John Copyak, one of three proprietors of Shasta Power, updated the county commission on a proposed solar farm his company is developing between Arma and Frontenac. The farm will cover 1,500 acres, centered around an already existing power station. Additions to the current site will include battery storage and some minor modifications to tie the solar panels into the existing grid. Construction of the site will employ 200 workers, with a dozen permanent jobs remaining to maintain the site. The farm is slated to generate 200 megawatts, enough to power 50,000 homes, according to Copyak, and will generate with no noise, dust, or air pollution. The $500 million project is expected to generate $4-5 million in property taxes each year over the next 35 years, divided among the county, school district, state, and other agencies. The project is spread across two school districts. Since most of the it lies within USD 246, Northeast will receive up to 90 percent of the educational portion of the property tax; the remaining 10 percent will go to Frontenac’s USD 249. In addition to property tax, the county will also receive 1 percent of the sales taxes generated by the solar farm. Melesia Rhodes, Arma resident and Democratic challenger for Ken Collins’ seat in the state legislature, is an advocate for rural economic development and supports building the solar farm. The revenues received by the school district alone are enough to help off-set costs to fund existing programs and create new ones, she said. The tax revenue may be even enough to provide funding for pay raises for staff, she said.
Source: Morning Sun
