Council approves participation in Fremont solar-and-battery project
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Summary
Mount Pleasant voted to join a 99‑megawatt solar and large-scale battery project, authorizing city representatives to sign related power‑purchase documents; council members said batteries will help shift daytime solar generation into evening peaks.
Mount Pleasant City Council voted Sept. 23 to participate in the U.S. Fremont solar-and-battery project and authorized city representatives to execute the related power purchase agreement and transaction schedules. The council approved the measure by roll call vote and instructed staff to finalize the documents before the 60‑day deadline in the contract package.
The project described in the materials provided to the council is a 99‑megawatt solar facility paired with battery storage the developer described as 198 megawatts of battery energy storage; the developer has set a commercial operation target of Dec. 31, 2027. City staff told the council the proposed contract price in the draft is about $35.45 per megawatt‑hour, and that the agreement includes specified delay damages if the project does not reach commercial operation on schedule. Staff said the combination of solar and batteries is intended to move daytime production into the 6–8 p.m. evening peak when the city typically sees its highest demand.
City staff identified Long Road Energy as the project developer in the packet circulated to council members. The staff presentation described benefits the city expects from participation: lower wholesale energy costs compared with recent market purchases, access to tax‑credit financing tied to current federal incentives, and the ability to sell environmental attributes (renewable energy certificates) from the project. Staff also noted that the batteries provide “load‑shifting” capability that can cover the community’s evening peak demand for roughly a four‑hour window each day.
Council members asked procedural and contract questions, and staff said there is time to review the final transaction schedules before the deadline. A motion to approve participation in the project passed by roll call, with council members recorded as voting in favor.
What’s next: staff will work with the city attorney and the utility director to finalize and execute the transaction schedules and power purchase agreement before the developer’s deadline. Council members were directed to send any final questions about contract language to staff for response before execution.