The South Ripley Solar Project is delayed by a number of factors, according to a letter sent by organizers to landowners.

Ripley Town Supervisor Laurie Pless recently shared the letter at a town board meeting. The letter explains that tree clearing will not take place in January 2026, as was planned. According to the letter, this is just a delay in the project — not a cancellation.

“Due to the current state of the economy, the costs to construct this project have increased far beyond this company’s despite our best efforts,” according to the letter, signed by South Ripley Solar Project Manager Alex Spiridakis. “There are several factors impacting the project, including import tariffs, high interest rates and federal trade policies that bring uncertainty to cost of material,”

Spiridakis wrote that developers have invested nearly $30 million in the project “and we remain fully committed to bringing this project to construction and delivering the benefits we’ve all wanted to see materialize.”

However, a “clearer picture of next steps and timing” is not expected until spring 2026. Spiridakis goes on to promise updates and repeatedly thanks the landowners for their support and patience. He asserts that “we’re determined to pursue every possible path to get this project across the finish line.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a contract for the 270-megawatt South Ripley Solar Project in May. The move came with some local opposition, with several town residents protesting the project at government meetings.

The project will supposedly provide more than $800,000 in annual additional tax revenue for Ripley, and nearly $390,000 annually to the Ripley and Sherman school districts.