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THETFORD TWP, Mich. — Thetford Township residents gathered for a town hall meeting Tuesday night to speak out against a proposed 838-acre solar project, with many saying they’ve been cut off from the approval process.
“We don’t really have any say in it,” said township resident Charles Wood.
State legislation passed in 2023 allows developers of large solar farms to go directly to the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) for project approval. This allows developers to proceed without needing township approval, unless a township has enacted a “compatible renewable energy ordinance.”
“I quite frankly feel like we’re under attack at this point,” said Planning Commission Member Gary Tilson. “Everybody who has no vested interest in our area here is telling us how great it would be.”
“Somebody at the state level, appointed by Gov. Whitmer, who’s probably never even drove through our township, is now going to make the decision,” said Township Supervisor Rachel Stanke. “That’s wrong on every level.”
Of the more than 2,000-acre project proposed by a subsidiary of EDF Power Solutions Development Inc., 838 acres would be fenced-in solar panels and inverters. Many nearby residents worry about how this will impact their property values. 
“Basically everything I own is in my house,” said Laverne Morse. The proposed solar farm would border his property on three sides. “If something like this passes, I wouldn’t be able to give it away.”
“We’ve stuck a whole bunch of money in our house to get it how we want it, so later on we could sell and retire and move up by the grandkids and stuff,” said Charles Wood. “But it just ain’t going to happen.”
Residents also raised concerns about the environmental impacts of the project, as well as what power from the roughly 125-megawatt solar farm would be used for.
In November, a lawyer representing both Thetford and Forest townships petitioned the state’s administrative court to intervene in the process. A second pre-hearing is scheduled for Jan. 20. Thetford Township plans to host a watch party of the meeting for residents at the township hall.
Thetford Township officials also urged residents to submit comments to the MPSC to voice their opinions. The MPSC has received more than 70 comments on the proposed project as of Thursday.

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