
The North Carolina Utilities Commission on Sept. 6 approved an April 18 application from the Bay Branch Solar LLC affiliate of Hexagon Energy LLC for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for construction of a 4.95-MW (ac) facility to be located at 6254 US Route 17, Chocowinity, Beaufort County, North Carolina.
Bay Branch Solar was organized in the state in March of this year. Its sole member is Hexagon Energy, whose officers include: Matthew Hantzmon, Founder/Chairman; and Drew Price, Managing Director.
This is to be a solar photovoltaic array consisting of approximately 18,240 PV modules mounted on single-axis tracking arrays and six 825-kW inverters (or equivalent).
It is intended that the facility be operational by Dec. 31, 2017. The facility will interconnect to the Chocowinity 230-kV substation operated by Duke Energy Progress and would sell electricity to Duke Energy Progress via a 15-year Power Purchase Agreement at the standard purchase rates found in the Cogeneration and Small Power Producer (CSP) tariff.
Projected annual sales for the $10.2 million facility are 8,986,000 kilowatt hours in the first year. Sales for each subsequent year are projected to be reduced by 0.5% year-over-year per the expected degradation of polysilicon PV systems.
Project contact information is: 302 Park St, Suite 300, Charlottesville, VA 22902, phone (434) 987-5452, nford@hexagon-energy.com.