By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — The first solar farm to be approved in the Town of Naples in 2020 has had its groundbreaking schedule delayed multiple times.

The construction holdup has been tied to the cluster substation studies being conducted by Central Maine Power (CMP).

On Tuesday, the Naples Planning Board granted a one-year extension to the solar farm project, located at 30 River Road.

The location is a former gravel pit. At the time the solar project site plan was originally approved by the planning board, comments were made that it was a suitable use for the land.

On Tuesday night, ISM Solar Project Manager Jean Friend appeared before the planning board on the behalf of landowners Matt and Erin Plummer. He explained to the board the reason for the delay that has spanned three years.

There were “so many applications for solar projects” that CMP was concerned it might overload substations, according to Friend.  

“CMP decided to cluster regional substations together and take an in-depth analysis. We are in the regional cluster hooked to the Raymond substation,” he said.

Apparently, studying that particular substation is not a very high priority so the Raymond substation keeps getting bumped farther down the list, he said. 

“It has been delayed. First, we were told September 2021. The latest word is not until October of this year,” Friend said. “We are unable to move forward with financing and construction. The results of the cluster study [will determine] whether or not to upgrade the substation.”

Naples Code Enforcement Officer (CEO) Kate Matthews asked him to provide the town with copies of the permit from Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in addition to written correspondence from CMP.

“Send us information from CMP confirming what you’ve told us,” she said.

The board OK’d the third year-long extension through June 20, 2024, on the condition that the DEP permits are produced as well as documentation about the delay from CMP.

The vote was 3-0. Voting members were Vice Chair Martina Witts, Robert Fogg and Marty Zartarian.

During the discussion, some details were brought up.

The leased area is 37-1/2 acres. The fence line and everything inside of the fence line will be leased by ISM Solar. Some tree clearing will be done outside of the fence.

Although the solar project was approved prior to the ordinance stating solar equipment cannot be seen from bodies of water or roadway, board members asked about that.

The natural berms around the gravel pit will prevent it from being seen from River Road or Crooked River, Friend said. Additionally, the solar-farm landowners are also the abutting neighbors. A noise test has already been conducted, he said.