Community meeting tonight regarding two solar farm projects in Fayette County

Two proposed solar farm projects in Fayette County will be the focus of a community meeting Monday night. Representatives of the two companies spearheading the renewable energy initiatives are expected to be in attendance.

The two solar farms would sit on just under 12 hundred acres of bluegrass farmland. 12 ^th District Council Member Kathy Plomin said it’s been a hot topic among residents in that part of rural Fayette County.

“I think everybody is for and supports renewable energy, but not when it’s going to take our rich soil out of our AR zone. And it would set a dangerous precedent,” said Plomin.

East Kentucky Power Cooperative wants to construct panels on 387 acres between Winchester Road and I-64.

EKPC’s Nick Comer said the plan calls for construction to start in late 2025 with operation in the summer of 2027. Comer said the proposed site is near existing transmission.

“There’s minimal cost for building new transmission facilities. And that’s a big part of the cost of really any major solar farm is connecting it to the transmission grid,” said Comer.

Comer said the solar farm would generate about 40 megawatts of electricity, enough to serve about 45 hundred homes. He said East Kentucky Power has filed for regulatory approval with the Public Service Commission. A second solar farm project, proposed by Silicon Ranch, would involve just under 800 acres.

Monday’s meeting begins at 6:00 at Macedonia Christian Church off Winchester Road.

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