EQPW Committee to discuss Haley Pike Landfill Solar Project

On November 18th at 1pm, the Environmental Quality and Public Works Committee will discuss a potential solar energy project at the city's Haley Pike Landfill, a 687 acre site that spans Fayette and Clark counties. While the landfill itself is capped and closed, the city still deposits yard and construction waste at the Haley Pike site.

The city is currently finalizing negotiations with Edelen Renewables/Social Impact Solar to build solar panels across different sections of the site, including parts of the capped landfill. Under the current proposal, the city would lease the land to Edelen Renewables/Social Impact Solar but would not be involved in operations or contribute any funding to the project. The company estimates the 67.4 megawatt facility could produce enough electricity to power about 5,300 Kentucky homes.

While still in negotiations with LFUCG, Edelen Renewables is requesting a Letter of Intent to begin communications with the necessary regulatory agencies and utility companies. If the lease is finalized and approved, construction could begin as soon as late spring 2026.

What would happen under the proposal?

Under the submitted proposal, Edelen Renewables would lease land from LFUCG at the Haley Pike site and install approximately 357 acres of solar panels and infrastructure. Some panels would be on top of existing capped landfills, which would require special mounting equipment to ensure that the caps are not damaged. Energy produced would be sent to Kentucky Utilities.

The lease would provide new revenue for LFUCG through lease payments, payments in lieu of taxes, and water quality management fees, but the exact dollar amounts are still being negotiated between the city and Edelen Renewables.

Edelen Renewables estimates the project would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 37,193 metric tons of carbon equivalent per year, which is roughly equivalent to taking about 8,000 cars off the road.

If constructed on schedule, the solar facility would begin operating in December 2027 and continue until the lease ends in January 2049. After the end of the lease, Edelen Renewables would be responsible for removing all equipment and recycling the solar panels, a process known as decommissioning.

Edelen Renewables has also proposed a Community Benefit Plan that would include workforce training programs, educational partnerships with Fayette County Public Schools, and collaboration with city sustainability staff.

What's the history of this project?

Installing solar power on the Haley Pike landfill site has been a topic for many years since the site's landfills were capped in 2011.

• A 2021 feasibility study found that around 312 acres of the property could be suitable for large-scale solar development.
• In 2024, the city formed an internal task force focused on expanding solar in Fayette County, including at Haley Pike.
• In her proposed FY2026 budget, Mayor Gorton included $250,000 for a second phase of the 2021 feasibility study.
• In July 2025, Edelen Renewables/Social Impact Solar submitted an unsolicited proposal to LFUCG to develop the site at Haley Pike. Edelen Renewables is a Lexington-based solar company founded by former Kentucky Auditor Adam Edelen that specializes in redevelopment projects on former industrial sites. The company has developed similar solar installations on former coal mining sites across Kentucky.
• In August 2025, Council adopted new regulations for solar panel installations in Fayette County, with a focus on rural areas.
• In September 2025, LFUCG released an RFP for a public-private partnership to transform parts of the Haley Pike site into a solar site.
• City records show that Edelen Renewables/Social Impact Solar was the sole respondent to the RFP.

How is this project impacted by federal policy?

The timeline for this Letter of Intent and project is being impacted by recent changes to federal policy.

• The One Big Beautiful Bill Act changed the deadline for renewable energy projects to qualify for the 30% Investment Tax Credit.
• Projects must now begin construction by July 4, 2026, or complete construction by December 31, 2027.

According to Edelen Renewables' presentation, losing this tax credit would mean the project loses a payment equal to about 35-40% of the project's value. The company says this would likely make the project "non-viable for financing."

The tax credit is so critical for this specific project because building on a closed landfill is significantly more expensive and riskier than building on open farmland. Without the federal tax credit, the company says a third-party developer would be unlikely to find the project financially feasible.

What's next?

If the committee approves the Letter of Intent and Edelen Renewables would finalize lease negotiations in November and December 2025, the full negotiated lease would then come back to Council for approval in December 2025 or January 2026. Construction would begin in late spring or early summer 2026, with the facility becoming operational in December 2027. The project would operate through January 2049.