The state's largest solar project to date could be up and running just south of Canton in Fulton County by 2025.
The $800 million Buckheart Solar array would sit on 8,000 acres, and produce 820 megawatts of energy. That's enough to power 150,000 homes.
Cole McDaniel is executive director of the Spoon River Partnership for Economic Development. He said the solar proposal is a plus for a community still smarting from the property tax hit local governing bodies took with the 2019 closure of the Duck Creek coal-burning power plant.
"The property tax revenue, the difference it'll make for the taxing districts, and then just what the size of the project, being one of the largest in the country being proposed for here in Fulton County is a very exciting thing for us," he said.
Vistra Energy, Duck Creek's owner, is planning to construct a 20 megawatt utility-scale solar array and three-megawatts of battery storage on the former coal plant site.
McDaniel said the site makes sense, with existing infrastructure and a friendly attitude making Fulton County well-positioned to participate in the clean energy transition.
"We're building these relationships and trying to make an easy place to do business, removing red tape and saying, 'What can we do for you?"' he said.
Buckheart Solar is projected to generate at least $120 million in property tax revenue during its initial 30-year lease.
McDaniel said it will also produce shorter-term economic benefits.
"While there are 300 construction jobs here, they're in town, we've got more activity, sales tax numbers," he said. "We'll be paying close attention to see kind of how those correlate. But you anticipate they'll get gas, food, lodging, a lot of those things during that construction timeframes, that will ultimately have a great economic benefit."
McDaniel declined to disclose the exact location of the Buckheart Solar proposal, citing some landowner NDAs still pending finalization.
The company's website said landowners will retain ownership of land during and after the 30-year lease, with the option to resume farming once the lease expires.
Buckheart Solar would be operated by Doral Energy, an Israeli renewable energy and battery storage company; and Clean Air Generation.
The company is set to begin applying for permits this year. Construction is slated to begin in 2024.
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