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“There is still an unknown on the interconnection between the renewable energy and the substation.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Lake County says it has nearly everything in place for a $2.6 million solar project, but is still waiting for NIPSCO to break ground.
In comments reported by the Post-Tribune and published by the Chicago Tribune, Lake County Board of Commissioners President Mike Repay said NIPSCO has not yet cleared the way for the county’s planned solar farm at the government complex in Crown Point.
County officials approved a $2.6 million contract with Continental Electric in June 2025. Repay said the city of Crown Point has already issued the necessary permits, the county is ready to begin work, and the solar array would go on land along 93rd Avenue between the juvenile center and community corrections buildings.
Repay said the outstanding issue is the project’s interconnection with the grid, pending NIPSCO’s approval.
“There is still an unknown on the interconnection between the renewable energy and the substation,” Repay said. “That’s still a matter to be decided, and that’s primarily up to NIPSCO to determine for us.”
NIPSCO, meanwhile, said it remains engaged with the county on possible approaches. In a statement, a spokesperson said the utility is continuing to work with the county and that “Throughout the process, NIPSCO has evaluated multiple options intended to support the county’s elective project while minimizing impacts to county operations.”
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Repay said the project’s electricity would be used only at the county complex, though he indicated residents could still benefit indirectly if operating costs fall. In an email forwarded to the Post-Tribune, he said he expects the project to pay for itself in a little under seven years based on projected energy output and avoided power costs.
In that same email, he said the project could deliver about a $5.8 million benefit over its lifetime and reduce the county building’s exposure to future NIPSCO rate increases.
Repay said, “It’s unclear to me why NIPSCO has an issue with it.” He added, “From my understanding, and from the consultants that we have hired, that interconnection is one that is the national standard that’s occurred in these types of situations throughout the country and throughout the state of Indiana. Why they’re having an issue with ours in particular is unclear to me, and it’s been unclear since well before the storms.”
Much of the project’s preparatory work is already complete, including hiring consultants, approving the construction contract, obtaining city permits, and reaching the point where groundbreaking could begin. Repay said he expects to complete the project in the first quarter of 2027 if the interconnection issue is resolved.
NIPSCO’s statement, however, says it is still reviewing connection options intended to limit disruption to county operations.
Solar development can bring opportunity and practical hurdles once the paperwork is finished. The stories below look at how other solar efforts are moving through construction, approvals, and community planning in the U.S. and abroad.
• In Colorado, the Ute Mountain Tribe plans one of the largest solar farms in the country.
• Across the U.S., companies are deploying robots to build solar farms faster amid labor shortages.
• In the UK, officials approved a massive new solar farm to power tens of thousands of homes.
• Solar Energy UK has issued guidance for solar farms as communities weigh new developments.
• In Germany, developers have begun construction on a massive solar farm paired with agriculture.
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