Solar projects progressing in southern portion of Dubois County
The Dubois County Commissioners heard an update from EDP Renewables and Crossvine Solar at Monday’s regular meeting
EDP Renewables, whose Duff Solar Park project is furthest along in development, finalized the decommissioning agreement with the county. The agreement maintains that EDP Renewables will return the land to its “preconstruction use’ if it closes the solar park. This includes removing all equipment and construction EDP Renewables will have on the properties they are leasing from landowners in the Duff area.
With the ongoing trouble caused by the bankruptcy of White Stallion Coal Company leaving Boone Township landowners with little resolve regarding the destroyed land created by the defunct coal mine looming over this project, Commission President Chad Blessinger stated that though the county wants to protect landowners, those landowners have already signed contracts with EDP for the use of their properties.
“I want to protect citizens,” he said.
But acknowledging these contracts have been signed by landowners, Blessinger added, “I don’t know what protection we can give them other than confirming that at the end of the deal, it should go back to a ‘blank’ property.”
Commissioners Nick Hostetter and Serice Stenftenagel agreed and voted unanimously to approve the decommissioning agreement between the county and EDP Renewables.
“We can’t stop progress because someone may or may not be in business in 25 years,” Blessinger said in approving the agreement.
EDP Renewables expects to begin work on the project this fall.
You can read more about this project at the link.
Crossvine Solar is a 100-megawatt solar panel project located west of the Huntingburg Airport. It is being built by Lightsource bp, a British Petroleum renewable energy company. Here is a story we did on them last year.
Jarred Jacobs, representing Lightsource bp, spoke to the commissioners about the road use agreement being created for the Crossvine Solar Project.
Jacobs said they would like to begin construction on the project near Old Holland Road by the end of 2024 or early 2025.
According to County Attorney Greg Schnarr, the road use agreement is necessary for Lightsource to move forward with financing options for the project.
The road use agreement was approved by the commissioners as presented by Jacobs with the caveat that it would be narrowed down an finalized with specific roads as the project planning progresses. The agreement also stipulates that landowners and residents will be notified in advance as work progresses.
