TOWN OF FENNER, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul announced July 10 that Cypress Creek Renewables will develop and operate Oxbow Hill Solar, a 140-megawatt solar array in the town of Fenner in Madison County. The project, Hochul said, will create good-paying jobs, improve grid reliability, invest in crucial infrastructure and increase tax revenues for local schools and other community priorities.
“We are extremely pleased to announce the latest investment in solar technology, upholding our commitment to improving grid reliability and building a clean energy economy,” Hochul said. “The projects we have approved over the last few years are a testament to New York’s commitment to sustainability and resiliency.”
The Oxbow Hill Solar facility will contribute 140 MW of clean, renewable energy to New York’s electric grid while offsetting over 177,000 metric tons of CO2 and providing power for approximately 23,000 average-sized homes.
The new solar facility will consist of the solar array and associated support equipment, along with an interconnection substation, fencing, access roads and an operations and maintenance building. The facility will interconnect to the New York electrical grid via the Fenner Wind-to-Whitman Road 115 kV transmission line that is owned and operated by National Grid.
“By strengthening New York’s energy economy, we position ourselves to not only meet the growing electricity demand, but to do so sustainably, Assemblymember Al Stirpe, D-127, said. “The solar array in Madison County brings us one step closer in reaching our climate and energy goals.”
Oxbow Hill is sited on a portion of the existing Fenner Wind Farm, making it the first ORES permit where a solar facility is co-located with a wind facility.
The New York State Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission has issued a final siting permit to Cypress Creek Renewables for the project, which was approved in less than the one-year timeframe required under the law. The permit was issued after a thorough, timely and transparent review process that included public comment periods and hearings.
This project is anticipated to create a total of 330 jobs during construction and marks 24 clean energy projects approved by ORES since 2021, when it was created to accelerate permitting for renewable energy generation.
New York State has approved 28 large-scale solar and wind projects since 2021, including 24 permitted by ORES and four approved by the NYS Siting Board under Article 10, the statute that governed solar and wind projects over 25-MW prior to the creation of ORES. The 28 permitted facilities represent 3.9 gigawatts of new clean, renewable energy.
ORES’ decision for these facilities follows a detailed and transparent review process with robust public participation to ensure the proposed project meets or exceeds the requirements of Article VIII of the New York State Public Service Law and its implementing regulations.
The application for the Oxbow Hill Solar project was deemed complete on November 18, 2024 with a draft permit issued by ORES on January 14, 2025. This solar power project meaningfully advances New York’s clean energy goals while establishing the State as a paradigm for efficient, transparent, and thorough siting permitting process of major renewable energy facilities.
“Each major renewable energy project helps deliver the critical climate action that our state urgently needs, while also creating hundreds of local jobs and new revenue for community priorities,” Stirpe said. “At a time where the federal government threatens progress on clean energy, New York remains unwavering in its provision of renewable and efficient energy for years to come.”
