The first of two hearings on a proposed Ross County solar project has been scheduled for Tuesday at 6 p.m. by the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB).
National Grid Renewables, the prime contractor on the Greenfield-area 120-megawatt solar power generating facility, said that due to the ongoing public health emergency the hearing would be held virtually via the internet platform Webex.
Ross County Solar, LLC is a proposed solar panel farm on approximately 1,400 acres of land across the Ross County line in Buckskin Township, just southeast of Greenfield.
As previously reported, the “footprint” of the solar facility is mainly sandwiched between Rapid Forge Road and S.R. 41, extending almost to Moxley Road to the south and just past the Moon Road intersection with S.R. 41 to the north.
According to the OPSB, Tuesday’s public hearing is designed to allow local comment for or against the building of the facility.
Any person who desired to provide testimony was required to register with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio prior to noon Monday, April 5, with public testimony during the Tuesday hearing limited to five minutes.
Anyone who wants to attend Tuesday’s public hearing but not offer testimony can do so one of two ways, according to the PUCO.
Those that want to listen to the public hearing can do so by calling 408-418-9388 and entering access code 179 844 8456.
The hearing will also be live-streamed for viewing by going online to www.youtube.com/user/PUCOhio.
The OPSB said that the next step in the evaluation process would be an adjudicatory hearing on Tuesday, April 27 at 10 a.m. in Columbus.
As with Tuesdays initial public hearing, the agency said it would also be held virtually via Webex.
The final two steps that will decide the fate of Ross County Solar come shortly thereafter, according to documentation provided by the OPSB, when briefs and reply briefs will be submitted to followed by the board’s decision.
Ross County Solar, LLC is one of 10 solar power projects in and around Highland County.
Construction is in the initial phases at the two New Market Solar projects being built by Hecate Energy in southeastern Highland County, and construction is expected to wrap up soon at Innergex’s Hillcrest Solar farm, across the Highland/Brown County line on Greenbush-East Road near Buford.
Reach Tim Colliver at 937-402-2571.
