Courtesy photo Pictured is an overhead view of the solar array on Woodward Avenue that will be used to power Alpena Community College’s campus and will create a hands-on learning experience for Electrical Systems Technology students.

ALPENA — The Alpena Community College Board of Trustees voted to enable ACC President Don MacMaster to sign all remaining agreements related to the solar array project at their regular meeting on Thursday.

During the Oct. 16 ACC trustees meeting, the trustees approved a resolution that gave ACC’s president the authority to enter into an easement agreement with Alpena Power Company in relation to the solar array project. Since that time other agreements have come to light that also need approval.

To enable the college to move forward expeditiously, college officials sought authorization from the board to enable MacMaster to sign any other agreements.

The easement agreement was signed in regards to a thin strip of property that the college will be giving to Alpena Power Company, where they will construct a tower that an electrical line can hang from. What that will do is allow power generated by the solar panels to be transferred to that power line and then on to the power grid, MacMaster said.

The solar array project spreads across six acres off of Woodward Avenue. It will produce approximately 1.8 megawatts of power, which is enough to power 1,500 to 1,800 homes, and will be used to power ACC’s campus.

MacMaster said he did not know whether the solar array will be able to power all of campus or just part. Any excess power will be sold to Alpena Power Company.

“The solar array, expected to generate 1.863 megawatts of power annually, will offset the cost of ACC’s energy consumption with bill credits received through Alpena Power, reinforcing the long-standing partnership between the two entities,” Thursday’s agenda states. “The project will significantly reduce the college’s carbon footprint.”

The project includes a learning lab that will be used by Electrical Systems Technology students, which is a four year degree that ACC offers. The degree is mainly about electrical grid management, MacMaster said. Many of the students in that program are helping with the implementation of the solar array.

The project broke ground in September and the array is expected to be operational by July.

The panels are all erected, MacMaster said. They need to be hooked up to an inverter to allow the power that the panels generate to enter the grid.

The $4.6 million project was completely funded by a state grant from the Michigan Public Service Commission. That grant was applied for in Feb. 2024, and the college reported they had won the grant at their Oct. 2024 board meeting, according to meeting minutes.

IN OTHER BUSINESS

*The board entered a closed session to consult with attorneys regarding trial or resettlement strategy in connection with pending litigation. When they returned to open session, the board voted to accept a mediator proposed resolution to file 25-3019-CD in the 26th Circuit Court.

*Construction workers have started to frame in the second story in the new student housing units, MacMaster reported.

*The Alpena Community College Board of Trustees voted in favor of authorizing ACC officials to contract with Juicebox Interactive for website redesign and content management system services for a first-year cost of $66,285.

*The Alpena Community College Board of Trustees voted to approve the bid from Northern Landscape and Design at a cost not to exceed $109,860 for the World Center for Concrete Technology sidewalk project.

Reagan Voetberg. News Staff Writer. rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.