“We’re proud of our success in developing large-scale solar plants in Western Massachusetts,” said Craig Hallstrom, President of WMECo and NSTAR Electric. “WMECo’s solar program helps the commonwealth meet its renewable energy goals, while at the same time making major contributions to our communities by developing brownfields and pumping millions of dollars of property tax revenues into local coffers.”

“The Patrick Administration is pleased to have partners like WMECo to help grow the clean energy industry,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Maeve Vallely Bartlett. “By developing solar energy on a landfill, WMECo is saving the City of Springfield money, helping the Commonwealth meet our renewable energy goals and generating electricity on land that would otherwise sit unused.”

“The City of Springfield has a terrific relationship with the Western Massachusetts Electric Company when it comes to partnering up for green initiatives,” said Domenic J. Sarno, Mayor of Springfield. “This initiative is both good for the environment as well as the bottom line. It’s a win-win for the residents and businesses of Springfield.”

With the completion of the Cottage Street site, WMECo’s solar energy output has nearly doubled to a total of about eight megawatts – up from the company’s original commitment of six megawatts when the program first began in 2010.

WMECo previous solar plants, in Springfield’s Indian Orchard neighborhood and in the City of Pittsfield, supply 2.3 megawatts and 1.8 megawatts of renewable power, respectively. It would have taken close to one-million gallons of oil for a traditional power plant to produce as much electricity as WMECo’s three solar plants have produced to date.