Developer hoping to secure building permit from Berlin before end of calendar year

By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

(Sept. 24, 2026) The Berlin Planning Commission last week approved a site plan for a proposed 18-megawatt solar project that would become the largest solar installation in Worcester County.

The New Jersey-based company Soltage is proposing six solar arrays across approximately 113.7 acres of a 157-acre industrially zoned property at the northwest corner of Routes 50 and 113. The land would be leased.

The project is structured as multiple community solar facilities that would provide electricity savings to subscribers, including residents and small businesses.

Zac Meyer, a project manager with Soltage, told commissioners the company has been working through the project’s local approvals, including stormwater review, fire marshal approval, and an entrance permit from the Maryland State Highway Administration.

The project has also received approval from the Berlin Board of Zoning Appeals and recommendation from the Maryland Public Service Commission.

At the planning commission meeting last week, members asked how the solar facility would be removed at the end of its operating life and how the town would be protected financially if the project’s ownership or operating company changed.

Meyer said Soltage would provide decommissioning bonds before applying for a building permit. The bonds would be based on the estimated cost of removing the solar facility and would be reassessed after the first five years of operation.

“If necessary, the amount could be increased or decreased depending on the assessment,” Meyer said.

The project is expected to have a working life of approximately 40 years, Meyer noted, although the company could decommission the facility earlier if circumstances required it.

Under the lease, concrete would have to be removed during decommissioning. The company would also provide landscaping maintenance bonds to ensure financial resources are available to upkeep the vegetative buffers.

Project representatives said the initiative would include additional evergreen trees in response to concerns about the appearance of the facility from nearby properties and public rights of way.

After five years, the company could request an inspection to determine whether 90% of the vegetation has survived and remains in good condition. If approved, half of the landscaping maintenance bond could be released, with the remaining amount maintained for another two years before a subsequent inspection.

Meyer said Soltage hopes to sign a construction contract and obtain a building permit before the end of the calendar year. The company is targeting completion of construction by the end of 2027, with the project potentially becoming operational by the end of 2027 or the first quarter of 2028.

The timeline is partly driven by changes to federal investment tax credits for solar energy, Meyer said.

The project would have a single entrance off North Main Street, with the developer working with the State Highway Administration on access. Planning Commission member Logan Hall asked whether construction traffic could affect people who use the road to travel toward Route 113.

Representatives said the site would have only one entrance and that the road should remain accessible once construction is complete.

Delmarva Power is working on the interconnection infrastructure across an adjacent parcel. Meyer said the company is still determining whether that line would be installed above or below ground, although Delmarva Power has appeared receptive to an underground option.

Commissioner Newt Chandler asked whether maintenance of the solar facility would involve chemical weed control in addition to mowing and trimming.

Project leads said the work would be subject to conditions requiring minimal herbicide and pesticide use. Meyer added that solar projects can sometimes result in reduced pesticide use compared with agricultural operations.

Additionally, structural engineers will design the facility to withstand major weather events, including hurricanes, and the panels will be tested for hail resistance.

Commissioners also asked about Soltage’s estimate that the project could generate approximately $8.5 million in tax revenue over its operating life.

Meyer said the figure was a good-faith estimate developed using a preliminary spreadsheet and shared with town staff. He explained that most of the projected revenue would come from personal property taxes on the solar equipment and a smaller portion from real property taxes.

Commission chair Matt Stoehr asked whether the personal property tax revenue would remain with the Town of Berlin or go to Worcester County.

Town of Berlin legal consultant Emily Morris clarified that the revenue would be split between the town and county, with each receiving approximately half of the personal property taxes.

The Berlin Planning Commission approved the site plan subject to all required reviews and approvals from the Maryland Public Service Commission, while recognizing that the Board of Zoning Appeals had already approved the project.