LOWNDES COUNTY, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

We recently reported on a proposal before the TVA to obtain funding to allow Origis Energy to construct and operate a 350MW solar energy plant in the county; a smaller proposal, for a 200MW facility, was approved, though indications are that something more ambitious might be possible at some point in the future. The accepted version of the project will also be able to store 50MW worth of backup power in order to account for issues such as inclement weather.

Johan Vanhee, chief commercial and procurement officer for the renewable energy company Origis Energy, “I don’t think they were comfortable with going with the 350MW at this point, but we’re optimistic that we may be able to pursue that at some point in the future,” Vanhee said.

According to Origis, the 200MW facility will include 650,000 solar panels, and will be capable of providing power to 45,920 homes.

Vanhee went on to say that the EPA must first conduct an environmental study of the site, which is likely to take up to a year to complete. Construction is anticipated to begin in late 2021, with temporary jobs available for “hundreds of workers” (mostly unskilled), and permanent ones for a handful once the facility is up and running.

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