The city utilities department is required to generate or purchase 25% of its power from renewable sources. Currently, it’s just over 22%.
Columbia had two contracts with renewable energy companies, which fell through. City of Columbia Utility Services Manager Todd McVicker, said that’s the reason for the city's renewable energy deficit.
“While we may not have met the renewable energy standard this year, we would have met it had our contract gone through that we had in place — and now with the existing contracts, (and) we’re looking at... adding more,” McVicker said.
One contract was meant to create a 64-megawatt solar farm. The other would connect Columbia with the multi-state transmission line, the Grain Belt Express.
“That project was supposed to be started, or actually completed in 2021, but has been delayed due to a number of lawsuits and also delays in just overall construction that’s going on,” McVicker said. “The most recent information that we have is that the project is expected to be done in 2029.”
McVicker said the city hopes to connect to the Grain Belt Express by 2029. As of right now, the powerline that would connect to the Grain Belt Express has not been constructed.
