive light and help give the impression we’re a progressive community,” he said.
County council president Nate LaMar is out of the country and was unable to attend Wednesday’s meeting, but shared his thoughts on this matter via email.
“As the county council member whose district includes Franklin Township, this project is very important to me personally, but more importantly, it benefits Henry County as a whole. This is because is puts Henry County on the map as a leader in alternative energy development,” he wrote.
The EDC made the original request for tax abatement on behalf of Hoosier Energy and EDC Special Projects Coordinator Penny York said the organization is pleased the project is moving forward.
“We’re thrilled the council approved the abatement request,” she said. “We think it’s just great it will be visible from I-70 and that we’re going to have a renewable energy source that will feed back into our properties in the industrial park.”
Martindale said the solar array in Henry County is the first of several Hoosier Energy hopes to build in Indiana.