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The Calcasieu Parish Planning and Zoning Board has approved a proposal for a solar farm supported by nearby residents, a major utility, an economic development alliance and planning staff.
Locally-owned Sweet Lake Land and Oil Company has proposed using 1,100 acres near Lionel Derouen and Fruge roads in Bell City for Southern Prairie Solar, a subsidiary of Canada-based Westbridge Renewable Energy Corporation.
The board passed the proposal in an 8-1 vote on June 16, with at-large board member Genelle Hyatt the sole vote against the project.
The solar farm will generate 200 megawatts of alternating current (MWac) with 55 megawatts of battery storage, according to a letter to the board from Southern Prairie Solar Vice President Margaret McKenna. Planning staff advised the board they expect minimal site impacts.
The Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance wrote the project “reinforces the Highway 27 corridor as a priority growth area for industrial and energy development, consistent with the region’s long-term economic strategy” in a letter of support.
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Jeff Davis Electric Co-op plans to integrate the solar project into its own transmission loop. CEO Michael Heinen emphasized in a letter of support that the project would enhance existing electricity infrastructure and lower costs for its customers.
Four neighbors with properties adjacent to the project also provided letters of support. Environmental advocates also spoke in favor of the project at the meeting.
McKenna told the board she expects construction to begin late 2027, with 12-18 months until completion. The project would provide fewer than ten permanent jobs.
Calcasieu Parish resident Steven Vance, who lives a mile and a half from the project site, voiced concerns about how the solar farm could impact traffic and drainage, and exacerbate damage from hurricanes.
“You cannot scrape 1,100 acres of natural grass and top soil, hack down the dirt, cover it in heavy equipment and expect the water to just disappear. That runoff is going to rush straight into our local channels, overflow our ditches and flood our homes,” Vance said.
Chris Guidry, representative of engineering and environmental and survey firm Fenstermaker, said there “will likely be a stormwater pollution prevention plan” to reduce sediment erosion from the site during construction, and that they did not expect much land leveling to occur for the project.
“I see the benefits, obviously, if the Jeff Davis Power Company sees the benefits for the infrastructure support, even economically. I hope that is passed along to everyone in their electricity bills each month,” said board member Jake Porche.
In 2024, the parish board rejected a proposal for a $400 million solar farm after many residents worried about the consequences of the project, including the possibility that it would lower their property values.
A 2024 literature review by Gregory Upton and Sarang Talpur of LSU Center for Energy Studies estimated that homes within half a mile of a solar project in other select states experienced a reduction of 1.5% to 6.9% in value.
More specifically, “studies that analyze housing values in rural areas specifically find that utility-scale solar is associated with a 2.5% – 5.8% percent reduction in housing values,” according to the review.
Natalie McLendon is an investigative reporter covering issues across Southwest Louisiana. She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from McNeese State University. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Louisiana Illuminator, and other regional outlets. Contact her at [email protected] or (337) 485-9229.
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