Two open houses set for this Thursday, 11am-1pm and 5-7pm, at the Sharon Springs Firehouse will give solar developer NextEra Energy reps a chance to answer questions and gather feedback on their proposed 785-acre Route 20 Town of Sharon project.
It will also be a chance for residents to ask their own questions and gather their own information, said Bryan Garner, who handles communications for the Florida-based firm.
Both sessions will start with the same brief, formal presentation; then the focus will turn to displays covering topics like construction, environmental concerns, the Article 10 process, and maps with experts on hand to answer questions, Mr. Garner said.
Article 10 is a state process for reviewing and permitting large-scale energy projects that local planners fear will supersede the town’s own solar law—especially when it comes to things like setback and the viewshed.
NextEra has said it will attend the September Town of Sharon meeting and Mr. Garner said an additional open house will be held once the project’s better defined.
One big draw Thursday is likely to be the maps for the proposed project and though Mr. Garner said they won’t show where the solar panels will go—another detail that’s still being finalized—they will show which parcels are included in and adjacent to the 785-acre site.
Mr. Garner said NextEra’s preliminary research has determined there’s room in the existing National Grid system for the power the project would generate, but it’s up to the state’s Independent Service Operator to verify that.