We have learned of a 3rd proposal for a solar project in Weldon.

It is very small, compared to the first two: 1.5 MW, on 6 - 10 acres.  No site is chosen yet, BLM land is possible.  There has been discussion of it being on South Fork Unified School District property, but that would be much more expensive, and time consuming in jumping through legal hoops.  So it probably won't happen.   

It would be run by a non-profit corporation (name unknown), to benefit the following entities:

Monache Intertribal Assoc. - would manage Operations & Maintenance, and developing the project.

Cerro Coso College, Lake Is. - Cerro Coso solar ed. program

Kern River Valley Community Foundation - Benefiting the KV Hospital Dist., Kern Valley School Districts, Cerro Coso CC, Kern Valley Nuui Cunni Cultural Center, and other projects KRVCF Board determines

South Fork Unified School Dist.

Kern Valley Indian Community - Economic development, Federal recognition
---------------------------
Income estimate: .10/kwh x 1.5 MW - $1,500,000 annually / 4 partners, - operations & mtc. = $337,500 to each partner.  The energy would go on the grid, the benefits would come from this income.

"Power purchase agreements usually about .11 to .13 per kwh. 30% tax rebate (California 2010) expect new rebates - incentives, etc, 2011" (quote from a sheet about this project, passed out at a meeting)

On the plus side, we have local entities developing and operating the project, with a local man in charge.  We have local entities benefiting from the income.  6 - 10 acres is of little concern, depending on location. Obviously the location makes a difference.

PKRV doesn't know enough yet to take any position.  We expect more information in the next couple days.

Here is Newsletter #1, dated 1-7-11, for you to download, print, and post or hand out.

Once we get a mailing list, we will mail them also.

Note the menu item at left, in Resources.  Future issues won't be on the front page of the site.

Newsletter #1 download here.

From Richard - thanks!

Don't pretend to know much about road repairs, but would guess this will take a geologist's assessment, and would need to dry out.  May be a while!

We just learned another solar project is proposed for Weldon.  When http://www.edison.com/pressroom/pr.asp?bu=&year=0&id=7502 was published, and republished many other places, we started getting calls and emails.  There is not much information available, but here is what we have:

Foresight Renewables LLC (website: http://www.fsrenew.com/ ) is part of Foresight Inc., a larger company.  It proposes a solar facility in Weldon, to be called Nicolis, just a short distance from the RRG site.  A Nicolis LLC is referred to, but as of now we have found no information on it.  

Foresight began their process through Edison, rather than Kern County, and the County Planning Dept. has no info on Nicolis.  So Foresight has a commitment to have Edison purchase power, but no CEQA process in motion.




Foresight does not yet own the land - they have an option to purchase 150 - 220 acres of the 538-acre parcel.  So we don't know exactly where on the parcel the project would be located, other than it would be between Kelso Valley Rd. and the neighborhood to the east.  It is just south of the Middle School and the Valley Estates tract also.

Richard Rowe developed a lot of this information.  He also spoke with a Foresight employee, who told Richard that Foresight is concerned about community opposition, and also that the Edison contract may be transferrable to other locations, and they are considering other sites.

Thanks, Richard, for your work on this.

The Foresight proposal supports PKRV's concern that if ONE solar project is created in the KRV, it will be followed by more.  There are numerous potential sites throughout the Valley.    

Thus Foresight is correct to be concerned about community opposition.  Of hundreds of people I have spoken to since March, perhaps two think big solar power plants in the KRV are a good idea.  

PKRV has studies from the Center for Health, Environment & Justice showing that often projects are sited in demographic areas of older, less affluent, and more conservative people.  This is because studies show such people are less likely to mount an effective opposition.  

Interesting, don't you think?  While we are busy keeping up with our lives, people elsewhere are considering how to use our Valley for their own purposes.  But we don't have to fit the mold.