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Wyoming planning commission grants permit to solar project

Casper, Wyo. • A Wyoming planning commission approved a permit to build a utility-scale solar farm, but the project still requires county approval.

The Natrona County Planning Commission approved a permit Tuesday for the proposed solar energy project by Dinosolar LLC, a subsidiary of Utah-based Enyo Renewable Energy, The Casper Star-Tribune reports.

The company plans to construct a 240-megawatt, commercial solar photovoltaic system on 1.8 square miles of leased land west of Bar Nunn, a permit application said.

The solar energy farm would be the largest in Wyoming.

The Dinosolar project still needs to obtain a conditional-use permit from the county and meet other regulatory requirements before moving forward.

The solar panels would generate enough energy to provide power to 51,700 Wyoming homes, the company said.

Dinosolar anticipates the project will generate $2.04 million in property taxes for the county in the first year of operation and $46.7 million over the project's 35-year lifespan.

During construction, the project would contribute $8.7 million to the county through sales and use taxes and nearly $3 million through other tax revenue, the company said.

Dinosolar hopes to begin construction around September 2022 and commercial operation by the end of 2023.