MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Northern Indiana Public Service Co. has started working on two new solar farms in Northwest Indiana.
The Merrillville-based utility company plans to retire its coal plants and generate more electricity from renewable energy sources, including its sprawling flagship plant on the lake in Michigan City by 2028 opening that city's lakefront to new development many years down the line.
Work has started on new solar farms in Jasper County and White County, which will include about three million solar panels.There are already large wind farms in White County along both sides of I- 65 between Chicago and Indianapolis.
NIPSCO is partnering with EDP Renewables North America to build Indiana Crossroads Solar, a 200-megawatt solar farm in White County, according to the Associated Press. That project is expected to produce $40 million in local taxes and pay $1 million a year to landowners, according to the utility company.
The AP also reports that NextEra Energy Resources LLC is building the other new solar farm in Jasper County. To be called Dunns Bridge Solar I, that 265-megawatt installation will feature about 900,000 solar panels that will generate enough electricity to power 79,5000 homes.
A planned second phase, Dunns Bridge Solar II, will add 435 megawatts of solar with 1.5 million solar panels and 75 megawatts of battery storage and is expected to come online in 2023.
NextEra Energy Resources will sell both installations to NIPSCO once construction is finished.
NIPSCO has built two wind farms and has ten other renewable projects in the works. The utility company said it expects to finish 14 renewable energy projects by 2023.
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