BRANDONVILLE, W.Va. — The state Public Service Commission is accepting public comments on the proposed Brandonville Solar project that, if approved, could be operational by late 2027.
Brandonville Solar is a division of sustainable energy producer, Enel North America headquartered in Andover, Mass. They have about 850 workers that manage similar operations in the United States and Canada that produce about 12 gigawatts electricity.
Delegate George Street, R-Preston, vice chairman of the House Energy and Manufacturing Committee, said many of his constituents believe the 1,000-acre-plus solar field wouldn’t be a prudent use of the land. There are also concerns about the loss of farmland and how the project could affect property values and wildlife in the future.
“I’m not on a witch hunt against solar; I’m just trying to be pragmatic about it,” Street said on WAJR’s “Talk of the Town.” “If you want solar panels on the roof of a building or something, great—that could be an efficient use of space.”
Documents filed with the PSC say the solar array would produce 100 megawatts and be located between Glade Run and Big Sandy Creek, about one mile north of Brandonville. The power produced would go directly into the PJM power grid, eliminating the need for a pole permit and allowing the PSC to waive the requirement, speeding up the approval process.
“There’s a benefit to whoever owns the land; I’m sure they’re getting paid a reasonable amount of money,” Street said. “Private land ownership and business—that’s a fair thing.”
Street explained the rated production figure of 100 megawatts is much different than actual output. The PJM Interconnection Facility Study for the project puts that actual output number at 59 megawatts, according to Street.
“Maybe somewhere in the 50s, the maximum amount that PJM expects to produce is 59, I believe,” Street said. “But that’s under the best West Virginia conditions.”
Solar resource map images and geospatial data for the United States and the Americas show West Virginia is one of the least favorable areas for solar energy production. Efficiency varies by location because of the amount and intensity of sunlight, cloud cover, fog, and other conditions that can limit the available sunlight to produce power.
“West Virginia is in the lowest rated category of land for solar panels in all of the continental 48 United States,” Street said.
Filings with the PSC estimate the life of the facility at 35 years, which could be extended through maintenance and replacement. In comparison, power generation facilities in Fort Martin and Harrison County are both more than 50 years old, employ more than 400, and pay more than $8 million in property taxes annually.
“Fort Martin produces approximately 1,000 megawatts, the Harrison Power Station produces approximately 2,000 megawatts, and this one is going to produce about 50,” Street said.
The PSC case number for the project is 25-0867-E-SCS-PW, and the 30-day public comment window opened October 28.