BRUNSWICK, Maine — The Brunswick Planning Board Tuesday unanimously approved plans for a ground-based solar power array on 114 acres of the former Brunswick Naval Air Station owned by Bowdoin College.
SolarCity, a national solar energy company, has a 20-year contract to build the system and provide electricity to Bowdoin College.
The panels will be connected to two other solar arrays on the roofs of Bowdoin buildings. The project is expected to generate 1.3 megawatts, or 8 percent of Bowdoin’s total current energy use.
In response to concern about possible safety issues from board member Margaret Wilson, SolarCity project manager Matt Gitt said the station will be protected by a 6-foot chain-link fence and will pose very little risk to the public.
“You’d really have to go in with malicious intent and know what you’re doing” to get electrocuted at the station, Gitt said.
According to Bowdoin Senior Vice President Catherine Longley, the college and SolarCity plan to lobby the Town Council to reduce the mandatory 30-day waiting period so they can break ground on the project in mid-June.
The parties hope to have the system up and running by August.