Construction on the Cadence Solar project is set to start soon according to an updated timeline from Invenergy, the company behind it.
Erin Saal, renewable development manager with Invenergy, said while there were slow-downs in the beginning, the project is now on track to begin its construction phase next month.
Cadence will be located in York, Liberty, and Taylor townships between Routes 47 and 347, bisected in the center by Route 739.
Some early work was done last year including tree clearing and the installation of some access roads, but Saal said the company paused in December until further details could be worked out.
Invenergy has since finalized its construction schedule and is now working with two contractor companies, Motor City Electric Utilities and Blattner Energy, which will handle the construction.
“So the construction of the project substation, or the collector substation, is going to be the first activity that happens,” she said. “So, Motor City…they will begin construction on May 21.”
The substation and its access road will be built off Patrick-Brush Run Road, just north of Hoover-Bault Road in Liberty Township.
There will also be a two-acre “laydown area” near that site, which Motor City will use as a staging area for equipment deliveries.
Starting in May, that activity will include additional site work, prepping the foundation, installing the access road and start receiving deliveries.
“The MPT, the main power transformer, that is a major piece of equipment that will be delivered to site in September, followed HV (high-voltage) breakers, I believe one in October and one in November,” Saal said. “And then they’ll finalize that scope and compete that with that will testing, commissioning and energization.”
The next stage will begin in late summer with the construction of the transmission line, Saal said. Work will begin Aug. 15 and crews will construction the line, which will run from the substation south to the Marysville substation at the corner of Route 347 and Reed Road.
That portion of the project is scheduled to wrap in November.
Blattner will handle the next phase of the project including the delivery and construction of the actual photovoltaic array, or inverters, racking and attaching the actual panels. That work will start in Sept. 3 and run for 18 months until the project is finished in spring of 2026.
“Construction of the facility is a kind of like a domino effect, if you will. There are initial activities and then equipment deliveries are sequenced so that work can proceed from there,” Saal said.
The main laydown area will be located at the corner of Route 739 and Evans Road and that will serve as the hub of operations with Cadence Solar Energy Center signs at its entrance.
Cadence defined a transportation plan, Saal said, that includes 11 construction entrances off state routes and seven entrances off county roads, though the goal will be to prioritize state routes.
“So, given the network of state routes, the idea is to utilize those as much as possible to limit impact on the rest of the road network or manage them as best we can,” Saal said. “And that is something we’ve spent the past several months discussing.”
Construction traffic roads include Routes 31, 347, 739 and 47. It also lists Yearsley, Patrick-Brush Run, Davis and Lunda roads as primary roads and Fawley, Powderlick and Evans roads as secondary roads.
Saal said Cadence will provide new notices to those involved in the project area regarding the construction schedule as they did in October as required by the Ohio Power Siting Board. They are planning to send out mailers in May and August.
Commissioners said they appreciated the clarity and willingness to be in contact with property owners but stressed consistent and open communication.
Commissioner Dave Lawrence said with other projects, companies have provided numbers but aren’t always responsive.
“We have a lot of complaints from people who called the numbers and didn’t get anywhere. If there is a number, somebody ought to be there to answer the phone,” he said.
Saal said while there is an existing hotline at 707-350-5150 where residents can leave messages, she would take the concern back to the company.
Residents with questions can also contact the company at cadencesolar@invenergy.com.