New solar farm project proposed south of Tri-Cities. Learn more this week in Kennewick

Tri-City Herald staff
·2 min read
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The Washington state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council will be in Kennewick Tuesday for two public hearings on a solar project proposed for southern Benton County.

Wallula Gap Solar is the fourth solar project in the county now seeking a permit through the EFSEC board and could be operating as soon as 2026.

One Energy Renewables of Seattle is proposing a 60-megawatt solar farm, possibly with 240 megawatts of battery storage, on nearly 440 acres just north of the Columbia River.

The site is about 25 miles south of Tri-Cities, off Highway 14 and about five miles west of Interstate 82. It is northwest of Plymouth and east of Paterson.

The land to be leased is previously irrigated farmland owned by Farmland Reserve, the parent company of Kennewick-based AgriNorthwest and the investment arm of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The project’s annual output would be 137,700 megawatt hours, or enough to power about 13,000 average homes, according to One Energy Renewables.

One Energy Renewables is interested in grazing sheep at its proposed solar project south of Tri-Cities, Wash.
One Energy Renewables is interested in grazing sheep at its proposed solar project south of Tri-Cities, Wash.

EFSEC will hold hearings April 23 at the Kennewick Valley Grange, 2611 S. Washington St.

The meeting starts with an open house from 5-5:30 p.m. with staff from EFSEC and One Energy Renewables available to answer questions about the proposed project and state’s review process. From 5:30 to about 7 p.m. an informational public hearing is planned.

The land use consistency hearing is scheduled from 7-8 p.m. to take public comment on the project’s compliance with land use plans and zoning ordinances.

Both hearings also can be watched online. The link and other information is posted at bit.ly/WallulaGaphearings.

Those wishing to speak may sign up with EFSEC before the meeting by calling 360-664-1345 or emailing efsec@efsec.wa.gov.

Comments also may be submitted in writing to efsec@efsec.wa.gov or Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council; Sonia Bumpus, EFSEC director; 621 Woodland Square Loop P.O. Box 43172; Olympia, WA 98504-3172.

The proposed Wallula Gap Solar project would be about 25 miles south of the Tri-Cities on Highway 14 northwest of Plymouth, Wash.
The proposed Wallula Gap Solar project would be about 25 miles south of the Tri-Cities on Highway 14 northwest of Plymouth, Wash.

The Benton County Commission voted in late 2021 to protect farmland by restricting new wind and solar projects to industrial areas. The proposed Wallula Gap project is on Growth Management Act agricultural land.

If a project is recommended by EFSEC, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee may preempt county land use plans and zoning regulations to authorize an energy project.

Two solar projects in northwest Benton County near Yakima County also are proposed, and Scout Clean Energy could include solar production at its proposed Horse Heaven wind farm.

Energy Northwest already operates two solar projects in Benton County.