Princeton mayor signs letter of support to investigate potential IMEA solar project

Princeton Mayor Ray Mabry signed a letter of support Monday for a potential Illinois Municipal Electric Agency solar project that would be located at the Princeton Transfer Station on Peggy Lane.

Although the letter did not mark a commitment from the city toward a project, it indicated the city’s interest in investigating a potential project at the proposed location.

In February, the City Council denied a proposed IMEA solar array project that was to be located in lots 12, 13 and 15 of the city’s Tech Park. The denial came from a 2-2 vote, with one council member abstaining.

Although arguments against the Tech Park project varied from location, landscaping plans, conditional uses and government transparency, all voting members previously indicated their support of solar projects in Princeton.

An IMEA spokesperson present at Monday’s meeting said the interest from developers in a solar array project seems to be there, and sites that will be looked at include Princeton, Oglesby and Marshall.

Without upgrades, the Princeton Transfer Station site has the ability to house up to a 3-megawatt array, although the project could begin as a 1-megawatt array and undergo future expansion.

The IMEA spokesperson also said that the city could incur some costs in the planning stages of a project because of the city’s decision to change locations.

After Mabry’s signing of the letter in support of a project, the Princeton City Council will vote on an official resolution at an upcoming meeting.