CHEYENNE, Wyo. — A solar energy project plan can finally move forward in Laramie County.
On Tuesday, Laramie County commissioners approved land use, a site plan and a solar energy permit for the Cowboy Solar I & II Project. The project aims to construct a 3,485-acre solar energy system on 5,480 acres of Wyoming land. Canadian-based energy infrastructure company Enbridge Inc. is spearheading the project’s development.
The solar facilities will be constructed on land located a mile north of Chalk Bluff Road just east of South Greeley Highway, according to a county staff report.
Commissioners unanimously approved the site plans and permits for the two projects, which promise to provide clean energy to Cheyenne’s Light and Power grid amid Wyoming’s heightening demand for electricity, according to Enbridge’s website. The project will funnel over $26 million in paid property taxes to Wyoming’s economy, according to a project summary from Enbridge.
The Laramie County Planning Commission approved the solar project at its July 25 meeting, according to Laramie County associate planner Bryce Hamilton. He said the solar project application meets criteria for a site plan and solar energy permits and overall conforms to Laramie County land use regulations. However, the department is approving the project based on the following conditions, per the department’s staff report:
- Applicant [Enbridge] and Laramie County shall execute an agreement regarding reconstruction of Chalk Bluff Road, the execution of which shall precede any groundbreaking on the project.
- Applicant shall revise the site plan to include locations of onsite cisterns or fire apparatus facilities as LCFD#1 deems appropriate.
- Applicant shall revise the site plan to include a secondary legal emergency access.
- A final drainage analysis shall be provided to the Planning department.
- Evidence of a liability policy with an effective date 24 months prior to the date of “turn on” of the project shall be provided to the Planning department.
The project is set to be on land owned by the Fogg Family Trust, Dunning Family Trust and Atchison Ranch LLC. The project will be complete after 25 years of operations, at which point the private property owners will reclaim the land utilized for the energy endeavor. Owners of each of these sites expressed support for Enbridge’s project at Tuesday’s meeting. The owners cited Enbridge’s agreement for land reclamation as a main reason they approved the project.
The project will move forward in two phases. Construction for phase one will commence in 2025 and reach operation sometime in fall 2026. The second phase, and overall project, will reach operation in fall 2027, Christian Dick, director of project development for Enbridge Inc., said at Tuesday’s meeting.
