Madison County commissioners are appealing the approval of the largest solar project in the state to the Ohio Supreme Court.
The Oak Run solar project in Madison County includes an 800 megawatt solar farm, 300 megawatt battery storage, and transmission lines.
The Ohio Power Siting Board approved the Oak Run solar project in March by a vote of 7-2.
The two dissenting votes came from Madison County residents appointed to the siting board just for this project. The siting board then denied a rehearing back in August.
Earlier this month, Madison County commissioners voted 2-1 to pursue legal counsel to appeal the project.
The project garnered a large community response. Over 1,000 public comments were submitted to the siting board.
Chris Wallace is one of the Madison County commissioners who voted to appeal. He said the siting board might be considering business interest over local voters.
“And we've made clear that we don't believe (Oak Run is) a good use of land in Madison County. We are an agricultural-first county. We would like that land to stay agricultural,” Wallace said.
Madison County Commissioner Mark Forrest opposed the county's appeal. He supports solar and landowner rights, he said, and the project will bring a host of benefits to the county, such as tax yields.
“So I just feel that the energy needed (in the region), the tax base improvements — it'll give the commissioners some money that they could put toward roads, safety and health of all the residents of Madison County,” Forrest said.
This appeal could take up to two years before the supreme court justices hear it, Wallace said.
This project, once constructed, would be the largest agrivoltaic project in the U.S. and is currently the largest solar project ever approved in Ohio.
A spokesperson from developer Savion Energy told WYSO this appeal won’t affect its planning.
“The project (team) is staying focused on following the appropriate process to continue to advance the project,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.
