I&M Breaks Ground on First Solar Facility

The Marion facility will include 10

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Fort Wayne-based Indiana Michigan Power has broken ground on its first solar generation facility. The Marion project is part of a $38 million solar effort involving four sites in Indiana and one in Michigan.

The Marion facility will include 10,000 solar panels spanning 17 acres of land. The utility says it is expected to begin generating energy by the end of the year and will have a capacity of 2.5 megawatts. Crews are set to begin construction within a few weeks.

Other solar generation sites are planned in Mishawaka and west of South Bend, with another location yet to be determined. I&M will also locate one east of Waterviliet, Michigan. The four Indiana facilities are expected to generate up to about 15 megawatts of energy by the end of next year.

Indiana Michigan Power President Paul Chodak says the projects will also provide the utility with valuable experience in designing and building the facilities as it works to increase solar capabilities in the coming years.