A $500 million solar project expected to bring $157 million in property tax revenue to Converse County is delayed as the company behind the project continues to seek a buyer for the power it would produce.
Donald Millar, the senior director of development at BrightNight LLC met with Converse County Commissioners on Tuesday to announce the delay of its project, which calls for building the solar panels high enough for sheep to graze under them.
The Dutchman Renewable Power Project was expected to start construction in June, Commissioner Rick Grant told Cowboy State Daily.
But because the company has still not determined how to connect the power it will generate to the grid and who that power will serve, construction is now not expected until sometime in 2027, he said.
That’s after the project was initially scheduled to begin construction in March 2024 and come online in July 2026.
“They’re waiting on a good, firm commitment,” Grant said.
The Dutchman project will be Converse County’s first commercial-scale solar project.
State Sen. Brian Boner, R-Douglas, said he’s not surprised by the announcement.
“We know the project isn’t real until they break ground,” he said.
Calls and emails to BrightNight were not returned prior to publication.
A Bigger Issue?
The Dutchman development is not the first solar project in Wyoming to stall because it doesn't yet have a buyer for its electricity.
A solar project in Goshen County that aimed to produce 163 megawatts of electricity hit a big snag last year when it was ready to develop but had no feasible way of transmitting the electricity it would generate to market.
Cowboy Energy of Sheridan had invested millions of dollars and spent three years developing what would be one of the state’s first agriculture-friendly solar installations in Goshen County. The company lost its investment partner, Portugal-based Greenvolt Power, because it couldn’t find a buyer for the power.
The project would also have generated needed economic benefits for the second poorest county per capita in Wyoming, Brian Young, CEO of Go Goshen Economic Development, previously told Cowboy State Daily.
“That would be a game changer in terms of our county and municipal tax generation," he said.
Wyoming’s first commercial-scale solar power facility, with more than 1.2 million solar panels, became operational in April 2024.
The power generated by the $1.2 billion South Cheyenne Solar Facility is being sold under a purchase agreement with Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power, a subsidiary of Black Hills Energy.
That’s according to Qcells, a renewable energy company and one of the top manufacturer of solar panels in the U.S.
The power from that solar farm exclusively provides renewable energy to the Cheyenne Microsoft data center.
Not Real Until They Break Ground
Boner said his county is familiar with all types of energy projects.
He expressed little surprise upon learning what was to be Wyoming’s third commercial-scale solar power plant is being delayed.
A delay in the project’s start also means a delay in tax dollars for the county as well as in added jobs.
“You’re stuck with a lot of variables that are completely outside of your control,” Boner said, variables that would be beneficial to local family businesses.
“Any sort of energy project will make our agriculture more sustainable and will help keep ranches in the family,” Boner said.
Where Are The Buyers?
Grant said BrightNight is still in talks with two of Wyoming’s major power suppliers, Rocky Mountain Power and Black Hills Energy, about possible purchasing agreements for electricity the Dutchman project would produce.
Boner speculated whether part of the hang-up is because Rocky Mountain Power is going through a transitional period.
“There’s been some turbulence within Rocky Mountain Power,” he said. “They’re dealing with a lot of change within their organization.”
Jona Whitesides, a spokesman for Rocky Mountain Power, said the company does buy electricity from a few solar facilities in Wyoming.
He declined to say whether Rocky Mountain Power has been approached by BrightNight about buying the electricity it will generate, citing confidentiality agreements between parties.
Boner also postulated that lack of certainty around energy tax credits could be driving the hesitation of potential buyers of solar power.
“We have to be serious about baseload power,” he said, referring to power generated by coal, natural gas and nuclear. “The fact is, we haven’t kept up with building those power resources.”
Wyoming generates about 15 times more energy than it consumes. Much of that power has to travel long distances to where it’s is actually needed.
Developer Acquisition
Initially, BrightNight LLC was one of two developers named for the Dutchman solar project.
The other, Canada-based Cordelio Power, was recently acquired by Pattern Energy.
It’s not clear whether Pattern Energy will have a stake in the Dutchman project or whether the project is now BrightNight’s alone.
Cowboy State Daily reached out to Pattern Energy for comment but had not received a response prior to publication.
Kate Meadows can be reached at kate@cowboystatedaily.com.
