Iowa Utilities Commission Holds Second Day of Hearing on Proposed Ranger Power Solar Project in Cerro Gordo County
Today marks the second day of a public hearing conducted by the Iowa Utilities Commission at The Historic Park Inn Hotel in Mason City.
It is also the second step for Chicago-based Ranger Power in its effort to secure state regulatory approval for a solar panel project on 2,250 acres spanning the Bath, Lake, and Mount Vernon townships south of Mason City and Clear Lake. The proposal follows action by the Cerro Gordo County Board of Supervisors last December, when the board approved changes to the county zoning ordinance that ban large-scale wind, solar, and battery storage development in the county.
In April, Cerro Gordo County hired outside counsel—Ahlers & Cooney of Des Moines—to represent the county in the IUC proceedings. At the time, County Administrative Officer Tom Meyer told North Iowa Now that bringing in an outside law firm would allow the county to more effectively intervene in the IUC process.
“This would allow us to submit ourselves—it’s called intervene—in the process, as a party to their application process,” Meyer said. “It would allow us to, for lack of a better term, present our ordinance on how Cerro Gordo County wants to deal with large-scale renewable energy.”
Meyer added, “I did talk to the county attorney; he concurs with hiring outside counsel for this.”
Ranger Power’s goal is to complete the state permitting process by 2027 and begin construction that year, with the solar farm expected to go online in 2029.
The final day of the hearing is scheduled for tomorrow. Hearings on both of the final two days run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
