The Delaware County Board of Commissioners on July 31 set a public TEFRA hearing for Aug. 18 and approved notice for tax-exempt special obligation revenue bonds to benefit PRGOWU Energy LLC, a financing structure tied to a planned 6-megawatt solar and 2-megawatt battery system for Ohio Wesleyan University.

Erika Stuttler, county general counsel, said the resolution (25-577) sets the required public notice under the Internal Revenue Code for tax-exempt bond issuance by the Delaware County Finance Authority. "This board, as the local government entity under the Internal Revenue Code, will have to hold what's called a TEFRA hearing," she said. The notice will be published on the county website and the hearing scheduled for Aug. 18.

Aaron Rittenhouse, director of business development with GRP, described the project as a 6-megawatt on-campus solar array paired with a 2-megawatt battery system intended to stabilize energy costs and increase reliability. "This will enable OWU to mitigate the volatility of the market and have budget certainty," Rittenhouse said. He also said the project could be used as an educational opportunity and to attract students.

Questions from commissioners focused on liability. One commissioner asked to place on the record that the county and the finance authority bear no liability for the bonds. Rittenhouse and other presenters described a financing structure in which a separate entity — Provident Resources Group — and the project developer backstop shortfalls. Rittenhouse said, "There is no long-term liability to OWU. That's borne by Provident Resources Group as the provider and GRP as the developer."

The board voted unanimously to set the TEFRA hearing date and to approve the notice. The hearing will be the forum for public comment before the finance authority proceeds with tax-exempt bond issuance; the resolution itself does not authorize bond issuance.