More solar plants may be coming in future

More solar projects may be on the horizon for the area. If the website of a regional electricity transmission organization is to be believed, Auglaize County is ripe for solar development.

PJM, an organization that coordinates wholesale electricity in several states, shows multiple studies for potential solar facilities in the county.

Those studies show a specific interest in the Moulton and St. John’s areas.

While PJM does show studies for a 300-megawatt facility in progress, as described in the Birch Solar project by Lightsource BP, there are also two active studies for 100 megawatt facilities south of Lima, near Fort Amanda.

While company or project names are not revealed in the studies, the two 100 megawatt proposals have in-service dates at the end of 2021 and the 300-megawatt facility has an in-service date of June 30, 2022.

According to the website, a solar battery storage facility is currently being planned in the St. Johns area and the feasibility and impact study has been completed.

The AF1-113 project was evaluated as a 180 megawatt solar storage facility that it is projected to be in service in June 2022.

Another study shows a solar generating facility in the area of south Logan Township and west Moulton Township, just north of St. Marys, with a 77 megawatt potential capacity.

Another three studies show a similar megawatt capacity with some using the same generator. One project would go into service on Nov. 30, 2022 while two would go into service on Oct. 31, 2023.

It is unclear at this time what companies are behind all of the proposals.

Project Documents can be found at PJM. com/Home/Planning/Services-Requests/Interconnectionqueues.