Bloomfield-based energy company CTEC Solar is proposing its second solar farm in its hometown at 141 Wintonbury Ave.
The company plans to apply for permits that would allow it to build an approximately 1-megawatt solar installation on the property, which is owned by Seabury Active Life Plan Community.
The solar array is considered relatively small scale, though it would occupy about 6 acres — a third of the 19.25-acre lot.
CTEC’s other solar installation in Bloomfield — located outside the Board of Education’s offices at 1133 Blue Hills Ave. — generates about 1.2-megawatts of power.
Kevin Costello, a developer with CTEC, presented informal plans to the Town Plan and Zoning Commission Thursday night.
Next month, the company plans to submit a formal application, which will include a zoning text amendment that would allow solar as a primary use in residential districts.
The proposed solar array would use ground-mounted photovoltaic panels with single-axis tracking technology that follows the sun’s movement throughout the day, Costello explained.
The installation would feature integrated fencing and landscaping designed to screen the facility from view.
Costello said the system would be unlikely to cause any noise or disturbances to the nearby residential neighborhood.
The site was selected primarily for its proximity to existing electrical infrastructure, he said.
The project timeline spans three years, with permitting beginning in 2025, final engineering and procurement in 2025 and 2026, and construction beginning in 2027. The system could be commissioned to operate by late 2027.
At Thursday’s meeting, several commissioners raised questions about the appropriateness of allowing solar development in residential zones.
Costello said finding suitable sites for solar development in Connecticut has become increasingly difficult due to the state’s aging electrical infrastructure and rising interconnection costs.
“We have the oldest, most dilapidated power grid out of the entire country,” Costello said.
He highlighted several community benefits, including increased local renewable energy generation, job creation during construction and maintenance, support for Connecticut’s climate goals and potential educational opportunities for local schools.
CTEC, which has operated in Bloomfield since 2011, has grown from a residential solar developer to a company that has built utility-scale projects across 11 states.
