Invenergy Updates Township Planning Commission on Solar Project

Questions linger about the potential size and impact of Invenergy’s proposed solar energy project within Saline Township.

Invenergy Update

Shawn Keenan, a representative from Invenergy, provided the commission with an update on the proposed solar energy project to be located near the existing power lines that run along Braun and Willow Roads in the township. Keenan said Invenergy hopes to be operational in the fall of 2027, which means that construction needs to begin in the third quarter of 2026.

Following that timeline, Keenan said that Invenergy would plan to submit a site plan for consideration of the planning commission by the summer of 2025.

When asked what the footprint for the project would look like in the township, Keenan said he would have to get that information and report back to the commission. Commissioner Levi Smith said after looking information up online, “for a 150-megawatt capacity facility, it says that it takes between 5 ½ to 10 acres of land, per megawatt. You do the math. That is a lot of land.”

Residents in attendance at the meeting, gasped at the size of the project. One resident exclaimed, “that’s between 750 – 1,500 acres. That is a whole lot of trees you might have to clear away to get sunshine.”

Keenan said that Invenergy has leases in place, involving between 40 – 50 parcels of land. There will be a more formal presentation at the next planning commission meeting in April.

Rezoning request for Macon Road/Riverside Lane:

The commission opened a public hearing to rezone Riverside Lane from Ag1 to Res4. Several residents of that area were in attendance and spoke against the proposed rezoning. Their main concerns centered around a forced annexation into the City of Saline and being forced to connect to the city’s water and sewer services.

Given the strong objections to the proposed rezoning, the commission tabled the request for further consideration at the April meeting and requested the township’s consulting engineer to provide the commission with additional options.

Commissioner Tom Hammond, the representative on the commission from the township board of trustees, emphasized that there have been no discussions between the township and city about annexation.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:40 p.m. The next scheduled planning commission meeting is Tuesday, April 5 at 7 p.m. at the township hall, located on Braun Road.

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