By James Windell
At the last South Haven City Council meeting, the council approved a resolution and an agreement ensuring that the South Haven Solar Project will move forward toward implementation.
Resolution 2025-12, a resolution approving participation by South Haven Affordable Solar, LLC, was approved. And unanimously passed were Power Purchase and Interconnect Agreements with South Haven Affordable Solar, LLC. Previously, the South Haven Water and Sewer Authority (SHAWSA) had approved the proposed resolution and the agreement and recommended they be given the seal of approval by the City Council.
According to Dana Burd, Director of Public Works, the Solar Project is being built by South Haven Affordable Solar, LLC, and the City of South Haven will be its only customer. “The first resolution for the solar project was in 2023 and a negotiated agreement was approved to purchase power from the facility for 25 years,” Burd explained following the City Council meeting.
“Council approval was contingent on design approval and the solar developer securing funding,” he added. “This latest resolution which was approved by the City Council was to approve changes to the agreement now that the project has been approved, and funding has been secured from the USDA Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) program.”
The City of South Haven previously consulted with Michigan Public Power Agency (MPPA) and GRP Engineering, Inc. regarding the viability of placing a solar generating facility in South Haven Township. It was also previously determined that MPPA and South Haven Affordable Solar LLC, a solar developer, recognized a potential opportunity to pursue a solar project through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Powering Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) Program. In the agreement, South Haven Affordable Solar LLC would own, operate, and maintain the Solar Project and would sell and deliver the electricity produced to the City of South Haven at a below market rate due to the impact of the PACE Program’s forgivable loan arrangement.
Burd says the Solar Project should be constructed and operational by the end of 2026. “It will consist mostly of solar panels,” Burd says, “and there will be about 16 acres of solar panels fixed to the ground that stand about four feet high. The panels will be in the middle of a larger agricultural field and sit back from the road.” The site for the Solar Project is located on the East side of 73rd Street north of M-43 with an interconnection located at the intersection of 73rd Street and M-43.
Burd was asked if the project would be important for the City of South Haven. “The solar project will benefit our electric customers in many ways,” Burd says in response. “There is substantial economic value to reduce our cost of energy purchased from the regional transmission grid. It will also help the utility meet new renewable energy requirements from the State of Michigan.”
Michigan’s goal is to achieve 50% renewable energy by 2030, 60% renewable energy by 2035, and 100% clean energy statewide by 2040.
South Haven residents may not necessarily see rate decreases, though. “Customer’s will not see a rate decrease because of this project,” Burd points out, “but they will pay less over time compared to what they would pay if the City could not purchase this solar power.”
The next step in the process according to Burd is for South Haven Affordable Solar LLC to procure materials and build the system. “The City will also be doing some work to connect the project to the electric grid,” Burd says. “Those costs are reimbursed by the project and are accounted for in the project agreements.”
