Unitil launches New Hampshire's largest solar project, expected to power 1,200 homes - WMUR Manchester

New Hampshire's largest solar project underway, expected in 2025

Unitil launches New Hampshire's largest solar project, expected to power 1,200 homes

New England residents pay some of the highest electricity prices in the country, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Officials with Unitil, an electric and natural gas provider based in Hampton, New Hampshire, have broken ground on a first-of-its-kind project in the state.

Construction is underway on what will become New Hampshire’s largest solar project, with plans to install more than 11,000 solar panels.

"It will be enough to provide electricity to over 1,200 homes. To put that in perspective, that’s almost half the homes here in Kingston," Tom Meissner, Unitil’s CEO, said.

Currently, the Granite State gets only 1.94% of its electricity from solar energy, falling behind other New England states.

Unitil built its first solar facility in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, which features more than 3,700 panels.

"It has exceeded all of our estimates in terms of output and benefits to customers and have provided savings to our customers since 2017," Meissner said.

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The solar panels in Kingston will be able to track the sun’s rays throughout the day, which is expected to maximize production and benefit ratepayers.

"It helps maximize the production of each solar panel and to ensure that the utility grid is getting clean, reliable, renewable energy when they need it most in those long, hot summer afternoons to help reduce peak demand," Revision Energy Chief Operating Officer James Hasselbeck said.

Unitil hopes to replicate the project in the future, potentially on the same land.

"This site actually has quite a bit more acreage in that direction and can accommodate another facility of this size in the future. But first, we want to prove out the benefits of this project," Meissner said.

Once completed, it will be the first utility-scale project created by a public utility in New Hampshire. The site is expected to be completed and brought online sometime in 2025.