Detroit City Council Approves Utility's Solar Array Project

DETROIT (AP) - A utility seeks to develop a solar energy array in Detroit as part of a project designed to help stabilize a neighborhood and make use of vacant public property.

The Detroit City Council on Tuesday approved a 20-year lease for DTE Energy.

The project is expected to generate more than $1 million in tax revenue for Detroit over the lease period and produce enough clean energy to power about 450 homes.

Construction on the array is to start in May. It will be built on a city-owned site on Detroit's west side known as O'Shea Playground that was decommissioned in 2011. Since then, the O'Shea recreation center has been stripped and damaged by fire.

DTE Energy has four other solar projects under development in other parts of Michigan.