Chesco solar power project on hold

CHESTER COUNTY

Solar power project on hold

COATESVILLE The Coatesville Area School District's board members voted Tuesday to rescind their approval of a plan a developer says would make its high school the only school in the country to run on solar power. But they said they are still interested in the project.

The plan for thousands of solar panels is on hold because board members said they were not satisfied that the district did due diligence before agreeing to the project. They also said their former solicitor did not tell them that the length of the district's 25-year contract with Coatesville Solar Initiative was breaking the law. The state's Public School Code says this type of contract cannot exceed five years.

The school board also said it wanted to give the company time to explain why it has not yet broken ground, as it was supposed to.

"We spent a lot of money on this," said board member James Hills. "We want this project."

The board approved several agreements with Coatesville Solar Initiative in August.

- Michaelle Bond