Watertown Solar Economic Impact Study
An Economic Opportunity for Sanilac County
Watertown Solar represents a significant economic development opportunity for the Watertown Township and Sanilac County communities. With materials and labor investment of more than $11.5 million during construction alone, Watertown Solar is projected to provide a significant boost in local wages and spending during the construction phase and throughout the 35 years of operations, including:
- 128 direct, full-time jobs created during construction
- Over $14.8 million in new economic output for Sanilac County during construction, which includes wages, landowner payments and new local tax revenues
- During operations, over $1.4 million in new economic output for the State of Michigan annually and the creation of well-paid, professional jobs requiring highly skilled workers.
- Over $21.1 million in new local tax revenue over the 35-year life of the Project, including nearly $4.5 million during the first 5 years
Solar energy projects increase the property tax base of a county, creating a new revenue source for education and other local government services, such as parks, health and safety, through paid property taxes each year. The expected total property taxes paid over the 35-year lifetime of the Watertown Solar Project is over $21.1 million.
The Watertown Solar Project will generate economic activity in the form of direct construction spending, labor increases, household purchases, landowner payments, personal property taxes for the county, township and local school districts, as well as ongoing spending for long-term operations of the facility.
