(Des Moines) – The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) today issued an order accepting the applications for certificates of public convenience, use and necessity for Duane Arnold Solar, LLC, and Duane Arnold Solar II, LLC, and docketing the applications for further investigation. A partial procedural schedule was set to begin the proceedings in each docket.

Applications were filed in Docket Nos. GCU-2021-0002 (Duane Arnold I) and GCU-2021-0003 (Duane Arnold II) on November 2, 2021. Duane Arnold I is a proposed 50 MW alternating current solar photovoltaic electric generating facility on approximately 316 acres of agricultural land within an 857-acre area project site in Linn County, Iowa. Duane Arnold II is a proposed 150 MW alternating current solar photovoltaic electric generating facility and a 75 MW (300 MWh) battery energy storage system on approximately 815 acres of largely agricultural land within a 1,780-acre area project site, also in Linn County.

Today’s order indicates IUB staff has reviewed both dockets for substantial completion. The IUB issued an order on December 10, 2021, requesting additional information for each project; the companies filed additional information on January 10, 2022, and supplemental information on January 28, 2022.

The partial procedural schedule laid out in today’s order sets deadlines of April 7, 2022, for parties seeking intervention and April 14, 2022, for responses to any filed comment or objection or request to intervene.

Duane Arnold I and II both estimate beginning construction in March or April 2023, with a projected commercial operation date of December 2024.