NextEra Energy Resources spokesman Bryan Garner told The Lincoln Journal Star that the company is looking into a potential 423-megawatt solar farm in northeast Nebraska. The potential project would be the largest solar project in Nebraska and the Midwest.
The amount of available land in Nebraska makes the state attractive for projects, Garner said.
NextEra has already taken steps to move forward with the project, Garner said. The company has signed a lease for 2,500 acres in Pierce County and is also seeking an interconnection agreement with the Southwest Power Pool, which operates a regional electric grid and wholesale market.
Construction on the solar project could begin in 2022 if it’s found to be feasible, Garner said.
NextEra is already operating multiple wind farms in Nebraska, including the 75-megawatt Steele Flats wind farm near Diller and the 90-megawatt Cottonwood wind farm in Webster County. The company is also constructing a 160-megawatt Sholes wind farm in Wayne County, and is exploring expanding its wind generation efforts to southern Lancaster and northern Gage counties.
The Pierce County project would be the company’s first solar installation in Nebraska. NextEra has more than 30 solar projects in the U.S. and Canada.