Balance Rock Power updates Meade County on 80-MW Alkali-area solar project; offtake talks with Black Hills ongoing

Representatives for Balance Rock Power updated the Meade County Board of Commissioners on the Alkali-area solar project and said the company is now pursuing the Qualified Facility (QF) route with Black Hills Energy for an 80-megawatt (MW) solar installation.

The developer said earlier plans contemplated two queue positions and a larger, potentially 100-MW project with battery storage to market into alternative buyers. At the meeting the company said it is focusing on an 80-MW QF interconnection and that it is negotiating a draft offtake agreement with Black Hills Energy; the first queue position draft was described as being circulated for signature in real time.

Why it matters: an offtake contract or utility acceptance is a prerequisite to finance and build utility-scale solar. The developer told the commission the site is otherwise substantially advanced — leases, survey, geotechnical and hydrology work have been completed — but a signed contract is needed before ordering long-lead equipment and beginning construction.

Project details presented by company representatives included: - Project footprint: about 1,100 acres across three landowners near Alkali Road, roughly 12 miles east of Sturgis. - Current design: 80 MW of solar generation, no battery in the current commercial plan while QF negotiations continue; if a battery is added later it could affect regulatory treatment and economics. - Schedule: if offtake negotiations progress, the company said a contract could be reached by next summer; construction could begin in late 2028 with a potential commercial operation date in late 2029.

Developers cautioned that keeping section lines in place increases construction complexity and costs — the company estimated that preserving section-line breaks could increase costs by roughly $4–$5 per megawatt in their modeling. The company said it would prefer a contiguous layout but is not requesting county action at this meeting; it said it would return later if negotiations with Black Hills require a formal request related to section lines.

Nearby landowners raised standard concerns. Doris Loughing, an adjacent property owner, asked the company to revisit earlier studies for dust control, weed management, fire protection and decommissioning plans and to include adjoining landowners in future steps. John Jordan, another adjacent landowner, asked commissioners to consider tax and hazard issues identified in other counties’ solar reviews.

Ending: Company representatives said they would continue negotiations with Black Hills Energy and return to the county if needed to request subdivision or section-line changes; no county action was required at this meeting beyond the update.