The city of Gresham, Oregon is only days away from activating a new ground mounted solar power array that will be the largest one to have ever been constructed and put into action in the Pacific Northwest.

The solar energy system will be owned and operated by SunEdison, the largest solar energy services provider in North America, meaning that its services will be made available to Gresham taxpayers with no upfront costs. The city will purchase all of the energy used as stated in their contract.

The system will be capable of creating 460,000 kilowatt hours of solar energy - enough to power 43 homes for an entire year - within its first year of operations.

"The city's commitment to this project demonstrates that solar is a viable source of energy for our community," said Gresham Mayor Shane T. Bemis. "By having such a visible display we are showing that Gresham is a player in the solar industry and is a strong market for solar products."

The system itself was created through a separate partnership between SunEdison, REC Solar and incentives from the Energy Trust of Oregon.

Gresham currently ranks as the fourth largest city in the state Oregon, with a population of more than 100,000 people. The solar energy system will be activated following a ceremony on February 9.