Notice of Application
5/18/2021
Cider Solar Farm
Genesee County, New York
Hecate Energy Cider Solar LLC (Applicant) hereby provides notice that, on or about May 27, 2021, it intends to file an Application with the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) for a permit for the siting, construction and operation of a major renewable energy facility pursuant to Section 94-c of the New York State Executive Law. The Applicant proposes to construct an up to 500 megawatt (MW) photovoltaic (PV) solar energy generating facility, referred to as the Cider Solar Farm (the Project), in the Towns of Elba and Oakfield, Genesee County, New York. The Applicant is publishing this notice at least three (3) days prior to the filing of the Application, in accordance with 19 NYCRR §§ 900- 1.6(c).
A Notice of Intent to File an Application was published in accordance with 19 NYCRR §900-1.3(d) on February 26, 2021.
Brief Project Summary
The Project is a proposed solar-powered electric generating facility in the Towns of Elba and Oakfield, Genesee County, New York. The Project is located on an approximately 3,000-acre area located north-centrally in the County, approximately five (5) miles north of the City of Batavia. Lockport Road bisects the Project from east to west, while State Route 98 traverses the eastern portion of the Project. Project components include photovoltaic solar panels, inverters, buried electrical collection lines, gravel access roads, security fencing, and a substation. If the Project’s application to ORES for a permit is approved, the Project will interconnect to an onsite New York Power Authority (NYPA) 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line. Project components will be located on leased private land. It is anticipated that the Project construction will commence in 2022, with commercial operation commencing in 2023.
The Project is a zero-emission, renewable source of energy that will assist the State in meeting the goals of both the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and State Energy Plan, which include obtaining 70% of the State’s energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030, and 100% of the State’s energy from clean sources by 2040. Project benefits also include increased revenues to local tax bases, temporary and permanent employment, and purchase of local goods and supplies. While the construction and operation of the Project may result in certain temporary and long-term environmental impacts, as will be fully described in the Application, the Applicant has designed the Project to minimize impacts to land and the community by avoiding forestlands and wetlands to the extent practical.
Applicant Representative
The designated contact person for this Project is:
Hecate Energy Cider Solar LLC Harrison Luna, Development Manager
621 W Randolph Street
Chicago, IL 60661
(833) 529-6597
CiderSolar@HecateEnergy.com
The website established for this Project by the Applicant is www.cidersolarfarm.com.
Availability of Funds
Pursuant to 19 NYCRR §§ 900-1.4(a)(8) and Subpart 900-5, upon the filing of the Application, the Applicant will provide funding to be disbursed by ORES to local agencies and potential community intervenors to defray expenses for experts, including attorneys and consultants, associated with participating in the Section 94-c process. Within thirty (30) days of the date of the filing of the Application, any local agency or potential community intervenor seeking funding from the local agency account must submit a request for initial funding to the Office of Renewable Energy Siting at 99 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12231, Attention: Request for Local Agency Account Funding.
