
The Midcontinent Independent System Operator on Nov. 24 filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission a Generator Interconnection Agreement with North Star Solar PV LLC and interconnecting transmission owner Northern States Power for a 100-MW solar project in Minnesota.
MISO has designated this project as project No. J385 in its interconnection queue. This is a solar facility rated 100 MW net. The facility is composed of 50 SMA inverter units in a solar photovoltaic farm rated at 2.2 MVA each. The Point of Interconnection will be at the Chisago County substation, 115-kV yard, where the lead line from J385 connects to the bus bar between 115-kV breakers 5P203 and 5P204.
The project’s targeted commercial operation date under this agreement is Oct. 1, 2016.
Listed project contact information is: North Star Solar PV LLC, Attn: Eric Blank, Three Radnor Corporate Center, Suite 300, 100 Matsonford Rd., Radnor, PA 19087, Phone: 484-654-1877, Fax: 484-654-2136.
North Star Solar PV on Nov. 2 filed with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission a draft approval order for this 100-MW (ac) project it wants to build that would supply the Northern States Power unit of Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL). The project developer is seeking a Site Permit and Route Permit for the North Star Solar Electric Power Generating Plant and associated 115-kV high voltage transmission line (HVTL) in Chisago County, Minn. The proposed in-service date for the projects is Nov. 1, 2016.
North Star Solar PV is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Community Energy Renewables LLC. Community Energy develops, markets and builds renewable energy projects throughout the United States.
Total costs for constructing the North Star solar project are estimated to be approximately $180 million.
For the HVTL Project, North Star has filed a Large Generator Interconnection Agreement (LGIA) application with MISO that is identified as queue number J385. North Star entered the J385 interconnect request into the MISO Definitive Planning Phase study process in February 2015.