NextEra faces scrutiny over 1,200-acre solar plan

OWENSBORO, Ky. — A proposed 150-megawatt solar farm in Daviess County has sparked intense debate, with residents and officials grilling NextEra Energy Resources over its potential impact on farmland, safety and transparency during a marathon three-and-a-half-hour fiscal court work session on Sept. 3.

The Owensboro Solar project, which would span 1,200 acres of leased farmland, aims to power the regional grid but faces a significant hurdle: a county ordinance requiring a 1,000-foot setback from neighboring properties. The ordinance, amended from 75 feet in January, has stalled NextEra’s application to the Kentucky Electric Generation & Transmission Siting Board, prompting calls for a reduction to 350 feet, a standard in other counties like Breckinridge.

“We’re constantly monitoring these facilities 24/7 to ensure safety,” said Lester Morales, NextEra’s senior project manager, emphasizing that solar panels, made of glass and metal, and inverters with non-hazardous oils pose low fire risks.

He noted emergency plans include local fire department training, addressing concerns about rural fire resources.

But Commissioner Janie Marksberry pressed for specifics, citing risks like faulty wiring and vegetation accumulation.

“Fire hazards at solar farms or faulty wiring, overheating electrical equipment and poor installation, vegetation accumulation, component failures, DC isolators connectors and inverters are the source of many solar farm fires,” she said.

Residents voiced frustration over transparency, learning of the project in January 2025 through word-of-mouth rather than NextEra’s mailed postcards, which some never received. 

Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen read one citizen’s question, which said:

“We are residents whose property is adjacent to this proposed 1200 acre solar project. We just found out about this in January of 2025. We found out about it by word of mouth through our neighbors.”

NextEra clarified that it met state notification requirements, sending notices to residents within 2,400 feet of the project boundary and hosting an open house. The company promised to provide proof of compliance and include the fiscal court in future notifications.

Agricultural impacts loomed large, with residents fearing the loss of prime farmland and local farm jobs. NextEra claimed the leased land, held by five landowners under non-disclosure agreements, avoids prime farmland per USDA definitions and can be restored after the project’s 20-to-30-year lifespan. However, with no decommissioned sites to prove restoration, skepticism persists.

Commissioner Larry Conder pushed for economic clarity.

“You should be able to get that fairly quickly and boil it down,” he said. “What are those rates compared to ours to just really make sure what is that revenue, state revenue impact to our community?”

NextEra deferred tax revenue estimates to post-hearing reports, citing projects like Henderson County’s as models.

Flooding concerns tied to the county’s 1997 flood, also surfaced. NextEra promised compliance with state stormwater regulations and vegetative buffers, but residents demanded site-specific plans for a 1,200-acre project in a flood-prone region.

The 1,000-foot setback remains the central issue, with NextEra arguing its overly restrictive compared to industry standards. The company highlighted its community engagement, including sponsoring golf tournaments and bookbag drives, but residents want hard data on safety, flooding and economic impacts.

With a July 2026 construction deadline tied to federal incentives, the fiscal court awaits NextEra’s promised data, including fire incident histories, tax projections and notification records. A follow-up meeting is planned to address the setback ordinance and project viability.

The debate reflects Daviess County’s struggle to balance clean energy ambitions with its agricultural heritage.

“We’re not against solar,” Castlen said, “but we need to protect our community’s interests.”