Quick Fact: Essential Public Facilities

September 15, 2025

Posted in Our Energy Future

ESSENTIAL PUBLIC FACILITIES:

To meet the energy load increases that the San Juan Comprehensive Plan (30-50%) is calling for – OPALCO will need to have some local renewable generation, add a third very expensive submarine cable from the mainland, or live with unreliable power.

Challenges:

Current land use policies limit local renewable energy development.

Regional energy shortages and submarine cable capacity limits.
No new hydropower and reduced snowpack.
Less than 5% of energy needs can be met by rooftops alone.
OPALCO is committed to providing reliable, uninterrupted service.

If San Juan County is willing to allow for permits on development that will lead to the predicted load growth, then OPALCO needs to be able to meet that demand in a strategic, cost-effective manner. By categorizing renewable energy microgrids as EPFs then OPALCO can better plan to meet future load with carbon free resources that will benefit the whole of the cooperative. OPALCO needs permitting predictability for renewable energy projects to be able to plan for, site, and leverage grants funds when available.

OPALCO is asking to:

Recognize Local Renewable Energy Projects as Essential Public Facilities
Energy infrastructure is as critical as water, communications, and emergency services. The Comprehensive Plan should formally recognize utility-scale solar and microgrid facilities as essential public facilities (EPFs)—giving them the same planning priority and permitting pathways as other crucial services needed to support our island community and local energy independence.

Essential Public Facilities does not bypass critical permitting and environmental standards, including but not limited to:

Critical Areas: Protection of wetlands, wildlife habitats, and other sensitive areas.
Stormwater Management: Compliance with county stormwater requirements.
Utility Fencing Standards: Meeting safety and security fencing requirements.
Clearing and Grading: Following county codes and best practices.
Cultural and Archaeological Protections: Ensuring sites do not impact significant cultural or archaeological resources.
Mitigation Requirements: Follow mitigations needed on any given site.
Other Environmental Impacts as defined in State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA): Ensure that air quality, floodplain regulations, light/glare, discharge of waste, runoff, invasive species, Comp Plan alignment, and preservation requirements can be met.
Land Use Designations: Only parcels with land use designations allowable under San Juan County planning regulations should be considered
Cost considerations: Land, site preparation, and equipment are increasingly expensive – every site would need to be evaluated to ensure that the cost profile makes sense and likely the co-op will need to leverage grant funds.

What can utility scale battery and solar projects do:

Cost-effective and reliable energy, especially in winter.
Agrisolar projects can enhance farming, soil health, and food production.
Offer another level of energy resilience.
Prevents carbon-based resources from being added on the mainland.

Check out all suggestions OPALCO is making for the Comp Plan: https://www.opalco.com/quick-fact-san-juan-county-comprehensive-plan/2025/04/