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Public asks whether Dolan Solar’s $1.2M bond will cover future bankruptcies
Summary
Residents at the Aug. 28 hearing pressed the board and applicant about decommissioning protections if the project owner or installer goes bankrupt; the town engineer said the bond is $1.2 million with 2% annual escalation and a five-year renegotiation provision.
During public comment, resident Katie DeGroot raised concerns about installer bankruptcy and long-term responsibility for abandoned solar equipment, citing a personal experience with a previous installer. "I have $30,000.00 worth of equipment sitting on my property and no one to interact with," DeGroot said.
Town Engineer Chris Koenig and applicant representative Mitch Quine described the town's decommissioning and commissioning bond arrangements. Koenig stated the decommissioning bond is $1.2 million and that the agreement includes a 2% annual escalation; the town may exercise an option to renegotiate the bond amount every five years. Quine added that surety companies send notice 60 days before expiration and, if renewal does not occur, the town would call the bond to fund removal and hire contractors to decommission the system.
