Through an new partnership, Wisconsin Public Power Inc. Energy and NextEra Energy Resources announced a plan Monday to create Wisconsin’s largest solar plant in Two Rivers.
The facility will generate between 150 and 200 jobs for construction, NextEra spokesperson Bryan Garner said.
According to the news release, the new facility will be built near NextEra’s current Point Beach Nuclear Plant located in Two Rivers.
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Construction on the facility is expected to start in 2021, Garner said, and will take around six to nine months to complete. NextEra plans to hire local workers when possible for the construction, he added, which provides economic benefits for the community.
“This is another way for Wisconsin residents to benefit from clean, homegrown energy that is emissions free,” he said.
Aside from construction jobs, Garner said the facility will also create operational jobs. Unlike other power plants, solar power plants only require a few people to operate, he added.
Garner said NextEra and WPPI Energy have only entered a power-purchase agreement this month. This agreement will allow WPPI Energy to diversify their energy generation portfolio.
“It’s clean, renewable energy, so it’s a great resource,” Garner said. “It’s something the state and the entire region can be proud of.”
According to the release, WPPI Energy entered into a 20-year power purchase agreement with NextEra. WPPI Energy will buy the electricity from the new facility to serve its customers.
NextEra has to further develop their plan by selecting vendors for the solar panels and address engineering and construction concerns, Garner said.
The plan will be developed over the next four years, Garner said, and will become a reality in 2021.
Projects like this new facility usually generate millions of dollars in tax benefits for local communities, Garner said. Schools, roads and emergency services can be supported through taxes paid on the NextEra facility when it is built.
Garner said this project opens the doors to Wisconsin for renewable energy.
“We’re excited to enter into this agreement with WPPI Energy,” Garner said. “We think it’s a great project and one that will help deliver economic benefits and clean energy to Wisconsin and the region for years to come.”
