Samsung C&T plans to seek state permit for Washington Township solar farm soon

WASHINGTON TWP. − Samsung C&T America plans to apply for a state permit in December or January for its proposed solar farm in the township.

Samsung's Stark Solar LLC filed initial paperwork on Tuesday with the Ohio Power Siting Board that said the company plans to file an application within 90 days after holding a public meeting on Dec. 6.

The move comes nearly two years after the company held a public information meeting on the project at Washington Elementary School. Several residents who live near the proposed solar farm site have said they did not want to look from their properties and see solar panels on farm fields.

Then, the company had planned to hold a required public meeting in March 2022, apply for the state permit in June 2022 and begin construction in April 2024. Samsung, a subsidiary of the Samsung conglomerate in South Korea, now appears to be about 20 months behind that timeline.

Ohio Power Siting Board rules require an applicant to hold a public meeting about the project 90 days or less before the company files the permit application. Samsung has scheduled two meetings. The first is from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 29 and Dec. 6. Both meetings will again be at Washington Elementary School at 5786 Beechwood Ave. NE.

Ohio Power Siting Board staff will attend the two meetings to answer residents' questions, said the board's spokesman Matt Butler.

Samsung was expected to send a representative to give an update on the solar farm project to the Washington Township trustees Monday night. But the company canceled that appearance. It said Monday afternoon that due to travel plans of project team members, no one was available to go to the trustees' meeting.

Solar farm background: Solar farm in Washington Township envisioned for 2024

Solar farm site remains the same in Washington Township

Chris Simmons, a development manager for Samsung C&T America, said the proposed solar farm site is the same. The solar panels will be on 10 parcels north and south of Cenfield Street NE and an area north of state Route 153. Lynnhaven Avenue NE and Oakhill Avenue NE are to the west of the properties and Hartzell Avenue NE is to the east.

The solar farm will be on 816 acres leased from property owners as part of a 30-year agreement.

Simmons said Friday that due to an overwhelming number of applications for solar facilities, PJM Interconnection, which oversees the electrical grid in all or parts of 13 states, including Ohio, paused or slowed down the review timelines for projects. PJM has not yet determined how a solar farm in Washington Township that could generate 150 megawatts at a time would fit into the grid.

“We knew it was going to be slow," he said. "But there's still a level of uncertainty. Some projects you kind of have to wait your turn to be evaluated.”

Because of the uncertainty of when PJM would complete its review, Samsung decided not to push an aggressive timeline for the project, Simmons said. He said optimistically, construction might begin in spring 2025, but it could be 2026 or later.

Construction would take about a year. Simmons said the past two years, Samsung has continued design and engineering work and done required environmental and archaeological studies.

Finally late this year, Samsung started the process to seek approval from the Ohio Power Siting Board, Simmons said. Samsung hopes that it would have the approval of the state board and PJM by the end of next year. Samsung plans to file its permit application with the state board in late December or in January.

Simmons said Samsung at the two public meetings would present updated site study results, more clarity on project design and the landscaping plan.

Washington Township project not impacted by 2021 state law about solar farms

Butler, the spokesman for the Ohio Power Siting Board, said because PJM Interconnection completed some studies on how the proposed solar farm would connect with its grid prior to Ohio lawmakers passing legislation in 2021 regulating solar facilities, the Washington Township solar farm project is mostly exempt from the new law. Under Senate Bill 52, county commissioners can veto new large solar projects in their counties.

However, Butler said for the Washington Township solar farm project, the commissioners can still appoint a representative who would have a vote on whether to approve the project with the seven members of the state board. The Washington Township trustees can appoint a representative who would have a ninth vote.

He said before the board can approve or deny a solar project, the board must hold a public hearing.

Stark County Administrator Brant Luther said the Stark County commissioners, who attended the public meeting in December 2021, have not taken a position on the solar farm.

"The board will definitely be following this project with interest and open ears and an open mind," he said.

Washington Township Trustee William Wallace said a couple of residents, still concerned about the aesthetics of solar panels, have approached him and asked if there's anything he can do to stop the project.

"I know that there’s a number of neighbors not happy with it yet," he said.

Reach Robert at robert.wang@cantonrep.com. X formerly known as Twitter: @rwangREP.

Correction: Samsung C&T has 90 days after holding a public meeting on a solar project to apply for a permit for that project from the Ohio Power Siting Board. A prior version of this article gave an incorrect date for the application deadline.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Samsung C&T to hold public meetings on Washington Township solar farm