First panels installed at West Plains Solar Array

Wednesday morning, July 28, the first panels were installed at the West Plains Solar Array. Evergy crews completed the first bay, which features 12 individual panels. In total, the complete array will include 26,316 panels. The Solar Array will be the largest municipal-owned solar farm in the state of Missouri.

“This marks about a third of the project being completed,” said City of West Plains Public Works Director Jeff Hanshaw. “This time next year, the array will be producing enough energy to power approximately 2,000 houses.”

All the panels are expected to be installed by early Fall with the farm being operational in April of 2022.

“It’s exciting to see the first panels go up,” said Evergy Clean Energy Development Director Brandon Sack. “We’re really happy to be a part of this project and look forward to seeing its benefits.” 

In the first year of production, the West Plains Solar Array is expected to generate 10.8 megawatts of electricity. This equates to saving over 1.3 million gallons of gasoline and recycling 3,908 tons of waste to avoid greenhouse gas emissions.

The West Plains Solar Array is located on 40 City-owned acres north of town off County Road 1770.