Onion River Solar Generation Project | 9805-CE-100

• Onion River Solar, LLC is proposing to develop, design, permit, construct and operate a 150 MW photovoltaic (PV) solar electric generation facility in the town of Holland, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. Ranger Power LLC developed the project on behalf of Onion River Solar LLC. The proposed project area covers approximately 1,900 acres that would be developed to host the proposed solar facilities. The major components of the proposed project include PV panels, power conversion units, inverters, approximately 20 miles of underground 34.5 kilovolt (kV) collector circuits, 138kV project substation that would be located near an existing substation, 138kV overhead Gen-Tie line (350 feet), potential battery energy storage system (BESS), and an operation and maintenance building. The proposed project includes 23 fenced array areas (17 proposed and 6 alternate array sites) that can be identified by their fence boundary identification number, as seen in the attached map.


• Applicant stated need: This project is proposed by an independent power producer, Onion River Solar, LLC. As such, the need for the project is not reviewed by the Commission. Subject to approvals from the Commission of a CPCN for the project and a certificate of authority to transfer ownership of the project, Onion River anticipates that ownership of the project will be transferred to a Wisconsin public utility.


• Estimated cost: This project is proposed by an independent power producer, and the Commission does not review the project cost or need. The cost to Wisconsin utilities, and ratepayers, would be reviewed when the power from the facility is purchased by Wisconsin utilities.


• Project Location (see map): The Town of Holland, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.


• Proposed schedule: The application was submitted to the Commission on May 29, 2020.
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  If approved, the proposed construction schedule for this project is to begin in July ​2021. The project is proposed to be completed and in service by November 2022.

Documents

• Application for Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (May 2020)
• Environmental Assessment Scoping Letter (July 2020)
• PSC Final Decision (June 2021)

Case Contacts and Additional Information

• Staff Involved: this tab contains contact details for PSC staff assigned to the docket, including the case coordinator and the environmental review coordinator
• Documents: this tab contains a complete list of docket documents categorized by document type

• Interactive Web Map of Project (external link)
• Project overview map (.pdf)

The solar electric generation facility is a Type 3 action under Wis. Admin. Code § PSC 4.10(3).Type III actions normally do not require preparation of an EA or an environmental impact statement (EIS) under Wis. Admin. Code § PSC 4.10(3). However, an evaluation of a specific Type III proposal may indicate that the preparation of an EA is warranted for that proposal. The Commission will prepare an 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 EIS 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 ofthe EA available to those persons that request it.