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Weld County accepts decommissioning bonds for three solar projects
Summary
The Weld County Board of Commissioners approved decommissioning plans and accepted surety bonds for three solar energy facilities, satisfying a condition of previous land-use approvals and securing funds for future reclamation.
Weld County commissioners on Jan. 3 approved decommissioning and reclamation plans and accepted surety bonds for three solar energy facilities permitted under site-specific development plans and use-by-special-review permits.
The approvals cover USR 23027 (South Black Solar, Pivot Solar 506 LLC), USR 2044 (Pivot Solar 50 LLC and Pivot Solar 51 LLC), and USR 24006 (Pivot Solar 46 LLC and Pivot Solar 47 LLC). Planning staff told the board the submitted plans and bonds meet the requirements of the Weld County Code sections cited in the permits and will satisfy condition of approval 5(a) tied to each resolution.
Diane Owens of the Department of Planning Services said USR 23027 included a submitted surety bond in the amount of $108,974 (bond number ending in 4348) that planning staff has determined meets the code’s decommissioning-cost requirements. For USR 2044 staff reported a total estimated decommissioning cost of $225,000 covered by two submitted bonds of $112,500 each (bond numbers ending 4346 and 4347). For USR 24006 staff reported total estimated decommissioning costs of $450,000; the applicant submitted two bonds of $112,500 each (bond numbers ending 4344 and 4345) for a combined $225,000 in surety to address part of the required amount; staff nevertheless recommended accepting the bonds as satisfying the condition of approval.
Planning staff noted the applications and pass-arounds for these items were previously reviewed and signed by all five commissioners on Oct. 8, 2024. The applicants were present; Bradley Thomas identified himself as an applicant for one of the projects and gave his address as 1601 Muwada Street, Denver, Colorado.
Commissioner Scott James moved to approve the first decommissioning plan and accept the surety bond for USR 23027; Commissioner Kevin Ross seconded. Commissioner Ross moved to approve the second item (USR 2044); Commissioner Jason Maxey seconded. Commissioner Ross moved to approve the third decommissioning plan (USR 24006); Commissioner Maxey seconded. Each motion passed on a voice vote with commissioners responding “aye.”
The accepted decommissioning securities are intended to secure funds the county could use for removal and reclamation of the solar sites in the event the owner does not complete decommissioning at the end of the facilities’ useful life or following abandonment, as required by the permit conditions and Weld County Code.
The commissioners’ approvals complete the county’s review steps tied to the earlier land-use permits; no additional county-level votes on these decommissioning plans were scheduled at the meeting.
