Kansas Electric Power Cooperative (KEPCO) has started construction on a 1 MW solar project in Benton, Kansas, the Touchstone Energy cooperative said in its Summer 2016 quarterly newsletter.
The solar array will consist of approximately 4,560 solar panels and the array will be interconnected to an existing Butler Rural Electric Cooperative Association substation adjacent to the array.
KEPCo. Services Inc. (KSI) will serve as the project engineer and KEPCo will manage the long-term operations and maintenance of the facility, according to the newsletter report by Kansas Electric Power Executive Vice President and CEO Marcus Harris.
KSI staff performed the feasibility analysis, as well as several other analyses, to determine the viability and optimum location of the facility. The energy produced by the solar farm will be utilized to reduce KEPCo’s power needs from traditional resources and will provide carbon-free energy year round to KEPCo’s members.
Site development began in July and was scheduled to be followed by more regular construction, according to the newsletter.
