Developers outline 2,700‑MW Dora Solar Project, seek county support amid farmland concerns

Gallatin Power representatives told the Roosevelt County Commission that they are pursuing a large‑scale solar and battery project near Dora that could tap upgrades at the Crossroads Substation and the Southwest Power Pool’s planned 765 kV transmission backbone.

"My name is Adam Schumacher. I'm the president of Gallatin Power," Schumacher said as he introduced the company’s team. Chief development officer Kristen Eliasson told commissioners the company filed four 500‑megawatt interconnection applications with SPP in March and is initially proposing "up to 2,700 megawatts" of photovoltaic capacity paired with about 2,000 megawatts of four‑hour battery duration. Eliasson said the full build‑out, if approved by system planners and landowners, could require roughly 20,000 acres and that construction could begin in 2028 with service in 2031, contingent on SPP study outcomes.

Eliasson said the project team is seeking early engagement with county staff, a letter of support for an upcoming RFP due Jan. 13 and eventual coordination on financing instruments such as an industrial revenue bond and a pilot agreement. She told the commission that, on paper, a fully‑built project could yield approximately $4,500,000 in annual tax revenue to the county.

Commissioners pressed developers on environmental review and local impacts. When asked whether the project would require a National Environmental Policy Act review, Schumacher replied that the team believes NEPA is not required because they have no federal nexus, that they are avoiding public land and wetlands, and that an environmental firm (Tetra Tech) has so far reported only the lesser prairie‑chicken as a species of concern in the study area.

Commission members also raised recent federal activity concerning species protections. One commissioner noted a new Fish and Wildlife Service notice and flagged the dune sagebrush lizard as a potential new constraint; project staff said they would check for any interactions and avoid sensitive habitat where identified.

Local agricultural concerns were prominent in the discussion. The commission’s chair argued the county’s farmland and agricultural economy could be harmed if large tracts are taken out of production and questioned whether rooftop or urban solar alternatives should be prioritized. Gallatin Power responded that the company has worked with other counties to create agricultural mitigation funds and that development agreements often include restoration bonds to remove equipment and restore land if a project ceases operation.

Developers agreed to include the Roosevelt County Soil and Water Conservation Board in future outreach and to continue refining site selection and mitigation strategies as interconnection studies and environmental reviews proceed. Eliasson said a draft interconnection agreement could be ready by the end of next year depending on SPP’s timeline.

Next steps: Gallatin Power will continue its interconnection study work, seek county input on land‑use constraints and asked commissioners to consider a letter of support to strengthen its RFP response. Commissioners requested that staff and the developer return with additional technical details, habitat checks and a proposed mitigation/restoration framework before taking a formal position.