Castle Rock Solar Project

Castle Rock Solar, LLC (Castle Rock Solar), an independent power producer and wholly owned subsidiary of Midcontinental Renewables, LLC, seeks a permit to construct and operate an up to 150 megawatt (MW) alternating current photovoltaic solar energy generating facility and associated infrastructure in Dakota County, Minnesota. Castle Rock Solar proposes to develop the project on approximately 934 acres within a site of 1,355 acres in Castle Rock Township. Castle Rock Solar is currently engaged in easement negotiations for up to 60 additional acres for the routing of approximately 1,000 feet (up to two acres) of collection lines to connect two PV array areas in the southwest corner of the site. The additional 60 acres may also potentially host solar arrays depending on final landowner lease agreements.

Castle Rock Solar has designed this project with two potential connection scenarios: the Preferred Option and the Alternate Option. The Preferred Option and the Alternate Option layouts are largely the same with some minor deviations based on the configuration of the Project substation and other facilities. Both the Preferred and Alternate Option layouts will interconnect to the grid via a 138 kilovolt (kV) gen-tie line that connects to Xcel Energy’s existing Chub Lake to Hampton Corners 345kV transmission line that runs along 230th Street West and bisects the site. The Preferred Option would utilize an approximately 200-foot-long gen-tie line while the Alternate Option would utilize an approximately 1,450- foot-long gen-tie line.