FREWSBURG — A new solar project is being planned in the town of Carroll, with the promise of local construction jobs and environmental benefits.

The 10-megawatt project is being sought on 111 acres of land at 196 Main St., Frewsburg.

According to project manager Dennis Ryan, oversight will be carried out by Busti Solar Project LLC, a local company owned by Florida-based ESG Energy Holdings LLC.

A special use permit for the project was recently approved with the condition that the company submit a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan before starting construction.

“The project will take a vacant parcel of land, and transform it into a solar energy project,” Ryan said. “The project will donate $10,000 per year in the form of community benefit grants every year for the life of the project.”

The solar project is expected to cost more than $20 million and will create roughly 167 jobs for its construction. A job fair will give local residents first shot at the jobs at the site, Ryan said.

Once completed, power from the solar arrays will be sold to two local companies that Ryan said are “socially responsible.”

“The long-term fixed price agreement will allow for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and for the consumers to remain competitive while meeting the state requirements related to the climate protection act,” he said.

Frewsburg’s solar energy project will be similar to a project currently underway in Busti by the same company. “The project will offset 6 million pounds of C02-e per year using World Resource Institute data,” Ryan said.

Frewsburg’s plan also includes improvements to the area near the solar project.

“To improve the public’s access to the Conawango Creek, the project at its sole cost is planning to build an ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliant fishing platform with kayak launch on the shoreline of the creek adjacent to the Route 62 overpass,” Ryan said.

Ryan said the Chautauqua County Planning Department issued a referral for the Frewsburg solar energy project last week.

“The referral applauded our project efforts related to the project’s decommissioning plan, community benefit agreement, wetlands, agricultural considerations and visual impact reduction actions taken by the project,” he said.

Ryan’s company has received significant support from the town of Carroll throughout the planning phase of the project.

“The town of Carroll has been awesome to work with” Ryan said. “We are excited by this project and the benefits to the local community. We are very appreciative of the town of Carroll, and Frewsburg Volunteer Fire Company’s willingness to work with us to improve public access and water safety on the Conewango Creek.”

Ryan said the solar energy project has faced some challenges.

“Supply chain issues are the big concern,” he said. “Some components currently have a 12 month time-frame for delivery.

Ryan said the next step in the project is to finalize the interconnection of the electrical grid. The electrical interconnection process can take between 8-12 months, he said.

After the electrical interconnection process is completed, the construction and installation of the solar energy project will take about 18 weeks.

“We expect the project to be online by July 2023,” Ryan said.