A note form the editor: Published below is a copy of the public memorandum written by Rob Dooley, the CEO of St. Croix Electric Cooperative. -Hannah Goette
TO: St. Croix Interested Parties
FROM: Rob Dooley, President/CEO – St. Croix Electric Cooperative
DATE: March 18. 2025
RE: SCEC Response to local Solar Questions
As a rural electrical cooperative, St. Croix Electric Cooperative (SCEC) believes in a strong and reliable electrical grid. As part of having a strong and sustainable grid, we need to utilize both conventional and green energy sources. Green energy is an important component of electrical generation both from a functional and an environmental standpoint. Solar power helps to supplement the electric grid and allows utilities to generate power in an environmentally friendly manner. SCEC supports the use of solar power generation facilities as part of a comprehensive electrical generation system.
The use of solar power generation facilities is here to stay. However, the main concern is where to place the facilities. When installing our first community solar facility, SCEC utilized land we owned near our offices. That property was no longer being used for agricultural purposes and was not located in a residential area. Based on its location, SCEC deemed that parcel to be the best location from both a power generation and property usage perspective. Additionally, the property was located within the SCEC service area and did not require the installation of transmission lines to convey the load being generated. The project scope was tailored to conform with the surrounding area.
SCEC has concerns regarding public utilities commissioning large-scale solar projects outside of their service territories. To be clear, landowners have the right to control the use of their own land. But, in addition to removing large tracts of land from future development or agriculture, these large projects require the construction of transmission lines from the solar field to the main power grid. The resulting process will result in the solar fields being a “balloon on a string” in the middle of cooperative service areas. The effect of the location of these facilities has yet to be fully realized.
SCEC will continue to evaluate the economics and efficiencies of solar power on behalf of our members. In future projects, SCEC will endeavor to select project sites that optimize the usage of the land, blend in with the surrounding area, and limit the amount of infrastructure needed to operate and transmit electricity. SCEC has chosen two sites for the 2025 construction of solar arrays that fit this description and will benefit our members for years to come.
As always, if members or citizens in general have questions, they are always welcome to call or come see me.