PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
OF WEST VIRGINIA
CHARLESTON
CASE NO. 20-0431-E-SCS
RALEIGH COUNTY SOLAR I, LLC.
Application for a Solar Siting Certificate to authorize the construction and operation of an exempt wholesale electric generating facility in Raleigh County and petition for waiver of transmission support line information.
NOTICE OF FILING
RALEIGH SOLAR PROJECT LOCATION MAP SHADY SPRING DISTRICT PRINCE QUAD PAUEIGN COWRY, V
RALEIGH SOLAR I, LLC
On June 12, 2020, Raleigh Solar I, LLC (Applicant) filed an application for a Solar Siting Certificate pursuant to W. Va. Code 24-2-1o(n), to authorize the construction and operation of an exempt wholesale electric generating facility in Raleigh County and petition for waiver of transmission support line information. The application is on file with and available for public inspection at the Public Service Commission, 201 Brooks. Street, in Charleston, West Virginia. Upon its completion, the Facility will be used by the Applicant to generate solar electricity exclusively for wholesale in the competitive wholesale market in West Virginia and other locations.
The Applicant is owned by Dakota Renewable Energy, LLC. The Applicant proposes to construct a 90MW photovoltaic solar electric generating facility and certain ancillary facilities, and to interconnect the Facility with the 138 kV transmission lines of the Appalachian Power Company and related appurtenances on tracts of land located in the Shady Spring Magisterial District, Raleigh County.
The Applicant estimates that construction of the Facility will cost approximately $90,000,000.
The Applicant asserts that the Facility, including any associated transmission line(s) incidental to the Facility and operating below 200,000 volts, are not West Virginia jurisdictional utility services provided to the public, and there will be no impact to West Virginia ratepayers. Rates charged for electricity sold by the Facility will be subject to regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
The Facility will be an exempt wholesale generator as defined under Section 32(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or other superseding federal law.
The Applicant will enter into an interconnection and operating agreement with PJM Interconnection, L.L.C., a regional transmission organization, which will govern the Facility’s interconnection at a point 2,500 feet southwest of the existing Grandview substation, along the existing transmission right of way which is located approximately 200 feet from the Facility. The Applicant, or the purchasers of the electricity generated by the Facility, will enter into transmission service agreements with the Appalachian Power Company (APCo) to govern the transmission of the electricity across APCo’s facilities. Such transmission of electricity will be subject to the terms of APCo’s Open Access Transmission Tariff on file with the FERC. The transmission line will not compete with other utilities and will be for the sole purpose of transmitting the electricity generated at the Facility onto the grid for the wholesale market.
The marked transmission corridor boundaries on the above map indicate the location of the corridor in which the transmission line will be located. The corridor begins at the location of the new three-breaker ring bus and a line drop approximately 200 feet in length proceeds directly to APCo’s existing 138 kV tower.
Anyone desiring to intervene should file a written petition to intervene within 30 days following the date of this publication unless a later date is authorized by the Commission. Failure to timely intervene can affect your right to protest aspects of this Solar EWG siting certificate case for the Facility, or to participate in future proceedings. Letters of protest and comment may be filed at any time during processing of the application. All protests or requests to intervene should briefly state the reason for the protest or intervention. Requests to intervene must comply with the Commission’s rules on intervention set forth in the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. All protests and interventions should be addressed to Connie Graley, Executive Secretary, P.O. Box 812, Charleston, West Virginia 25323.
In the absence of substantial protests within the thirty (30) day period, the Commission may waive formal hearing and grant the application based on the evidence submitted with said application and its review thereof.
RALEIGH SOLAR I, LLC.
ID: 409168