I&M Breaks Ground on Solar Facility, Announces IM Solar Program

Indiana Michigan Power broke ground today (October 26, 2015) on its second solar
generation facility and also launched IM Solar, a program that enables Indiana customers to use
local solar power without the expense of installing their own system.
The Twin Branch Solar Facility, northeast of Mishawaka in a commercial/industrial area, will
have nearly 29,000 solar panels and a generation capacity of 2.6 megawatts of emission-free
energy. The facility is expected to generate energy equivalent to powering more than 350
homes annually.
“I&M sees a bright future in solar power, and we are pleased to bring large-scale solar
generation to Michiana,” said Paul Chodak III, President and Chief Operating Officer of Indiana
Michigan Power (I&M), an operating unit of American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP).
Large-scale solar generation is 30 percent to 50 percent less costly than rooftop solar.
“When the Twin Branch and three other I&M solar facilities go online, we will add about 15
megawatts of emission-free energy that already includes nuclear, wind and hydro,” Chodak
said. “In fact, over 50 percent of I&M’s generation fleet is already emission-free.”
I&M contracted with First Solar Inc., a global leader in photovoltaic (PV) solar energy solutions,
to build the Twin Branch facility as well as planned facilities near New Carlisle and Watervliet,
Mich. All three of those facilities are expected to be generating energy for I&M customers by the
end of 2016.
Also today, I&M formally launched IM Solar, a program that allows I&M’s Indiana customers to
participate in the growth of solar power by subscribing to 50-kilowatt-hour blocks for $2.21 per
block monthly. Subscription proceeds will retire solar Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)
that I&M’s solar generation creates, going directly toward supporting the solar projects.
“IM Solar gives all of our Indiana customers the opportunity to effectively reduce their
CO2/environmental footprint in a cost-effective manner,” Chodak said. “We will be happy to
build more of these installations as needed to meet customer demand.”