Ohio Power Siting Board OKs Palomino Solar project for Dodson, Union Townships
In an 8-1 vote, members of the Ohio Power Siting Board and two local ad hoc board members voted to issue a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need for the construction of the Palomino Solar project in Dodson and Union Townships during a meeting Thursday, April 20.
According to the Innergex website (innergex.com), “Innergex is the developer and will finance, construct and be the long-term owner and operator of the proposed 200 MW Palomino Solar Energy Project.
“Palomino will be located in Dodson and Union Townships, just east of Lynchburg, in Highland County. The Project will add clean energy to Ohio’s electrical grid, providing enough power to meet the energy needs of over 40,000 Ohioan households. Construction will be funded by Innergex and the power will be sold to a large energy buyer, most likely a creditworthy corporation or electric utility.”
The project is anticipated to “be located across 2,700 acres of private land, with an anticipated area to be impacted of 1,410 acres,” according to Public Utilities Commission of Ohio documents.
Due to Innergex filing its application prior to Senate Bill 52 — legislation providing for additional public input on energy projects — taking effect, the project was mostly exempt from its restrictions with the exception of input from ad hoc board members.
As noted by OPSB representatives last March, the ad hoc members have a vote on the board for the project, and duties include reviewing the application and/or staff report; reviewing case records; attending the in-person meeting of the OPSB to vote on the project; and attending the public hearing and public information meeting. Highland County commissioners selected the county’s economic development director Julie Bolender as their representative, with Dodson Township Trustee Ty Smith representing Dodson and Union townships as their ad hoc board member.
Prior to the vote, PUCO Chair Jenifer French recognized both ad hoc board members Thursday.
“New legislation expanded the emphasis on local input, giving township trustees and county commissioners more responsibility for solar and wind projects in their community,” French said. “Julie Bolender, representing the Highland County commissioners, and Ty Smith, representing the Dodson and Union Township trustees, are the ad hoc board members to vote on the project before the Ohio Power Siting Board today.
“The opinions of local officials are important when considering new projects, so thank you both for being here, and thank you for your service on this board.”
Smith provided the lone dissenting vote on the project during the meeting.
As previously reported, Juliana Graham-Price of the Ohio Power Siting Board notified commissioners in June of 2022 that that OPSB technical staff’s report on the Palomino Solar project had been filed, recommending the approval of the project. It was also noted by Graham-Price that the OPSB staff had proposed a list of 43 conditions “for the Board’s consideration” if the OPSB “determines that a certificate should be granted.”
Janet Grothe, community and government relations representative for Innergex, met with county commissioners in March 2023 and said that Innergex eventually agreed to 44 conditions for the project.
According to Grothe, construction is currently slated to begin in 2024 and is expected to be completed “by mid-2025.”
More background can be found at: https://highlandcountypress.com/news/highland-county-commissioners-rece…
Comment
glass and metal for miles
The one person I can directly vote in or out of office voted no representing the majority of his township's constituents. The 7 board members who are appointed and I have no direct electoral say on voted yes. Your governments unaccountable bureaucracy at work. The representative the Highland County commissioners sent of course voted yes, they are beyond hope at this point.
Solar
Come to beautiful Highland County, the solar panel capital of Ohio. View the scenic silver solar panels scattered over thousands of acres.
You need to plant more trees across the street from me
You guys planted tons of trees every where except across the street from my house .
They planted three trees every 60 to 80 feet and I want more planted so we can't see the field in the future .
We are at 2085 Stringtown Rd Sardinia Ohio.
I want a line of trees like they planted behind us and for everyone else to block our view or I will continue to complain til I get them.
What about Clay Township?
There is a mess of this solar power man made ugliness in Clay Township too. To see family genealogical farm land covered in metal kicks to the gut.