Wagoner County solar farm proposed near Porter, vote on permit in June

The Wagoner County Commission will vote soon on a permit for a proposed solar farm near Porter. The project, named "Persica" by Nextera Energy Resources, would cover about 1,500 acres with solar panels.

Where would the solar farm be built?

Nextera Energy Project Manager Alison MacLeod said the company has agreements with 25 landowners to lease rural property between Porter and the Arkansas River. While the project boundaries include several thousand acres, much of that would be easements for infrastructure, including underground lines. Brian Livesay said his family is leasing several hundred acres for the project.

How much energy would be produced?

Nextera's proposal calls for 241 megawatts of production, which roughly could provide power for 160,000 homes. The project would feed power into the grid at a PSO substation.

How many jobs would be created?

Nextera documents describe a $335 million investment to build it, with up to 300 construction jobs over an 18-month timeline. Once the project is operational, 3 or 4 people would work at the site.

How will it impact the environment?

MacLeod said the configuration of the project would largely avoid existing tree lines and waterways.

"We do a lot of environmental studies to make sure we don't negatively impact the surrounding area, the flora, fauna, all that, and because of that we wind up avoiding a lot of areas in the community to make sure we're not impacting trees, waterways, that sort of thing," she said.

Would it generate taxes?

Nextera estimates the project would generate $31 million in new property taxes over the 30-year expected life of the solar farm.

What's next for the project?

The Wagoner County Commission is considering a permit to allow construction of the solar farm. A vote is tentatively planned for June 16th.

Where can I get more information?

Nextera Energy Resources gave a presentation at the County Commission and answered other questions in this document.

Opponents of the project have a website and have spoken at previous commission meetings where the project was discussed.