Governor, AEP and Partners Announce Plans For Largest Commercial Solar Development in US – Program Slated to Create 600 New Jobs in Ohio

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland announced this week plans to create Turning Point Solar, a 49.9-megawatt solar array to be built on 500 acres of strip-mined land adjacent to The Wilds nature conservancy in Southeastern Ohio. AEP CEO Michael G. Morris has signed a memorandum of understanding with project developers, New Harvest Ventures and Agile Energy, to enter into a 20-year purchase agreement for the facility's power.

Pending approval of incentives to be provided by state and local governments, two prominent Spanish solar power component manufacturers, Prius Energy S.L. and Isofoton, have agreed to open new manufacturing facilities in Ohio to help construct the 239,400-panel solar array, which if operational today would be the largest photovoltaic solar array in the US.

Approximately 300 jobs will be needed to build the project at peak construction. In addition, Prius and Isofoton have agreed to locate their North American operations in Ohio, creating more than 300 permanent manufacturing jobs.

“We are proud to play an instrumental role in bringing new jobs to Ohio while advancing renewable energy technologies in the Midwest," said Joe Hamrock, president and chief operating officer for AEP Ohio.

For more on this story, see the release from the Office of the Governor and from AEP news release.