Solar Company looking for lower fees in Jefferson County

A solar company looking to install solar projects north of Madras are haggling with Jefferson County for lower fees.

As reported in the Madras Pioneer, Pinegate Renewables has said that inflation has put their solar arrays planned for Jefferson County out of financial reach. Pinegate says inflation has pushed costs of engineering, procurement and construction to a 24% increase since November 2021.

Company representatives told Jefferson County Commissioners the project will not be viable without financial concessions from financial stakeholders including the county. The company asked Jefferson County to lower its rate from $7,000 to $5,500 per megawatt hour.

Commissioners decided to wait until they’ve heard from other stakeholders before they make a commitment on the fees Pinegate Renewables will pay.

In Warm Springs, the Warm Springs Power & Water Enterprises are hosting a community meeting on Tuesday February 21, 2023 at the Agency Longhouse regarding the recently passed BiPartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act that provides funding to advance the rapid commercialization, demonstration and deployment of clean energy technologies.

The meeting will begin with lunch from 12-12:30pm and will continue with the meeting from 12:30-2pm. For any questions, you can contact WSPWE at 541-553-1046