Another solar farm proposal could soon be making its way to the Pulaski County Board of Zoning Appeals. NextEra Energy Resources has announced plans for the Moss Creek Solar Project.
The project website says it’ll encompass more than 1,500 acres, generally in the south-central portion of the county, generating up to 200 megawatts. The company says it could be up and running as soon as December 2023.
Pulaski County Community Development Commission Executive Director Nathan Origer says he did have a meeting with project officials, but few specifics were discussed. Instead, he says the conversation focused more on the county’s current solar regulations and some possible community projects the developer could invest in.
Pulaski County’s Unified Development Ordinance requires a public hearing and a special exception from the BZA before a solar farm may be built. Origer says he isn’t aware of a formal application for the Moss Creek project yet, but one could potentially be submitted for a hearing this summer.
This isn’t the first time NextEra has expressed interest in developing in Pulaski County. Origer says the company first appeared on county officials’ radar around 2018 and was actually what spurred them to beef up their solar regulations. Then, he says the county didn’t hear from them for the next couple of years.
A number of developers have expressed interest, according to Origer, but few have actually had formal discussions.
