THE PROJECT BEGINS … TotalEnergies begins construction on the solar field substation, which will be directly connected to the First Energy substation nearby.
By: Brenna White
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
On Wednesday, August 13, 2025, the Williams County Commissioners, President Terry Rummel and Scott Lirot, visited the Montpelier Solar Construction Site. Located on a portion of Dick’s Maple Farm, it can be found off US Highway 20/CR 15.
They were joined by Williams County Engineer Todd Roth, Head of Drainage Management Brian Fritsch, and WEDCO Executive Director Ashley Epling. Olivia Topete, Project Manager for the site, was also present to answer questions.
Although titled the “Montpelier Solar Field,” the project is not affiliated with the Village of Montpelier. It is situated in Jefferson Township, south of the railroad tracks and Holiday City, extending west past CR 13.
Originally leased by Apex Energy for the construction of a 49-megawatt solar field on 500 acres of agricultural land, the project was later sold to TotalEnergies, a global integrated energy company producing and marketing oil, biofuels, renewables, and electricity. The constructed facility will be directly connected to the existing First Energy substation.
Topete described the development as a “fast-paced project,” emphasizing the growing need for renewable energy. “We have a pretty big shortage of electricity and power generated in the United States, and this is why solar is such a great thing — we can get them on the grid pretty quickly,” she stated.
Roth raised concerns regarding future county repair and maintenance near the site, noting that work on county-owned easements will follow county rules and OSHA regulations only.
He also inquired about drainage issues and questioned if potential tile repairs would be necessary if there was damage to county drainage lines.
“The thought was that we possibly damaged something with heavy equipment, or with piled dirt, but we have proven that is very unlikely,” Topete affirmed. She assures that no panels were installed over the area in question.
“We’re comfortable that it’s working; it’s flowing. We don’t see any damage, no stray clay tile, there’s nothing that indicates that there is damage to it,” Roth said.
Benefits outlined in a previous commissioner session include that the site will create enough energy for more than 10,000 U.S. homes. TotalEnergies reports that limited infrastructure needed to be built to connect the preexisting high-voltage power lines nearby.
The project timeline is as follows:
– EWA (Early Works Agreement) — November 2024: Authorization of initial engineering, issued approval for the contractor to begin.
– NTP (Notice to Proceed) — March 2025: Formal start of full-scale construction.
– Mechanical Completion — September 2025: Physical construction is complete. Systems will be installed and functioning.
– Commercial Operation Date — November 2025: Enough electrons will be created on the grid to be certified for market participation.
– Substantial Completion — December 2025: Project is complete and formally handed over to the Operation and Management team for day-to-day functioning and affairs.
The Montpelier Solar Field will operate within the PJM Market, one of the largest wholesale electricity markets in the world, which serves the better parts of 13 states and the District of Columbia.
Technical specifications include a capacity of 65 MGdc/49.9 MGac, controlled by the on-site substation. While capable of exceeding this limit, the control station ensures output remains below the state limit.
“We can overproduce,” clarifies Topete, “the plant is a bit over-designed due to expected degradation over time.” Facilities generating 50 MG or greater are considered “large-scale” and are subjected to state-level permitting through the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB).
The EPC Contractor is Narenco (National Renewable Energy Corporation), with panel racking provided by GameChange Solar’s Tracker single-axis mounting system.
This project features 111,800 bifacial Boviet panels from India — all manually installed. “These are some of the biggest names in the industry,” added Topete.
While no disclosed construction costs have been released, the Dick family remains entirely cooperative while the project carries on.