New York’s First Large-Scale Solar Project Approved By Siting Board
Posted on December 1, 2020
On November 19, 2020, Mohawk Solar LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Avangrid Renewables LLC, was granted a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need under Article 10 by the New York State Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment, under Public Service Law Section 164, for the first large-scale solar project in New York State. The Mohawk Solar Project is an approximately 90.5-MW solar powered electric generating facility to be located in the Towns of Minden and Canajoharie, Montgomery County, New York. Jim Muscato and Jessica Ansert Klami served as permitting counsel for Avangrid Renewables on this project.
After an extensive pre-application process that started in 2017, the Application was submitted on June 5, 2019. The Application was deemed “complete” on November 21, 2019 giving the Siting Board one year to issue a Certificate permitting the construction and operation of the Facility. Mohawk Solar worked for many months with the parties, including the Towns and state agencies, to modify the project proposal and proposed conditions to address issues raised by the parties and ultimately achieved a settlement that was signed onto except for limited issues maintained by Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Agriculture and Markets. The Certificate contains a number of conditions that address the potential impacts of large scale solar for the first time in New York State. This represents a significant milestone for Avangrid Renewables and the Mohawk Solar Project, and is an important milestone under New York’s Article 10 siting process. Mohawk anticipates commencing construction of the Facility in spring 2021.