Assembly Solar spans two Shiawassee County townships

Assembly Solar is not a single small field of panels. The Michigan Public Service Commission describes it as a 239-megawatt solar generation facility in Hazelton and Venice townships. Michigan Public Power Agency records show the first phase operating in 2020, Assembly II in December 2021, and Assembly III in March 2022.

A Michigan EGLE case study puts the project’s land and money figures in context. It compares Assembly at 1,200 acres, eight compensated landowners, and a 25-year project life. The same study estimates $1 million to $1.2 million in combined annual landowner payments and $20 million to $25 million in property taxes over the life of the project. Those are figures for Assembly, not a promise of what another solar lease or tax agreement would pay.

For a nearby land purchase, the useful questions are more specific than whether solar is good or bad. Is the parcel inside or next to the recorded project boundary? Are there easements, access roads, drainage work, or transmission facilities that affect it? What does the current zoning map say? Shiawassee County keeps its current planning documents and staff contacts on its zoning page. Check those records and the deed itself, because Assembly’s original approvals do not tell you what a different parcel can do today.