January 15, 2021
New York

Orleans County solar project actually was presented a year ago

Thomas J. Prohaska | The Buffalo News | Jan 14, 2021 | buffalonews.com

Parcels already are under contract for the 200-megawatt solar energy project in Orleans County that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo touted in his State of the State speech Wednesday.

The project was submitted to the state a year ago, Barre Supervisor Sean P. Pogue said Thursday.

The project, Orleans Solar, was proposed in January 2020 by Community Energy Solar of Radnor, Pa.

Pogue said 80% of the land is in Barre and 20% in neighboring Shelby, in the county’s southwest corner. Pogue said there have been talks about host community payments.

Meanwhile, Heritage Wind, a proposed 184-megawatt, 33-turbine wind power project in Barre, announced Thursday that it has entered the state’s new automatic approval process. That means Heritage could have its permit by January 2022.

Pogue said Barre, the county and school districts have agreed to annual payments from Heritage starting at $9,000 per megawatt, or $1.65 million, increasing 2% annually for 25 to 30 years. The town gets 75% of the money; the county and schools split the rest.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/01/15/orleans-county-solar-project-actually-was-presented-a-year-ago/