Nextera says Benton Solar still on track for 2027 operations; board presses company on road, screening and decommissioning plans

Nextera Energy Resources told the Benton County Board on March 18 that its Benton Solar project remains on schedule for commercial operation in 2027 and outlined next steps for county coordination on road use, visual screening and decommissioning assurance.

The developer’s senior project manager, Adam Grassi, said the project includes a 100‑megawatt solar array and a 100‑megawatt, four‑hour battery storage system that share a roughly half‑mile transmission line to the Great River Energy‑owned substation in Benton County. “We’re still on track for 2027 operations of the project,” Grassi said, and described a permitting timeline that expects an environmental assessment in July, public hearings in August and a final Public Utilities Commission decision in December.

County officials and residents have raised questions about construction traffic, visual impacts and the county’s ability to ensure decommissioning if the operator cannot complete the work in 25–30 years. Grassi said Nextera will draft a road‑use agreement that identifies routes, requires pre‑ and post‑construction road assessments and obligates the company to repair damage: the company will “assess the roads prior to construction and then assess the roads after construction and make sure that the roads [are] the same condition before and after construction,” he said.

The company said it will follow Benton County’s visual‑screening ordinance and is preparing visual mockups to confirm the county and developer share the same interpretation. Grassi said the firm will also present a decommissioning plan and financial assurance — typically a permit condition of the Public Utilities Commission — to ensure the county is protected if the project is abandoned. “The decommissioning plan states that our intention is for Benton Solar to be the party that decommissions the project,” he said, and that the company will provide a financial surety that will be updated before construction and every five years during operation.

Grassi gave estimates for local economic impacts and taxes: the company projects roughly 150–300 temporary construction jobs and two to three permanent operation jobs. Nextera estimated annual solar production tax revenue of approximately $200,000 to Benton County and $50,000 to Minden Township, calculated using Minnesota Department of Revenue production‑tax rates. Grassi said those figures are estimates that depend on annual generation and can vary year to year.

Commissioners pressed for additional detail. One asked whether the production‑tax estimate had fallen from earlier projections; Grassi said the estimate changed because Nextera updated its production assumptions and analytics. Commissioners also asked about the method for calculating decommissioning surety and whether equipment vendor safety data sheets (SDS) could be provided once vendors are selected; Grassi said vendor SDS sheets can be provided after equipment procurement later this year.

Several commissioners reiterated community concerns about screening and property values raised at earlier public meetings. Grassi said the company would work with county planning staff to make visual mockups and said Nextera plans to continue local charitable contributions already underway, including a $12,000 radio upgrade donation made earlier the same day.

The company said it expects to begin equipment procurement toward the end of the year and, if the PUC issues permits as expected, construction could begin in spring 2026. The board did not take a formal action on the project at the meeting but directed staff to continue coordination and to include the road‑use and screening plans in future discussions.