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Towns of Barron and Maple Grove, Barron County, Wisconsin
Docket ID: 5-CE-154
Joint Application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity of Maple Grove Solar I, LLC and Maple Grove Solar II, LLC to Construct a Solar Electric Generation Facility in the Towns of Barron and Maple Grove, Barron County, Wisconsin.
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Application Summary
Overview: Maple Grove Solar I, LLC and Maple Grove Solar II, LLC (Maple Grove Solar or the applicant), owned by ibV Holdings, LLC a subsidiary of ibV Energy Partners (ibV), is seeking approval to construct a solar energy generating facility with a generating capacity of 260 MWAC (megawatt alternating current) plus a 50 MW battery energy storage system (BESS), and a generation tie line in the towns of Barron and Maple Grove in Barron County. The project would be constructed in two phases; Phase 1 includes the northwestern portion of the solar arrays, the project substation, the operations and maintenance building, and the gen-tie line; Phase 2 includes the southeastern portion of the solar arrays and the BESS units. The project BESS units would be DC-coupled and directly adjacent to project inverters within the Phase 2 project arrays. The entire project study area that was evaluated is approximately 1,978 acres, of which, the proposed project arrays make up 1,559 acres, and the alternative project arrays make up 272 acres. The project substation and operation and maintenance building would require approximately 2.5 acres. The primary gen-tie line would require approximately 21.8 acres, while the alternate gen-tie line would require approximately 24.3 acres. The major components of the proposed project include PV panels, inverters, underground 34.5 kilovolt (kV) collector circuits totaling 25 miles in length for the primary arrays and 10 miles in length for the alternate arrays, one 161 kV substation, a newly-constructed 161 kV gen-tie transmission line of approximately 1.8-mile (primary route) or 2.1 miles (alternate route) in length connecting the project substation to the existing Dairyland Barron Substation, and an operation and maintenance building. Maple Grove is seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) and all other approvals required to construct the 260 MWAC project, BESS, gen-tie line, and other necessary related facilities.
Applicant stated need: This project is proposed by an independent power producer. Therefore, the need for the project is not reviewed by the Commission.
Estimated cost: This project is proposed by an independent power producer. Therefore, the Commission does not review the project cost. The cost to Wisconsin utilities, and ratepayers, would be reviewed if the facility or power from the facility is purchased by Wisconsin utilities.
Project Location: The applicant proposes to construct this project on 1,559 acres of land in the Towns of Barron and Maple Grove, Barron County, Wisconsin.
Proposed schedule:
- The applicant submitted the application to the Commission in February 2024.
- The applicant anticipates construction for Phase 1 of this project to begin in September 2025 with an estimated completion date of July 2026. Phase 2 of this project is anticipated to begin in October 2025 with an estimated completion date of January 2027.
Statutory Review
The solar electric generation facility is a
Type III action under
Wis. Admin. Code § PSC 4.10(3). The battery energy storage system (BESS) is a
Type II action under
Wis. Admin. Code § PSC 4.10(2). The Commission will prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for this project that will evaluate the location of the project and its potential environmental, community, and private property impacts. There will be a preliminary determination when the EA is complete that will determine whether the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement is necessary. Comments on this preliminary determination will be accepted and considered before a final determination is made. At the time of the preliminary determination, the Commission shall make copies of the EA available to those persons that request it.
Key Application Documents
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