Western Massachusetts Electric Co., a unit of Hartford’s Northeast Utilities Inc., has chosen Springfield for its second solar energy generation station that will cost around $22 million to build, authorities say.
WMECo plans to develop its second large-scale solar energy facility atop a capped landfill on Cottage Street on Springfield’s east side to accommodate some 17,000 solar panels, producing up to 4.2 megawatts of solar energy.
Upon targeted completion by yearend, the Springfield facility will join WMECo’s 1.8-megawatt Silver Lake Solar Facility operating at the William Stanley Business Park in Pittsfield, Mass. as two of the largest in the region. Silver Lake began operation in November.
WMECo and Springfield officials say that, in addition to bringing construction to the region, the solar facility is expected to contribute several hundred thousand dollars of annual property tax revenue to the city of Springfield, home to some 65,000 WMECo customers.
