The North Platte City Council on Dec. 2 tabled consideration of a conditional‑use permit for a proposed commercial solar farm after extensive technical questions about how the project would connect to the city’s power system, who would buy the output and how decommissioning would be funded.

Applicant Premier Energy LLC (representative identified as Jeff) presented a plan for roughly 4.95 megawatts of solar generation at Victoria Lane and East State Farm Road. Nebraska Public Power District account manager Chris Haggard told the council that under the city’s wholesale contract the city may self‑serve with renewable energy up to 10% of its peak capacity, and that an interconnection study (to assess impacts on the subtransmission system) typically takes four to six months.

Council members sought clarity on multiple points: whether the city would be obligated to buy the power, how rates and wheeling fees would be negotiated, who would bear the cost of the substation/collector infrastructure, and what protections would exist if the project developer became insolvent. Premier’s representative said the developer proposes a $750,000 bond or bank account to guarantee decommissioning and estimated the net decommissioning cost at about $738,000, with an estimated salvage/residual value of $1,230,000 for recovered materials (copper, etc.).

Councilmember concerns included whether the city could be left with cleanup responsibility if the owner disappears or costs rise with inflation, whether the plant could be sold off to another public power district, and whether the project location would preclude future industrial development along Victoria Lane. Staff and the developer said the project would need an NPPD interconnection application and that project owners typically fund connection infrastructure; wheeling or resale to other public power entities is theoretically possible, though municipal purchase remains discretionary.

After prolonged technical discussion and requests for additional documentation (interconnection study, clarified purchase terms, insurance and decommissioning mechanism that accounts for inflation), Councilman Reeker moved to table the item to the next meeting so city staff can pursue follow‑up, including a possible alternative on city‑owned/leased property. The motion to table passed 7‑1.

What happens next: staff and the developer will pursue an interconnection study and come back with more precise engineering costs and a recommended set of conditions (including periodic review or indexing of any decommissioning guarantee). The council may revisit the conditional‑use permit or consider a development agreement after receiving those materials.