Community members are invited to an open house on Aug. 8 from 5-7 p.m. at the Pleasant View Fire Station, 15235 Road CC, to learn about a proposed solar energy project by Invenergy Renewables.

Invenergy, a Chicago-based renewable energy company, is considering building an estimated $127 million solar project near Pleasant View to provide power for Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc.

The proposed project would generate 127 megawatts, enough to power 32,000 homes. The rows of solar panels would be on 1,100 acres of private land off County Road BB, 2 miles west of Pleasant View. The site has good access to Tri-State’s transmission lines where the power will join the grid.

Private land has been leased by Invenergy in anticipation of the project moving forward, according to the company.

More than 100,000 fixed tilt panels would rotate to track the sun from east to west.

Some opposition already has begun to take shape. An anonymous ad published Wednesday in The Journal implored people to show up and voice their objections under the heading, “Save Pleasant View, CO, farmland from becoming a solar farm!”

The solar power would be sold to Tri-State, which generates and sells electricity to 43 distribution cooperatives, including Empire Electric Association.

Empire is not involved in the building or financing of the solar project.

Invenergy is an American company that develops, owns and operates a variety of different power plants, including seven in Colorado. Also in Colorado, it developed six wind projects totaling 1,000 megawatts, and operates a natural gas plant in Weld County.

Tri-State produces 40% of its electricity from large renewable energy projects, and plans to generate 50% of its energy from renewables by 2024.

jmimiaga@the-journal.com