Edgecomb selectmen will soon be considering the merits of a proposed solar power ordinance. The planning board voted 5-0 Aug. 19 to submit a proposed ordinance to selectmen in hopes it will appear on a town warrant. In March, the planning board conditionally approved a New York City-based power company’s application to build a solar array on U.S. Route 1. Syncarpha Capital, LLC. plans to construct a 4.9 megawatt solar array with 17,500 panels.

But the town has no ordinance dealing with solar power. In recent months, the ordinance review committee researched various solar power ordinances which resulted in writing one based on Wiscasset’s and language provided by Maine Municipal Association.

The proposed ordinance has been adapted to address the planning board’s concerns about wildlife. Planning board chairman Barry Hathorne described the proposed ordinance as dealing with immediate concerns. “This is not the end, but it gives us something to work with and work from. This is a start, and this is something that will be tweaked in the future.”

Another unanswered question regarding Syncarpha’s Edgecomb solar project, called Edgecomb Solar, is the plant’s decommissioning. Hathorne estimated solar panels last 25-30 years. The planning board has discussed decommissioning costs with Syncarpha. The board received decommissioning costs from a similar size solar plant in Athol, Massachusetts. Hathorne reported the independent firm’s assessed estimate was higher than the developer’s proposed costs. The Massachusetts plant is a 4.95 megawatt plant with 15,000 panels.

“Their (Syncaprha) numbers  are low. They have a cost around $63,000. The figures from Athol begin at $175,635, and adding 2.5% a year for 20 years is $287,768,” he said. Hathorne plans on submitting the Athol, Massachusetts plant decommissioning costs to the developer.

The planning board meets next at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 2 in the town hall.