Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana partners with First Solar

Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana (Vectren) has selected First Solar, Inc. to build the 50-megawatt (MW) solar array as part of Vectren’s long-term electric generation transition plan.

Officials said the solar array would be situated on approximately 300 acres, consist of about 150,000 solar panels and would be mounted on a single-axis tracking system, enabling the panels to automatically pivot to enhance energy generation as the sun’s rays move across the surface of the Earth.

“This significant renewable resource will be connected to our system to serve our local customers,” Carl Chapman, Vectren’s chairman, president and CEO, said. “We are confident First Solar and Orion are the right partners for this scale of a project, which will bring one of the largest single-sited solar farms in the Midwest to southern Indiana.”

Officials said the facility should be fully operational in the fall of 2020.

“First Solar’s expertise in design and construction of solar power plants aligns perfectly with Vectren’s Smart Energy Future strategy,” Eran Mahrer, First Solar’s vice president of Markets, Origination and Government Affairs, said. “Using our high-performance Series 6 thin film modules and a plant design approach tailored to utility ownership values, we will contribute significantly to Vectren’s commitment to deliver clean, reliable and reasonably-priced energy to its customers. It is exciting to be a part of enabling utility-scale solar in Indiana.”