NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG) announced Nov. 18 that its renewables business’ newest community solar facility in Massachusetts has come online in the town of Spencer.
The commissioning of NRG’s largest community solar facility in the United States reflects the company’s growing business in Massachusetts and other states in the Northeast. In addition to residential rooftop and community solar offerings, NRG offers Massachusetts residents and business owners retail electric choice when determining how they will power their homes and businesses.
The Spencer community solar farm — situated on 200 acres of the historic St. Joseph’s Abbey — is 100% subscribed and has a rated capacity of 14.7 MW (ac). It is comprised of more than 61,000 solar photovoltaic panels. This new facility is NRG’s third operating community solar farm in Massachusetts.
“This is NRG’s largest community solar project in the United States,” said Drew Warshaw, Vice President of Community Solar, NRG. “It represents an opportunity for a diverse mix of residential and commercial customers to support clean energy and receive long-term savings on their electricity bill all without putting solar panels on their roof.”
Subscribers to the Spencer facility entered into a 20-year agreement with NRG Community Solar and, in exchange for a fixed monthly payment, earn credits toward their electricity bill based on their allocation of renewable energy net metering credits generated by the project. The project – which created 150 jobs during its nearly year-long construction – represents one of many community solar projects NRG has in the pipeline in Massachusetts and Minnesota.
