Latest news with #GopherStateSolar
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Judge recommends approval of site permit for Gopher State Solar near Bird Island, Minnesota
Jun. 10---- An administrative law judge overseeing the permit application process for a proposed utility-scale solar farm in Renville County is recommending its approval. Judge Kristien R.E. Butler in findings filed June 2 recommended that the Public Utilities Commission approve a site permit for the Gopher State Solar Project. Butler found that the project meets environmental and other requirements, and that Gopher State Solar made commitments to address issues raised by and a neighboring landowner during hearings on the project. The Public Utilities Commission is expected to consider the permit application possibly as early as July, according to information provided at the public hearings. Gopher State Solar is proposing a 200-megawatt solar farm north of Bird Island in Kingman, Osceola and Bird Island townships. The company has secured a 1,645-acre area and will place solar panels on 977 of those acres. The land is currently in agricultural production. The company estimates it will cost $187.75 million to $242.5 million to develop, including construction and all of the associated engineering and permitting needs. It estimates the operation will generate $32 million in tax revenues over an expected 40-year life span. In the findings, Butler addresses the issues raised by the county and neighboring landowners. Renville County has objected to Gopher State Solar's plan to provide a bond to cover an estimated $1.4 million in decommissioning costs. The county stated that it believes the decommissioning costs could be as high as $21 million and that there is no way to know the value of the recycled materials to offset some of those costs. Gopher State Solar has agreed to pay for the costs of an independent engineering analysis of the potential decommissioning costs as part of its permit. Butler noted the company's offer to address the county's concerns and includes it as part of the proposed permit. Butler also cited the visual aesthetic concerns raised by the owners of a residential property located in close proximity to the project site. He recommended the permit include the company's commitment to work with the property owners to address screening needs by planting trees. Butler found that the noise of the transformers and inverters from the site should not adversely affect the residential site. The distance is sufficient that the expected sound level will be below the threshold of human hearing, according to the finding. The judge's finding also acknowledged the potential that the project could affect property values, but stated the impact cannot be known. If its permit application is approved by the PUC, Gopher State Solar expects that construction would start in the spring of 2027 and the site would be in commercial operation in late 2029. More about the project can be found on the Minnesota Department of Commerce website at under the tab that includes solar farms. Look under open projects to find a link to the permit application and supporting documents.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Permit decision for large solar project in Minnesota's Renville County likely by summer's end
Apr. 8---- A decision is expected before summer's end on whether to permit a large solar farm proposed in . The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and Department of Commerce hosted the second in-person public hearing for the project in Olivia on March 31, followed by an online hearing on April 1. Administrative Law Judge Kristien Butler said he will issue his findings on the application by the project developer, Ranger Power, on June 2. The Public Utilities Commission will decide in July or August whether or not to permit the project, according to the project's timetable. The environmental assessment for the project is completed and available at the for the project, according to Jessica Livingston, environmental review manager with the Department of Commerce. Go to and search Docket No. 24-106. Ranger Power, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is seeking to develop a 200-megawatt solar energy site. The Gopher State Solar project would erect solar panels on 977 acres of land within a 1,645-acre area of leased property located primarily north of Bird Island in Kingman and Osceola townships and a small portion in Bird Island. Bifacial solar panels that produce electricity from direct and reflected light are planned. They would be aligned to the south and track the sun east to west, said Sergio Trevino, vice president of siting for , in his April 1 presentation. The project represents a $200 million investment in Renville County, according to Trevino. The company representative said the project would provide $32 million in tax revenues to the county and local government units over its project life. It will provide a $79,000 tax impact in its first year while creating 200 construction jobs. At the April 1 hearing, the lone participant to offer comment on the project was Lucas Franco, representing the Laborers' International Union of North America in Minnesota. He offered support for the project and cited the company's commitment to hire local contractors and workers for its construction. Renville County has raised concerns about the project. During discussions at the meeting on April 1, it was also noted that some landowners neighboring the site were present at the in-person hearing. It was stated at the hearing that property values can decrease by about 4% for residences within a half-mile of a solar site, according to the discussions. The visual aesthetics, possible glare from the panels, and possible humming and other noise from the electrical equipment were issues raised at an Oct. 29, 2024, hearing held in Olivia on the project. The Renville County commissioners have expressed concerns that the cost for decommissioning the project could fall on the county if the project fails financially. It is seeking a decommissioning agreement with Ranger Power to provide financial assurance for those potential costs, but the sides differ greatly on what the costs could be. Ranger Power estimates that decommissioning costs could total $1.4 million. The company's estimate is based on expectations of approximately $5.5 million in salvage value for the solar panels and materials and $7 million in costs for removal and site restoration. Renville County maintains that decommissioning costs could total $21 million as there is no way to predict the value of the materials two decades or more in the future. In a letter to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Scott Refsland, director of Renville County Environmental Services, said a company proposing a 125-megawatt solar project in the county estimates the decommissioning costs at $3.3 million to $5 million, or as much as $6.5 million more than Ranger Power estimates for its much larger project. The county is asking that if the project is permitted, language in the permit allow the county to pursue all legal options against the project owner — and, if applicable, against landowners — to recover any decommissioning costs that would become the county's responsibility if an agreement is not reached with Ranger Power. The Gopher State Solar project is one of two large solar projects in the permitting process in Renville County. of Salt Lake City, Utah, a subsidiary of AES Clean Energy, is seeking to develop a 125-megawatt project in an approximate 1,000-acre footprint in Birch Cooley, Camp and Bandon townships and the city of Franklin.
