Proposed Keating Solar Panel Fields Get First Round County Zoning Approval
LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Clinton County Zoning Hearing Board on Tuesday night gave its approval to a special use request to allow for a 1,500 acre field of utility-grade solar panels in East and West Keating Townships.
The hearing board voted 3-0 to approve the request from property owner Mary Winner and project developer Apex Clean Energy of Charlottesville, VA. The area in question is in a “rural forest district,” necessitating the need for the special use approval.
The hearing lasted nearly three hours. The request to the county from the project owner and developer had come from consultant Tibben Zerby from Nittany Engineering of Centre Hall. Afterwards he told therecord-online the board approval is an important early step in the solar panel project timeline. He said a number of additional approvals will be needed; these include a full land development plan for planning commission consideration and clearance from the state Department of Environmental Protection. Tibbens said if the project stays on track, it could be three to five years until the panels will begin producing electricity.
According to information at the hearing, the construction phase of the project will last one to two years and provide 100 jobs during that period. Once constructed, two fulltime positions will be created. The solar energy construction fields will consist of solar arrays, connection and transmission lines, power substations and access and maintenance roads.
Mike Flanagan, President/CEO of the Clinton County Economic Partnership, said his agency supports the project and thanked the Apex firm for its proposal.
16 parcels from the Winner Trust estate would be utilized; two in East Keating and 14 in West Keating. Developers said those parcels cover 3,232 acres, with 1,500 acres proposed for the solar fields.
It was reported that Apex has a Penelec connection agreement to produce about 330 megawatts of generation. The company also has agreements with Frontier Energy to permit frac sites within the project footprint and with Key State Energy to provide power to the ammonia/urea/fertilizer plant proposed for a nearby site in West Keating Township.
Voting approval were hearing board members Ivan McElwain, Warren Gottshall and Justiin Bryerton.
