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Large-scale solar project near New Carlisle once again moving forward

Solar panels gather sunlight in Florida.
John Raoux
/
AP
Solar panels gather sunlight in Florida.

An 1,100-acre solar project in western St. Joseph County — known as “Project Honeysuckle” — is once again moving forward.

According to developer Lightsource BP, the project will cost around $164 million and generate 150 megawatts of power — enough for about 25,000 homes.

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners approved an economic development agreement for the project last month, but the County Council tabled the agreement to allow for further negotiations with labor unions.

The final agreement approved Tuesday requires 75 percent of construction labor to come from St. Joseph and the surrounding counties. If Lightsource can’t hire enough workers within those boundaries, it can employ workers that live within a two-hour drive of the project site.

Multiple community members thanked the council for taking extra time on the agreement, including IBEW 153 representative Carl Shaffer.

“You have, from the very beginning, insisted that the project provide opportunities for local workers, that it not undercut area standards for wages and benefits, and that at its conclusion, it would have been a safe and a quality installation,” Shaffer said. “We can assure you we are very anxious to work with Lightsource.”

Lightsource development manager Darrin Jacobs told the council Tuesday that Project Honeysuckle will bring an estimated 150 to 200 short-term construction jobs to the county, as well as three to five full-time positions.

County officials still have to set up a special tax financing district for the project, but Lightsource expects to begin construction this fall. Power generation could begin as early as 2024.

Contact Gemma at gdicarlo@wvpe.org or follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo.

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Gemma DiCarlo came to Indiana by way of Athens, Georgia. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2020 with a degree in Journalism and certificates in New Media and Sustainability. She has radio experience from her time as associate producer of Athens News Matters, the flagship public affairs program at WUGA-FM.