Freestone County designates 1,430-acre Reinvestment Zone for proposed 300 MW solar project
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Summary
After a public hearing, the Commissioners Court approved designating Reinvestment Zone No. 002A for a proposed 300-megawatt solar facility and a 100-megawatt battery energy storage system and authorized sending the proposed tax abatement form to other taxing entities.
Freestone County Commissioners on Tuesday held a public hearing and voted to create Reinvestment Zone Number 002A to cover approximately 1,430 acres for a proposed solar generation project.
County staff said the project would be a “300 megawatt solar generation facility with an additional hundred megawatt battery energy storage system.” The staff presentation said the project’s projected capital investment is approximately $416,500,000, the yearly payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) would be about $422,000, and the developer must pay a $10,000 upfront fee to cover attorney costs. The proposed agreement calls for completion by Dec. 31, 2027.
The court opened a public hearing at 9:12 a.m., received the presentation, and closed the hearing after no speakers were recorded. The court then moved to adopt the reinvestment-zone designation and carried the motion by voice vote with no recorded opposition.
Separately, the court considered the proposed form of a tax abatement agreement for EDRA Solar LLC and approved sending the notice of intent and the proposed agreement form to other taxing authorities as required by statute. The county attorney explained this action was only approval of the form for the notice; it did not finalize or execute a tax abatement agreement. "This just is approval of the form. We're not approving the tax abatement agreement. It's just to send out to the other taxing entities because the statute tells us to," the presenter said.
County officials explained how termination would be handled if the property became tax-exempt: the agreement would automatically terminate and the county would “claw back” previously granted tax benefits, returning the property to taxable status and requiring repayment of PILOT amounts. The court recorded no votes in opposition and the motions carried.
The court did not adopt or execute a final tax abatement agreement at this meeting; it approved the reinvestment zone designation and the form of notice that the law requires be sent to other taxing entities.
Planning and permitting questions, interlocal impacts, or subsequent formal approvals by other taxing jurisdictions were not resolved at the meeting and remain future steps.
