{"id":208810,"date":"2026-08-12T20:27:44","date_gmt":"2026-08-13T01:27:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/?p=208810"},"modified":"2026-08-12T20:28:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T01:28:16","slug":"butterfly-meadows-aep-ohio-hold-energy-open-houses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thevwindependent.com\/news\/2026\/08\/12\/butterfly-meadows-aep-ohio-hold-energy-open-houses\/","title":{"rendered":"Butterfly Meadows, AEP Ohio hold energy open houses"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"
Residents attended an open house by Butterfly Meadows at American Legion Post 178 on Thursday. While project representatives spoke with the public, they would not speak with the media. There is strong opposition to the proposed 4,000 acre project that would span parts of Hoaglin, Pleasant and Union townships, along with a very small portion of Van Wert. Along with township trustees and the public, opposition also comes from the Van Wert County Commissioners. Scott Truxell\/Van Wert independent<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

SCOTT TRUXELL\/<\/strong>independent editor<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A pair of energy-related open houses were held in Van Wert on Tuesday \u2013 one dealing with a proposed solar farm, and the other regarding AEP power grid upgrades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Butterfly Meadows<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two representatives of Butterfly Meadows declined to speak with the VW independent<\/em> or the Times Bulletin<\/em> during Thursday\u2019s open house at American Legion Post 178. The first representative referred two reporters to a different person, who would not agree to an interview, saying only that the evening was meant to share information the public about the proposed project. When informed the media could share the information with residents who were unable to attend the open house, she again declined to speak or offer further comment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were eight different tables at the open house and representatives did indeed speak with a steady stream of residents who were able to attend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The solar project is a proposed 300 MW solar facility and 100 MW battery energy storage project, spanning approximately 4,000 acres of land primarily in Hoaglin, Union and Pleasant townships, along with 38 acres in Van Wert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the proposed project has strong opposition from the public and from the highest level of county government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe commissioners had encouraged the townships to take straw polls before we banned these projects under Senate Bill 52,\u201d Commission Chairman Todd Wolfrum said via email prior to the open house. \u201cOn the aggregate, those came in over 80 percent against. We all feel it is our obligation to be representatives of our county’s people. They know the upside and downside of these projects by this point and overwhelmingly do not want them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe were told a few years ago by the Ohio Power Siting Board that the Wild Grains project in Hoaglin Township was the last one that would qualify in our county before we began taking these polls and banning them on the request of the township trustees,\u201d he continued. \u201cYears later we are finding out that this project was somehow \u2018partially grandfathered in.\u2019 It is not our intention to take anyone’s word for it so we are currently investigating how this happened. It is our intention to stop the project if possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Final approval rests with the Ohio Power Siting Board. If approved construction would likely begin in 2028.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AEP Ohio<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AEP held an open house at the Wassenberg Art Center to share information and gather public input on plans to meet increased electricity demands locally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AEP\u2019s Maddox Creek-Norse Transmission Project involves:<\/p>\n\n\n\n