Solar farms get OK

TODAY’S NEWS-HERALD

KINGMAN — Following a good amount of public-voiced opposition, Mohave County supervisors voted Monday to allow two large solar farms to set up shop in the county at the board’s general meeting Monday in Kingman.

The first project to go in front of the supervisors was Spanish-based Albiasa’s 200MW solar farm to sit on a three-acre parcel of land in the Kingman area located about 15 miles away from the town — west of U.S. Highway 93 near Hackberry Road and north of Interstate 40.

The majority of a dozen individuals who signed up to speak their three-minute piece were opposed for reasons of location, depletion of natural resources needed to operate the plant, pollution tied to energy production as well as the possibility of decreased home values in the area.

The Albiasa’s project will initially create 1,000 construction jobs and later 100 permanent positions to maintain the plant, according to discussions during the meeting.

The mirrors for the plant will be imported but the plant’s framework and turbines will be produced in the U.S., said Mike Horner, who has worked closely with Albiasa developers.

The plant will consume 2,275 acre-feet or less of water, Horner said.

Supervisor Gary Watson, R-Dist. 1, pointed out the $1 billion project will generate about $3.5 million in future property tax revenue for the county.

Horner also told county supervisors the project developers would entertain the energy zone overlay stipulation that was later passed by unanimous vote of the supervisors during the meeting.

The new energy zone overlay, or e-zone will allow energy projects such as wind or solar to operate with a zoning use permit with a decommission clause attached to restore the site to its originally established zoning in regard to the county general plan. It can be tailored to each specific energy project.

The second project subject to supervisors’ approval Monday was the larger of the two proposed systems — Hualapai Valley Solar, LLC’s 340MW solar plant. The plant would be located on a privately owned 4,000-acres parcel of land located 25 miles north of Kingman off Stockton Hill Road.

The first to stand in support of the project during the public hearing was Kingman Mayor John Salem.

The mayor told the supervisors the plant operation’s required daily use of 1.7 million gallons of water, or 1800-1900 acre-feet per year and would come from Kingman’s revamped wastewater reclamation plant.

The reclaimed water would sustain 80 percent of the plant’s water needs, said Salem.

Furthermore, the two or three year construction phase will offer more than 1,000 jobs to area residents. Through a ripple effect, the dollars from the $2 billion project will make their way through the community, Salem said.

Once complete, the plant will sustain 107 permanent positions.

“It will be a tremendous boost to our economy,” Salem said.

HVS is actively pursuing an agreement with the city of Kingman to purchase the recycled water but Kingman must first create a fee schedule before they can sell the affluent water, said Greg Bartlett project manager of the Kingman-area project.

Supervisor Watson also inquired if the project developers would think about applying for the new e-zone.

Representatives of the project said they would intend on doing so, and sooner rather than later if possible.

You may contact the reporter at jhanson@havasunews.com.