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Firm seeks approval of two solar power plants in County
By Shar Porier/Wick Communications
BISBEE - Two special use permits have been requested to construct two 200-megawatt solar power plants at two different sites in the northeastern part of the county and will be discussed at the Cochise County Planning and Zoning Commission meeting Wednesday.
One site is off of Kansas Settlement Road on East Baker Road and East Kimzey Road on 1,600 acres. It would be known as the Oxbow solar plant. The other site would be on 1,120 acres southeast of Bowie off South Apache Pass Road and would be called the Bowie solar power plant.
Both rural agricultural sites would be developed by Sustainability Development LLC with Kim Kristoff as the agent.
Each "concentrating solar power project" would use the sun's heat to provide thermal energy to power a connected turbine or engine to produce electricity with SunCatcher technology. SunCatchers incorporate a 25-kilowatt electrical solar dish that consists of a radial solar concentrator dish structure that supports curved mirrors designed to track the sun and concentrate its light onto a power conversion unit. Waste heat is transferred to the ambient air via a radiator system similar to those used in automobiles. This conversion process does not use water. In fact, the water used on site would be needed to clean the 66,800 mirrors at each site, according to data provided.
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative's David Bane talked with Kristoff about purchasing the power from the plants, but suggested he go to the Southwestern Transmission Cooperative. Sulphur Springs Valley Electric is not set up to take on additional power and would have to perform upgrades to substations to transfer the electricity to Southwestern Transmission Cooperative. Bane also said in a letter to the county that Southwestern Transmission Cooperative may also have to upgrade equipment, and those costs would be passed on to Sustainability Development LLC.
"These additional costs typically change the economics of the project to a point where they are not viable, but in talking with Kristoff, these system upgrades were considered in his model," Bane stated.
County Planner Mike Turisk received one letter in favor of the Oxbow power plant and one letter in support of both. He also received four letters of opposition to the Oxbow plant. He recommends the commissioners approve the projects.
If the commissioners approve the requests, construction would begin next year with a completion date of 2012 or 2013. For security reasons, small residences may be built at the sites.
Also on the agenda ...
A special use permit request deals with an expansion of Bed and Breakfast Homestay with two rooms to a Bed and Breakfast Inn with four rooms in an existing five-bedroom home as requested by Jerry Hatfield. The inn is located on Renegade Trail in Hereford. Staff is recommending denial due to 18 letters of opposition and the fact that Hatfield is already advertising four rooms for rent. He also opted out of inspections as an owner-builder, and the department has no way of knowing whether codes were followed or whether his home implements the policies of the Sierra Vista Sub-Watershed District.
The commissioners will also take a look at the revised hazard abatement code.
One site is off of Kansas Settlement Road on East Baker Road and East Kimzey Road on 1,600 acres. It would be known as the Oxbow solar plant. The other site would be on 1,120 acres southeast of Bowie off South Apache Pass Road and would be called the Bowie solar power plant.
Both rural agricultural sites would be developed by Sustainability Development LLC with Kim Kristoff as the agent.
Each "concentrating solar power project" would use the sun's heat to provide thermal energy to power a connected turbine or engine to produce electricity with SunCatcher technology. SunCatchers incorporate a 25-kilowatt electrical solar dish that consists of a radial solar concentrator dish structure that supports curved mirrors designed to track the sun and concentrate its light onto a power conversion unit. Waste heat is transferred to the ambient air via a radiator system similar to those used in automobiles. This conversion process does not use water. In fact, the water used on site would be needed to clean the 66,800 mirrors at each site, according to data provided.
Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative's David Bane talked with Kristoff about purchasing the power from the plants, but suggested he go to the Southwestern Transmission Cooperative. Sulphur Springs Valley Electric is not set up to take on additional power and would have to perform upgrades to substations to transfer the electricity to Southwestern Transmission Cooperative. Bane also said in a letter to the county that Southwestern Transmission Cooperative may also have to upgrade equipment, and those costs would be passed on to Sustainability Development LLC.
"These additional costs typically change the economics of the project to a point where they are not viable, but in talking with Kristoff, these system upgrades were considered in his model," Bane stated.
County Planner Mike Turisk received one letter in favor of the Oxbow power plant and one letter in support of both. He also received four letters of opposition to the Oxbow plant. He recommends the commissioners approve the projects.
If the commissioners approve the requests, construction would begin next year with a completion date of 2012 or 2013. For security reasons, small residences may be built at the sites.
Also on the agenda ...
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