Hunter
11/08/22
MidAmerican Energy has assumed the rights to a huge potential Johnson County solar energy project.
The Gazette reports that the company hasn’t made a decision on when or if they will move on construction. If they break ground, the Johnson County Solar Triangle Project’s peak output would be more than all of the utility’s existing solar projects combined.
MidAmerican reached an agreement last month with Megawatt Photovoltaic Development Inc. to assume property rights and leases . Both companies will work together if the project reaches the development stage.
The proposed 1000-acre site is located west of Highway 218 between Iowa City and Hills. Most of the land has already been secured through voluntary agreements with local landowners. Mid-American says they won’t use eminent domain to acquire land for the project.
Johnson County updated its local ordinance governing such large solar projects. It lets the Board of Supervisors decide on any project, taking the authority out of the hands of the county Zoning Board of Adjustment. Perennials would need to be planted as ground cover to help control storm water runoff, and batteries to store excess- generated energy would be accounted for.
Supervisor Jon Green of Lone Tree tells the Gazette that the supervisors haven’t received much pushback on the potential project yet. But he anticipates some opposition if the project moves forward.
Mid-American currently operates six solar sites, and says construction on the Johnson County project is at least three years away.