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Developers outline 180 MW Whitewater Solar project; county staff to negotiate joint development agreement
Summary
Developers presented a 180-megawatt solar project that spans Jefferson and Walworth counties and outlined a timeline for negotiating a joint development agreement with Jefferson County; no formal county action was taken.
Whitewater Solar developers gave Jefferson County board members an overview of a 180-megawatt alternating‑current solar facility and outlined a schedule for negotiating a joint development agreement (JDA) with the county.
The project — described by developer representatives as spanning portions of Jefferson County and adjacent Walworth County — has filed a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. County staff said the PSC process limits the county's formal authority over approval, so the immediate work will focus on crafting a JDA to address local impacts and mutual responsibilities.
Nick Hawes, a project representative who identified himself as working for Desiree and involved in earlier Wisconsin projects, said, “The project is 180 megawatts. It's 180 megawatts AC.” He described project components that will be visible on the site including horizontal‑racked photovoltaic panels, inverters, transformers and a project substation to be located next to an existing university substation.
A county staff member said the county has “expressed a desire to enter into a joint development agreement,” and outlined a tentative timeline: staff and developer discussions in late May and June, committee reviews and draft JDA language in July, committee approvals of draft documents in August and a planned county board vote on a final JDA in September to meet the developer's PSC timeline.
Developers said the project has approximately 2,000 acres under lease but will use about half that area for the array. Construction, if permitted and on schedule, is planned to start after harvest in mid‑2025, with an 18‑month construction window and commercial operation targeted for winter or spring 2028. They described an expected project life of 30–40 years.
Project proponents emphasized local economic activity during construction, supplemental income to participating landowners and environmental measures. Hawes said the project will include a vegetation management plan with perennial plantings to support pollinators and avoid extensive herbicide use, and that the team is conducting drain‑tile and archaeological surveys as part of environmental review. “Part of this too is... a pretty big habitat restoration component,” he said.
Board members asked technical questions about hail resistance and soil compaction. Hawes explained the panel racking includes a hail‑stow mode that reduces damage during storms and described soil compaction testing and mitigation such as penetrometer checks and cross‑ripping where necessary.
No formal motion or vote occurred during the presentation. County staff indicated further discussions and committee review will follow before any JDA is adopted or other formal actions are taken.
Background: developers said they filed the CPCN with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin in September 2024 and expect a public and party hearing in July 2025, with a target PSC approval in November 2025.
The county's next steps, as described by staff, are further internal and developer meetings, committee discussions of draft JDA terms and, if committee recommendations align, a county board vote in September.
