Koshkonong Solar Energy Center LLC recently filed with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for a solar project with an installed capacity of up to 300 MWac, to be located in the towns of Christiana and Deerfield in Dane County, Wis.
The project area is north and east of I-90 and intersected by Highway 12/18 and west of the Dane-Jefferson County Line. Koshkonong Solar added that the project would be built within a 6,384-acre project area. Within that area, Koshkonong Solar said that it has about 4,600 acres under contract, of which 2,349 acres are proposed as primary array areas, and represent the approximate acreage anticipated to be required to host 300 MW of solar generating facilities. That area would include the surface area of solar panels, spacing between the racking system, fence line, and access roads.
Koshkonong Solar added that the approximately 4,600 acres under contract represent all of the land that would be required to accommodate the solar panels for the 300-MW capacity plus 43% more land for panel siting (Alternative Array areas). The Alternative Array areas comprise enough land to accommodate 43% additional capacity, presenting “Primary” and “Alternative Array” areas that are capable of hosting a gross capacity total of 429 MW.
The company noted that of the approximately 4,600 acres under contract by the project within the project area, it expects that about 15 acres would be purchased and utilized for collection routing, site access, a project substation, and an operations and maintenance building. The company said that it also expects to purchase about 25 acres to be utilized for a battery energy storage system (BESS).
Koshkonong Solar said that it has applied to the Midcontinent ISO (MISO) for Network Resource Interconnection Service (NRIS) for the full 300 MW AC of proposed capacity of the solar component of the project, plus an additional 165 MW AC for the battery energy storage component of the project.
Among other things, the company said that if the project is authorized, construction would begin in spring 2022 after frost leaves the ground. Onsite construction activities are expected to continue for 18 to 24 months, and conclude with a commercial operations date on or before Dec. 31, 2024, the company said.
As noted in the filing, Koshkonong Solar is a wholly owned subsidiary of Invenergy Solar Development North America LLC and an affiliate of Invenergy LLC.
