PLAINFIELD — A solar array off North Union Street that will generate enough electricity to power an estimated 1,800 homes — but that will deforest 30 acres — won approval from the town Wednesday night after months of discussion.
In voting to approve a special permit for New Leaf Energy to develop the 23-acre solar array and battery storage system at 66 North Union St., the Planning Board attached a number of conditions that developers must abide by but felt that overall the project would not be detrimental to the town or neighborhood.
Construction is expected to take place in 2027 at the 67-acre site owned by Robert Pytco. Once complete, the system will generate an estimated 12,900 megawatt hours of electricity a year, and the array is contracted to remain in operation for 20 years.
It was an uneventful ending to a monthslong process which has drawn criticism from residents who are concerned about fire hazards, the risk of ambient noise, the impacts of deforesting, and other issues. Only some 10 residents attended the meeting, down from the 30 who had attended in the past. Several residents also left before the board voted more than two hours into the meeting.
Planning Board members Peter Lapointe, Jerry Little, Judith Cole and Kathy Filkins voted to allow the special permit in the 4-1 vote, with Judith Wombwell voting against.
The bulk of the night was spent ironing out the language and details of conditions that New Leaf must abide by. These conditions will also need to be met by the new owners of the array after New leaf Energy sells their conceptualized plans to a developer once construction is complete.
The Planning Board distributed a document entitled, “Proposed Conditions for Large Scale Ground-Mounted Solar Array,” which laid out desired conditions. Cole told those in attendance not to share the document outside of the meeting since it had yet to be finalized and was not meant to be seen by the public.
Conditions laid out stricter measures to ensure proper drainage and acoustic barriers. Another condition that was added Wednesday is that the developer will be responsible for paying for training that will be needed for the Plainfield Volunteer Fire Department.
“The board finds the proposed use will not be detrimental to town or neighborhood and is in harmony with the general purpose and intent of the Plainfield Zoning Bylaw with conditions,” the document read.
Fire and the potential leakage from the battery storage unit’s lithium ion battery has been a central concern for residents and abutters. Fire Chief Rob Shearer shared his plans to combat a blaze should a fire break out, and Lapointe explained the technologies that will be in place should the battery leak.
“They’re going to burn themselves out. We’re going to protect the exposures on the outside, and that’s it,” said Shearer, who explained that it will conserve water to simply defend the area around the battery rather than try and put out the fire.
Lapointe explained that there will be an earthen gutter around the area similar to the basins on the sides of roads that catch water. The gutters will prevent contaminated water runoff from spreading if the battery were to leak.
In addition, Lapointe said that the battery system “is different than previous generations” in that it will have a sensor and automatic suppression system built into it should a fire break out.
“The fire strategy is to control, contain, and allow the unit to burn itself out, because applying water or foam or any of those things to extinguish the fire is actually a more hazardous thing,” he said.
The pad where the battery will be erected on will also act as a “sponge” to absorb any hazardous materials, meaning any potential damage resulting from a fire or battery leak will be limited to the small area of the pad, said Lapointe.
“We’re going to acknowledge that there could be potential soil contamination in that one little area under the pad,” he said, adding that the pad is the equivalent of putting a pad under your car in the garage to prevent oil from getting onto the floor.
After the vote secured the special permit for New Leaf, Project Manager Eric Weinstein and engineer Brandon Smith thanked the board for their time and patience throughout the process that began in September.
“Subject to completion of development activities, we’d be looking at approximately a 2027 construction,” said Weinstein.