A solar array on Columbus' far south side has been canceled due to delays by the company hired to develop it.
The Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio's contract with BQ Energy Development of New York lapsed and was automatically terminated, according to a letter between the company and the waste management agency. The $70 million, 50-megawatt proposed solar array would have powered 5,000 homes.
The city of Columbus is maintaining hope that the project is not completely dead.
Alana Shockey, Deputy Director of Sustainable Columbus, told WOSU the project being delayed is just a bump in the road.
"We are disappointed that the project is not able to move forward as quickly as we'd originally envisioned. But we are also optimistic about the potential for solar on this SWACO site long term," Shockey said.
The 173 acres of land where the solar array would have been built is on a former landfill and golf course site northeast of the I-71 and I-270 interchange.
If built, the array would have been used by American Electric Power of Ohio and the city of Columbus. The energy would be used by the Columbus Division of Power and for the city's green energy aggregation program.
Shockey said this was an important project for the program, which would help accomplish the city's plan for locally sourced, 100% Ohio-based clean energy. She said there is still plenty of time to develop the site before the plan's contract with AEP expires in 2034.
This program is meant to supply clean energy to over 200,000 Columbus residential and small-business customers.
