Albany-Dougherty PDA action could facilitate solar array project

ALBANY — The Albany-Dougherty Payroll Development Authority turned some “old business” into potentially lucrative new business Wednesday morning, approving an agreement that could bring up to $13 million in additional tax money into the community over the next 30 years.

Taking action on an inducement resolution that was previously approved by the PDA in 2014, the board agreed Wednesday to OK an updated agreement with Orion Solar Energy and a new, unnamed partner, on 1,000 acres of farmland in the county that could potentially bring “between $11 million and $13 million” of new tax money into the community, according to County Commission Chairman Chris Cohilas, who also is a PDA board member.

“Orion, which has a new partner and will operate under a new name, is asking for tax abatement that will primarily impact the county,” Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard, who chairs the PDA, said. “Mr. Cohilas, as chairman of the County Commission, has researched this issue and will report for the board.”

Cohilas pointed out that the PDA board had approved a similar agreement sought by Orion in 2014 when the company submitted a request for proposal sought by Georgia Power. Orion planned to build a large-scale solar array on Moultrie Road near Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany if its proposal at that time had been accepted. It was not.

Now, the group is submitting another RFP to Georgia Power and would again purchase the land if its proposal is accepted.

“They are not asking for complete tax abatement, but they are asking for abatement,” Cohilas said. “Of course, it would not kick in — and the purchase would not be made — until its RFP was accepted. And even with the abatement the company is seeking, the county would realize significantly more in tax money (if Orion and its partner makes the purchase).

“We should know within the next 12 months whether their RFP is approved and, if it is, the purchase of the property would trigger the tax abatement and the solar program moving forward. The $11 million to $13 million in taxes that the county would collect over the next 30 years would be significantly more than what we’re getting for property that is just sitting there.”

Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission President Justin Strickland told the board the agreement it was asked to approve Wednesday would simply be an update of the agreement the PDA reached in 2014 for Orion and its new partner.

“The company would operate under a new name, but most of the principles (the board dealt with before) are the same,” Strickland. “I’m not sure what the new company would be called, but it would be another LLC (limited liability company).”

The board later went into executive session to discuss property acquisition and possible litigation.