SNOW HILL – County officials reviewed plans for two new solar arrays in Snow Hill.
The Worcester County Planning Commission last week looked at plans for solar arrays on Timmons Road and Nassawango Road. While the system proposed for Nassawango Road is a small project that will power a farm, the Timmons Road project could one day serve 1,000 homes.
“There is a third-party processor and purchaser that after this goes live is in charge of potentially distributing contracts to neighbors and community members,” said Natalie Castro of Chaberton Energy.
ARM Group’s Andrew Reese told the commission during a concept plan review last Thursday about Chaberton Energy’s plans for a 4.0 MW AC utility scale solar energy system to be located at 6217 Timmons Rd. in Snow Hill. He said developers were aware of what was involved in solar development and were addressing the various minor concerns noted during a staff review of the project. He added that there would also be multiple opportunities for review of the project.
“A third-party engineering inspection will be completed prior to construction,” he said.
Reese added that there would be adequate screening around the solar panels, particularly in areas closest to residential properties.
“It’ll be screened pretty well,” Reese said, adding that Chaberton Energy tried to use native plants around solar arrays.
When commissioner members asked about the size of the project, Castro said it was small in the realm of industrial solar but was considered average size to serve a community. She said it could eventually serve 1,000 homes.
Commission member Ken Church said he’d been seeing solar projects pop up all over the place.
“It’s everywhere I go,” he said.
Reese agreed that the projects were prevalent.
“It’s because of the investment tax credit,” he said.
The commission voted 6-0 to approve the concept plan.
On Thursday the planning commission also approved plans for a 240 kW ground mounted solar energy system at 4629 Nassawango Rd. Applicants said the Sunrise Solar project would be significantly smaller than the Chaberton Energy project and would be used by the farm.
“This project is much much smaller, about one twentieth of the size,” the application said. “All the power stays on the property and is used totally by the farm.”
