2024-UA-137

The docket does not specifically discuss financial or timeline risks and concerns related to the Attala Solar facility. It mentions that the petitioner, Attala Solar, LLC, is not subject to the Commission’s jurisdiction regarding requirements to report on costs of construction, progress of construction, or any revisions of cost estimates, and has requested a waiver of such requirements. Therefore, potential financial and timeline risks, cost overruns, or construction delays are not detailed or discussed in the provided excerpts 1, 2.

The main stakeholders in this docket (Docket No. 2024-UA-137) are:

- Attala Solar, LLC (the petitioner): The company seeking a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) to construct and operate a 200 MWAC solar electric generating facility in Attala County, Mississippi. Attala Solar, LLC is in favor of the proposal.

- Mississippi Public Service Commission (MPSC): The regulatory body overseeing the process, responsible for granting or denying the CPCN.

- Mississippi Public Utilities Staff: Provided recommendations to the Commission regarding the proposal.

- Entergy Mississippi, LLC and MISO (Midcontinent Independent System Operator): Entities involved in the interconnection for the delivery of electricity, but not as objectors or proponents of the CPCN.

- Local stakeholders: Residents of Attala County, the local school district, and potentially other interested persons notified per Commission procedure.

Positions:
- There were no objections or protests filed against the petition, and no objections made to granting the order. The Commission, based on the Utilities Staff's recommendation, found the construction of the facility to be in the public interest and granted the CPCN to Attala Solar, LLC. The order was referred and voted on by the commissioners, all of whom voted in favor. No stakeholder is recorded as being against the proposal 1.

The areas of growth identified in this docket are:

- Construction and operation of a solar electric generating facility in Attala County, Mississippi.
- Economic growth via job creation and capital investment.
- Increase in local tax revenues.

Key considerations related to each area:

- The facility will create up to 300 full-time equivalent construction jobs at its peak, with 10-12 permanent jobs after completion. This supports local employment growth.
- The capital investment required for development and construction is estimated at $175 million, which benefits the state and local economy.
- The facility’s taxable value is expected to provide significant ad valorem tax revenue to Attala County and the local school district.
- The project will produce clean, renewable energy, contributing to environmental sustainability by generating electricity without greenhouse gas emissions or fuel costs.
- The facility will sell its output at wholesale in interstate commerce, and is not subject to the Mississippi Public Service Commission’s jurisdiction except for obtaining a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN). The commission’s oversight is limited to ensuring compliance with permitting and reporting requirements, not rate setting or utility operations 1, 2.

Based on the provided excerpts, the following timeline of key events and submissions in this proceeding can be established:

- June 23, 2021: Attala Solar LLC was formed as a Delaware limited liability company 1.
- June 28, 2021: Attala Solar LLC registered to do business in Mississippi 1.
- October 2, 2024: Attala Solar LLC confirmed to be in good standing in both Delaware and Mississippi 1.
- November 25, 2024: Petition and supporting documents (including corporate documents, certificates of authority, and testimony) submitted to the Mississippi Public Service Commission (PSC) for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) 2, 1.
- November 25, 2024: Certificate of service filed, confirming that filings were served to all interested parties in compliance with PSC rules 2.
- June 18, 2025: PSC issues an order affirming Attala Solar LLC is not a public utility, grants waivers for certain procedural requirements, and confirms the facility is not utility property under Mississippi law 3.

These are the key dates and actions documented in the excerpts.

The docket concerns the petition of Attala Solar, LLC for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) to construct and operate a 200 MWAC solar electric generating facility in Attala County, Mississippi. The Mississippi Public Service Commission approved the request after determining that:

- Attala Solar, LLC is not a public utility but qualifies as an "other person" under state law, requiring a CPCN for construction of the facility.
- The facility will sell electricity at wholesale in interstate commerce and is not subject to the Commission’s rate jurisdiction.
- Construction will create up to 300 construction jobs at its peak, with 10-12 permanent jobs after completion, and represents a capital investment of about $175 million, bringing significant tax revenue to the county and local schools.
- The facility will provide clean, renewable energy without greenhouse gas emissions or fuel costs.
- Attala Solar, LLC must file all necessary permits and engineering plans with the Commission before construction begins.
- The Commission's jurisdiction is limited to issuing the CPCN; other regulatory requirements are waived for the petitioner.
- Any transfer of the facility, CPCN, or majority ownership interest must be reported to the Commission for informational purposes only 1, 2.