ISI Solar introduces 999 kW project proposal to Gage County board

Aaron Brown, engineering development vice president with ISI, told the Gage County Board of Supervisors on Oct. 15 that ISI will take over construction of a solar array previously proposed by another developer and will use the existing memorandum of understanding with Gage County and local utility arrangements.

Brown said ISI would build a 999-kilowatt project (under the 1-megawatt guideline requested by Missouri Public Power District for transmission benefit) using racking originally acquired for the prior developer. Brown identified the inverter brand as Chint CPS and the solar modules as “Helene.” He said the project’s fixed rate energy contract would provide price certainty for the purchaser for up to 25 years and that a 10-year extension to repower the site is possible.

"We're sticking with the same MOU that was between today's power, Norris and, Gage County. And so the only thing that's changed is ISI's name's been put on that," Brown said.

Brown described ISI's experience in the region, noting prior projects in Nebraska and Colorado and that ISI acts as the engineering, procurement and construction firm on most sites. He said ISI coordinates with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to specify native prairie grasses and flowers for post-construction revegetation and described a multi-step seeding and reseeding approach intended to reduce erosion and establish native cover.

A board member pressed for a specific vegetation plan after earlier applications had only stated they would "vegetate." Brown replied that ISI has a "comprehensive vegetation plan" and described initial discing and seeding followed by construction and reseeding to establish cover. He noted that other sites sometimes use grazing, but that grazing has caused damage to panels in at least one Colorado example.

Board members also asked about electrical interconnection. Brown and a utility representative said the site will tie into a nearby 12,500-volt (12.5 kV) line and into a three-phase underbuild on a new sub-transmission route serving nearby residences and farms. Brown said locating projects near load is important to reduce line losses and maximize local benefit.

Brown said ISI is not using grant money for this installation, so Buy American module rules tied to federal grants do not apply; ISI told the board the racking presently on site is 100% Buy American but the modules procured are the lower-cost overseas version of the Helene line.

Brown said the developer and local utility expect solar to offset summer and winter coincident peaks, reducing demand charges and stabilizing pricing for the purchaser. He said the company was open to further site-specific details and coordination with county staff as the project advances.

The board heard the introduction and asked follow-up questions; no formal county approval or vote on the project was recorded at the meeting.