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EDP says Duff solar project 60% racking complete; no batteries approved for this phase
Summary
EDP told Dubois County commissioners the 100-MW Duff/EDP solar project is under active construction (pile-driving nearing completion; substation energized), with commercial operation targeted for September 2026. Company representatives said modules are assembled in Ohio, racking is U.S.-made, and the current interconnection is for solar only (no battery storage approved for this phase).
EDP representatives updated Dubois County commissioners on construction of the Duff 100-megawatt solar project and answered technical and safety questions from the board and residents.
"It's a 100 megawatts. It's being built right now ... the substation is up and running," Tom Laturko, executive vice president for EDP, said during the meeting. He reported pile driving is nearing completion, racking was about 60% complete and module installation roughly 17% complete. EDP expects to energize medium-voltage circuits by June and said the project could operate commercially by September 2026.
Laturko addressed common public queries about supply chains and safety. He said the solar modules for this project are assembled in Ohio and the steel racking is U.S.-made; he noted that supply chains for panel and racking components have been increasingly domestic. On glare and traffic-safety concerns, he said panels absorb light and that a glare study is standard practice near airports. On road damage, Laturko said the company executed a road-use agreement requiring the developer to repair roads at its own cost and to address immediate safety repairs promptly.
On battery storage, EDP said the project's current generator interconnection agreement is for solar only; adding battery energy storage would require a separate, multi-year interconnection process. Laturko clarified that EDP is not proposing storage for the current phase and described modern commercial battery chemistries (LFP) and NFPA 855 safety standards used where storage is deployed.
Residents at the meeting raised concerns about contractor behavior on county roads, potential off-gassing in a battery fire and contractor responsiveness to public complaints. Commissioners asked staff to keep outreach open, obtain documentation such as TCLP test results and NFPA 855 guidance for public review, and to verify that barricades and signage are installed when required.
EDP left contact information for residents and offered to bring technical experts to future meetings if the board requested them.
