The Hampton County Council met Feb.21 and voted to accept a 40-year, Fee-in-Lieu tax agreement for five solar companies set to locate in the county.
A final public hearing regarding the county’s acceptance of a 40-year, Fee-in-Lieu of Ad Valorem tax agreement with solar provider Southern Current was accepted in a 3-2 vote by the Hampton County Council Tuesday. Council members Charles “Buddy” Phillips, Isaac Smith and Chairman Dr. Roy Hollingsworth voted in favor of the tax incentive; Shedron Williams and Ronald Winn voted against the tax breaks due to the 40-year length of the incentive agreement.
Both Winn and Williams stated during the meeting they would comfortably vote yes for a 20-year term; however, a 40-year tax incentive was far more than the two members of council could agree to support. Several representatives from Sothern Current, as well as legal representatives from the law firm Parker Poe, answered numerous questions from council members.
Representatives claim the project will be a $100-million dollar investment over the life of the project. Sothern Current will bring $608,000 dollars a year to the county for a period of 40 years and employ 150 builders and multiple local businesses during the construction of the four solar farms to be located within the county. After the construction phase of the project is completed, four or five electrical technicians will be hired at each of the five locations to provide maintenance. Also, local landscape companies could potentially benefit greatly from the 50-acre plus sites which will need to be regularly mowed.
“I can’t support a 40-year term,” said Williams. “I could support 20 years, but I just cannot support 40 years.” He went on to explain he was greatly troubled by a large company not paying millions of dollars in taxes to the county, and wishes to safeguard the county from any future financial difficulties stemming from a lengthy tax break for these companies.
The representative from the Parker Poe Law Firm and Cyprus Creek Renewables informed council the county will remain protected, contractually, from receiving new or unforeseen financial requirements if the project dissolved before the 40-year term had concluded, or if the county decided they would like to exit the agreement. The representatives also claim long term contracts will be in place to sell the power generated by the solar farms to SCE&G.
Williams also had concerns surrounding the placement of the solar farms, mainly with the close proximity of several of the solar sites to neighborhoods. He questioned the company representatives about the safety of the solar farms, to which they informed him there are no expected safety concerns with regards to residential neighborhoods or their proximity to the solar farms.
After a lengthy question and answer session, the multiple tax incentives were passed by Hampton County Council with a 3-2 vote.
Project Curie
Also during the meeting, representatives with Southern Carolina Alliance announced a fifth, separate, solar provider may soon construct a solar farm in Hampton County, as well.
Although smaller in scale, this $2.5 million dollar project will be located on Highway 601 and will sell the power generated to SCE&G. It, too, will have a 40-year flat fee placed upon the project.
The first reading of Project Curie passed with another 3-2 vote by council members; Winn and Williams voted no.
“It’s the 40 years,” Winn whispered to Williams after voting no.
Officials claim Project Curie will be a community solar program, unlike the multiple Southern Current locations. Individuals will be allowed to purchase stock in Project Curie, which will in turn reduce the electric bill of SCE&G customers; SCE&G will be the purchaser to the solar power created by the solar farm. As part of the agreement, SCE&G will offer residents who have purchased a stake in Project Curie a reduced electric bill.
Look for a full Hampton County Council meeting story later in the week at www.hamptoncountyguardian.com.