OVID TOWNSHIP, MI (WTVB) – Apex Clean Energy has officially commenced construction on its 75-megawatt Coldwater Storage battery facility in Branch County.
Located east of Sanford Road in Ovid Township, adjacent to the ITC substation, the project is designed to capture and store power generated by the neighboring 150-megawatt Coldwater Solar farm, which went online last winter.
The energy storage solution is being supplied by Canadian Solar’s subsidiary, e-STORAGE, which will integrate its proprietary lithium-ion phosphate-based SolBank 3.0 system to discharge electricity during peak demand hours.
Commercial operation of the new battery facility is targeted for mid-2027.
The official construction launch coincided with a celebration hosted by Apex Clean Energy, where company executives presented over $1 million in initial summer tax revenue payments to Coldwater and Ovid Townships.
Local officials noted that while the existing solar installation is projected to inject nearly $30 million into the community over its lifetime, the newly started battery facility is estimated to contribute an additional $1 million annually during its first decade of operation.
The continuous funds are slated to bolster vital public institutions, including local school districts, 911 emergency dispatch services, transit systems, and senior programs.
Ovid Township Planning Commission Chair Andy Acmoody said grant funding from Apex has already paid for a tanker truck for the Lakeland Fire Department, a marine patrol boat for the Branch County Sheriff’s Office, and tornado warning sirens throughout the township.
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