L’ANSE – The L’Anse Village Council Monday chose Marquette’s Peninsula Solar to install solar power to its water treatment plant.

“It’s a big energy draw,” said Village Manager Bob LaFave, about the current system. “Hopefully that will help us down the road with water rates,” he added, hoping to provide water to residents at the lowest possible rates.

“WPPI Energy will provide a $25,000 grant to the Village of L’Anse to install a 11.4 kilowatt solar photovoltaic resource project at the village water plant,” said Brett Niemi, WPPI Energy Services representative, regarding the grant from the company’s Community Based Renewable Energy Funding Program. “The solar project will generate electricity to feed back to the village water system.”

The village will pay the remaining $18,000 on the $43,000 project expected to be fully operational in December.

WPPI Energy is a non-profit wholesale power supply company owned by 51 members.

“Our mission is to deliver reliable, low-cost wholesale electricity, as well as provide superior services and advocacy that offer exceptional value to our member utilities and the customers they serve,” according to the company website. “WPPI Energy members are stronger together, achieving through joint action what would be costly and difficult to do alone. Together members own generation resources and transmission assets, offer cost-effective programs and services for customers, share technology resources and advocate on behalf of customers. As a result, WPPI Energy members are better equipped to operate successfully as the industry changes.”

L’Anse and Baraga are two of seven Upper Peninsula municipalities that are WPPI Energy members. The other five are from the central U.P.

“We put this program together to provide incentives to our members to do this to promote renewable energy in our member communities,” he added. “The WPPI Energy Renewable Project grants are intended to foster and support efforts by members to install community-based renewable projects that demonstrate member commitment to technology and the environment, and to help members and their customers to benefit from advancements in distributed renewable generation technology.”

For more information about WPPI, visit wppienergy.org or contact Niemi at (906) 284-2298.