Solar Project Ready To Begin In Monterey

A solar energy project is moving forward in Monterey nearly two years after the city approved the project.

Monterey Mayor Bill Wiggins said he had doubts about the project taking place, but Atlanta-based Hannah Solar is ready to begin installing the solar panels.

“This particular project has been very perplexing because it’s taken so long for the permitting process,” Wiggins said. “The good news is that Hannah has now applied and received all the permits they need to begin installation.”

In the spring of 2017, the town of Monterey entered into a 20-year contract with Hannah Solar to install a number of solar panels around town.

Wiggins said the panels will be installed at three city-owned sites. A roof unit will be installed at the emergency services building on Elm Street and lawn units will be installed at the water and sewer plants.

“We’ve got a storage space designated for the arrays while they are awaiting installation,” Wiggins said. “Eventually we will have three solar array installations and we look forward to that.”

Wiggins said the project basically came at no cost to taxpayers and after 20 years the county will own the solar system which should be generating an estimated $70,000 by that time.

“The only thing we had to pay was some fees to the Tennessee Valley Authority,” Wiggins said. “Hannah will bare all the cost to the installation and all we pay them is a percentage of the kilowatt hours generated.”

Wiggins said Hannah will begin installing the panels within days.