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RIC Energy previews 4.85 MW community solar plan for Alexandria farmland
Summary
Representatives from RIC Energy presented a conceptual pre-application for a 4.85 megawatt community solar array on about 25 acres of leased farmland; the company said it would fund necessary grid upgrades and submit a formal application around August.
Representatives from RIC Energy told the Town of Alexandria Planning Board they are pursuing a 4.85 megawatt community‑scale solar installation on roughly 25 acres of leased farmland.
"My name is Glenn McKay. We're with RIC Energy," presenter Glenn McKay said, introducing the team and describing a conceptual layout shown on satellite imagery. McKay said the project would remain below the state's community solar threshold and that the applicant has completed an initial engineering study with National Grid; the company will fund required upgrades "from the site all the way back to the Thousand Island Substation," he said.
Board members and residents asked detailed questions about decommissioning, visual screening and environmental reviews. McKay said a decommissioning plan and a third‑party cost estimate would accompany the formal application and suggested a decommissioning bond naming the town as obligee "so the town can draw on the bond" if the operator disappears. On recycling and long‑term panel disposal, McKay said the recycling industry is developing and that "there's various companies finding ways to make profit from recycling solar panels" but acknowledged that large‑scale recycling is still emerging.
Residents raised concerns about effects on farmland and drainage, and whether panels would make the leased land unusable for agriculture after removal. One resident asked: "Is this agricultural land?" McKay replied that the property is agricultural and that the project would lease about 25 acres of a 113‑acre parcel.
The presentation also covered setbacks, fencing and landscaping. McKay said the design calls for a 7‑foot perimeter fence and a robust vegetative buffer; the team offered to provide visual simulations to help the board evaluate visual impact. On setbacks, McKay noted the project may require variances and anticipated referral to the Zoning Board of Appeals depending on how lease boundaries and setbacks are applied.
Timeline and next steps: McKay said the company expects to assemble a full application by August and estimated construction could begin about 18 months from now, contingent on permits and required agency approvals (DEC, U.S. Army Corps, SHPO, FAA). The Planning Board treated the session as a pre‑application conference; no formal approvals were requested or taken.
Speakers quoted in this article are in the meeting roster prepared by the board and appear on the record.
