A inexperienced vitality firm desires to construct a big business photo voltaic facility in Cache County. Company representatives offered their plan to the Cache County Council on Tuesday afternoon.
North America’s Enel is seeking to construct a solar-plus-battery-storage vitality facility on 1,300 acres of leased agricultural land within the Cache Valley west of Logan.
Cache County Development Services Director Stephen Nelson stated builders for Enel — a multinational inexperienced energy firm based mostly in Italy — have requested to satisfy with the Cache County Council. and to the planning fee to assessment a possible code modification proposal that will enable the corporate to construct the power.
“Our code doesn’t deal with photo voltaic services of this nature and due to this fact our code would prohibit them from being constructed the way in which they wish to be constructed,” Nelson stated.
Council chairman David Erickson and council member Barbara Tidwell stated they’d considerations in regards to the conduct of the assembly.
“Why was planning and zoning not approached first after which delivered to us? That’s what normally occurs, proper?” Tidwell requested.
Nelson stated firm members wish to get preliminary suggestions from choice makers earlier than submitting an official proposal.
Enel growth supervisor and Cache Valley native Cole Stocker apologized for the confusion as he started his presentation in regards to the photo voltaic mission.
“It’s a really complicated, disparate factor that has to occur to develop a mission like this. It’s very costly. And so we simply wish to be sure as a lot data is on the market as potential and reply any questions. query you may earlier than it reaches your desk,” Stocker stated.
According to Stocker, there are three phases to the mission – growth, building, and operation.
He stated the zero emissions mission will generate energy on PacifiCorp’s strains that present reasonably priced vitality to communities whereas the corporate additionally makes cash.
At the top of the helpful operational lifetime of the mission, which is estimated to be 25 years or longer, he stated it will likely be decommissioned and the land will likely be returned to its unique state.
Stocker was requested how the mission would have an effect on the realm’s greenbelt standing and the way the corporate would deal with potential lithium battery fires on the facility contemplating the county’s restricted water provide.
Planning fee member Chris Sands stated, from a public perspective, the aesthetics of the mission may very well be a difficulty.
“There are considerations with the industrialization of our pure panorama now that we’re all experiencing this progress, I feel that is why it is a concern,” Sands stated.
Enel should file an official proposal with the planning fee earlier than additional motion could be taken.
Cache County Council Workshop 07-09-2024, full assembly right here.
