BOLTON, Miss. (WLBT) – The largest solar farm in the state is headed to Hinds County – with or without the approval of its residents.
In a 3-2 vote on Monday, the Hinds County Board of Supervisors approved the controversial “Soul City Solar Project,” a development of Apex Clean Energy.
Residents in both the Raymond and Bolton area have voiced opposition to the 6,500-acre farm, questioning the impact to the natural landscape.
“This much concrete, this [many] solar panels taking up this much, it’s gonna be flowing right into our properties,” said David Kazery, a Raymond resident. “And then hail damage releasing lead, silver, arsenic, and cadmium out of the solar panels. It’s just gonna come right downstream into my property.”
Before the solar farm could be constructed, Apex needed to obtain two conditional use permits, one for the construction and operation of a “battery energy storage system,” and one to build the “photovoltaic electric-powered generation facility.”
The Planning Board denied the request for the permit to construct the solar farm on a 7-0 vote. The request for the battery energy storage system died for a lack of a second, county documents show.
The project is expected to generate up to $150 million in tax revenue and also employ over 400 people with construction and for the farm.
If approved, Apex plans to get construction started late next year.
Hinds County officials say it will be a 6,500-acre solar panel farm that will generate enough energy to power over 95,000 homes throughout the county.
They expect the solar farm to be complete and fully operational by the end of 2027.
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