Western Massachusetts Electric (WMECo) has planned to develop 4.2MW solar energy facility in Springfield, western Massachusetts.
The solar project will involve installation of 17,000 solar panels on a capped landfill on Cottage Street in Springfield and upon completion, the facility will join WMECo’s Silver Lake Solar Facility as two of the largest in the region.
The company said that the power project will bring $22m of construction to the region and is expected to contribute several hundred thousand dollars of annual property tax revenue to the city of Springfield.
The company plans to begin construction in the second quarter, with completion expected by the end of the year.
WMECo is a part of Hartford-based Northeast Utilities System and it serves approximately 200,000 customers in 59 communities throughout western Massachusetts.
WMECo president and chief operating officer Peter Clarke said that the solar program helps stimulate development of large scale solar facilities and the demand for regional construction and engineering services.
"Our use of a capped landfill creates a new and viable use for an otherwise challenged property within our home city," Clarke said.