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Council approves 20-year PILOT for 5MW solar array on capped landfill
Summary
Concord approved a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement with Kearsarge Old Turnpike Road LLC for a ground‑mounted, 5 MW solar photovoltaic installation on the Cap landfill; the developer projects roughly $3 million in payments over 20 years, subject to generation and project scope.
The Concord City Council on Sept. 8 authorized a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with Kearsarge Old Turnpike Road LLC for a ground-mounted, fully ballasted solar photovoltaic installation at the city’s Cap landfill on Old Turnpike Drive.
City staff said the installation is approximately 5 megawatts alternating current, will use about 23.36 acres of the 52.9-acre landfill cap, and construction is expected to begin this month with completion by year-end. The developer’s proposal includes about $3,000,000 in payments to the city over the next 20 years, split between lease and PILOT (pilot) payments; additional annual payments tied to group net metering depend on actual energy production.
Assistant city counsel and staff explained RSA 72:74 permits municipalities to enter PILOT agreements with renewable generation facilities; city attorneys noted the agreement must be equitable relative to other PILOT arrangements. The proposed PILOT term is 20 years, matching the agreement term; if the lease is renewed, a new agreement would come back to council.
The draft agreement sets an annual payment of $98,729 unless adjusted for project changes; staff said adjustments could be made if project costs or scope change, with corresponding lease-payment changes to preserve the city’s anticipated payments. The council held the required public hearing this evening and then approved the agreement. The contract will be reviewed by staff and returned to council for final execution.
No votes or public comments opposing the project were recorded during the hearing. The project is managed by a private developer under a long-term agreement that will be subject to council review and public oversight when renewals or amendments arise.
