SOLAR POWER IN NEW YORK
Limestone Solar
AES’ Limestone Solar project is planned utility-scale solar facility located in the Town of Lyme, in Jefferson County, New York. This project will allow for continued production of clean energy, as well as help diversify the state’s energy resources while delivering affordable and reliable energy to meet New York’s rapidly growing electricity demand.
150 MW planned capacity
Enough clean energy to power over 20,000 homes annually
Located in Jefferson County, NY
Project updates
Our clean energy commitment
AES’ Limestone Solar project is a planned facility in New York. We are committed to responsible clean energy development that creates long-term value and positive impact for both the environment and local communities.
Economic and environmental benefits
We believe in being a good neighbor, ensuring responsible clean energy development that benefits both the environment and local communities without burdening existing infrastructure.
$ millions in tax revenue
expected to be generated for the local community over the lifetime of the project
Local jobs to be created
over the course of construction
Project details
- Plans to connect the Lyme to Coffeen 115kv line
- At the end of the project's life, a decommissioning plan allows for the land to return to agricultural use or other uses consistent with land-use policies at the time
Clean energy benefits
local communities
Long-term tax revenue to local communities and school districts
Local economic stimulus during construction
Local economic stimulus during construction
Social impact funding to area community organizations and non-profits
Low-cost source of electricity that supports local energy security
Expected project timeline
Project updates
SUSTAINABILITY RESOURCES
Sustainability best practices
At AES, safety is our highest priority, and we’ve focused on improving lives for more than 40 years. As a leading innovator in energy solutions, sustainability is core to both our strategy and our culture. We are committed to responsible land use and incorporating sustainable best practices into the entire project lifecycle, contributing to building a domestic circular renewables economy and reducing foreign dependence.
Environmental and technical studies
The Applicant has conducted the surveys required by the Section 94-c process and the previous Article 10 process to assess potential environmental and community impacts, as well as aesthetic and visual impacts to the area surrounding the Facility Site. The Facility will not produce emissions of air or water pollution, no odors, and minimal noise. and will have a low profile relative to other types of development. Additionally, the Applicant intends to minimize impacts to community character through strategically placing fencing, vegetative screening, landscape strategies, maximizing setbacks from residential uses, and avoiding sensitive resources. Impacts related to the construction and operation of the Facility are limited to:
- Temporary and minor permanent impacts to agricultural land (pasture and row crops), forested land, and successional shrubland. Areas that are temporarily impacted will be restored to their original condition following the completion of construction.
- Tree clearing has been limited to 46 acres of the 1,471-acre Facility Site. It is focused in the eastern and western areas for the siting of solar arrays, fencing, haul roads, and inverter pads. By focusing clearing efforts in these areas, fragmentation of forested habitat will be limited and impacts to forestland will not be widespread. In addition, the Applicant will leave existing hedgerows and vegetative barriers where possible.
- The Applicant will work with the Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) regarding mitigation to State-jurisdictional wetlands for unavoidable impacts of 0.03 acres. A wetland mitigation and restoration plan will be developed in accordance with Section 900-2.15(g) of the 94-c regulations.
- There are no impacts to State-protected streams as part of the construction and operation of the Facility. All Facility components will be sited more than 50 feet from State-protected waterbodies.
- The Applicant has developed a net conservation benefit plan (NCBP) for the short-eared owl, northern harrier, and Henslow’s sparrow involving Applicant-implemented grassland bird habitat conservation.
- Traffic-related impacts associated with the Facility will be minor during the site preparation and construction phases when there may be a temporary increase in vehicle traffic on area roadways. Once operational, the workforce will not affect traffic around the Facility Site and will have no impacts on adjacent roadways.
- Noise and vibrational modeling has been conducted to confirm that impacts resulting from the construction and operation of the Facility will not exceed the design goals listed within the regulations of Section 94-c of the New York State Executive Law. Adverse noise impacts have been avoided or minimized through careful siting of Facility components.
- There is minimal expected visibility of the Facility within the two-mile visual study area. In accordance with USC §900-6.4 (l), the Applicant will implement the Visual Impacts Minimization and Mitigation Plan, including visual contrast minimization and mitigation measures, a lighting plan, solar glare mitigation requirements, and screen planting plans.
Local partnerships
At AES, we understand that our success as a company is only as strong as our partnerships with the communities where we operate. That’s why we partner with communities, customers, state agencies, higher education, elected officials, and other key stakeholders to see how we can best work together to support sustainable social and economic development.
Article VIII Permit Application Process
ORES and the RAPID Act
Effective April 20, 2024, the Renewable Action through Project Interconnection and Deployment (RAPID) Act (L 2024, ch 58, part O) repealed Executive Law § 94-c and enacted a new Public Service Law article VIII entitled “Siting of Renewable Energy and Electric Transmission” (Article VIII). The RAPID Act consolidates the environmental review, permitting, and siting of major renewable energy facilities and major electric transmission facilities under the purview of the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (Office or ORES).
The RAPID Act also transferred ORES’s regulations at 19 NYCRR part 900 (Part 900) to 16 NYCRR chapter XI, and continued Part 900 in full force and effect subject to conforming changes, such as the substitution of numbering, names, titles, citations, and other non-substantive changes to be filed with the Secretary of State. Effective July 17, 2024, the conforming changes were filed with the Secretary of State as a new 16 NYCRR part 1100 (Part 1100).
The text of the new Part 1100 currently in effect may be accessed at ORES Regulatory Documents.
Article VIII Permitting Timeline
How to receive notices
Join the Limestone Solar stakeholder list.
Joining the Stakeholder List enables you to receive mailings of the Article VIII required notices.
You can join this list by:
Filling out the "Contact Us" webform at the bottom of this page
Calling 866-757-7697
Emailing limestonesolar@aes.com
Subscribe to the Limestone Solar service list once the permit application has been submitted.
Requesting Party Status
Article VIII Permit Application Examination
To learn more about the Article VIII permitting process, please visit the Office of Renewable Energy Siting website at https://ores.ny.gov/.
The final Article VIII regulations are available at Chapter XI, Title 16 of NYCRR Part 1100 (Subparts 1100-1 - 1100-15)
Resources related to the PSC Document Matter Master system, local agency account funds, and regulatory documents can be viewed on the ORES website at https://ores.ny.gov/resources
Information on the Article VIII permit applications currently under review and those which have been deemed complete, can be found at https://ores.ny.gov/permit-applications
Limestone Solar
The application, once filed, can be examined during normal business hours at the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission, as well as at the local libraries served in accordance with section 1100-1.6(a)(6) of this Part.
The addresses of these locations are:
Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) c/o: OGS Mailroom Empire State Plaza 240 State Street P-1 South, J Dock Albany, N.Y. 12242
Town of Lyme Town Hall: 12175 NY-12E, Chaumont, NY 13622
Availability of Local Agency Account (Intervenor) Funds
Intervenor funding is money that Applicants make available to qualified, locally affected parties and municipalities to offset certain expenses they incur in participating in the state permitting process. These funds are meant to encourage early and effective public involvement in project development and permitting.
With the filing of its Article VIII permit application, Limestone Solar will submit the required local agency account fee. These funds can be sought by local community intervenors and host towns. 75% of funds are reserved for municipalities.
Any local agency or potential community intervenor seeking funding must submit a request for initial funding within 30 days of the date of application filing.
Additional details regarding requests for local agency account funding will be provided once the Limestone Solar Article VIII has been submitted to ORES.
Requests for local agency account funds can be made via:
The ORES Request for Local Agency Account Funding form available in the Resources section of the ORES website
Or by email to general@ores.ny.gov
Or by mail to Attention: Request for Local Agency Account Funding Office of Renewable Energy Siting Empire State Plaza 240 State Street P-1 South, J Dock Albany, NY 12242
If you have questions regarding the intervenor process, please contact the ORES office.
Contact ORES
To submit any questions or comments regarding the Article VIII permitting process, reach out to ORES by phone, email or written letter.
Phone: (518) 473-4590
Email: general@ores.ny.gov
Mailing information (letters and envelopes):
Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES)
c/o OGS Mailroom Empire State Plaza
240 State Street P-1 South, J Dock
Albany, NY 12242
Contact us
We want to hear from you! We appreciate your interest in AES’ Limestone Solar. Please contact us directly at: