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Facilities

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Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility III (WREFIII) is a 50 megawatt (MW) solar energy generation facility on 357 acres (0.5 sq. miles) of private land within an approximately 2,294 acre site boundary.
Operating/Under Review. A 50 MW phase of the facility commenced commercial operation on March 22, 2022.

On February 27, 2026, the Department received Request for Amendment 1 (RFA1) of the site certificate. In RFA1, the certificate holder seeks Energy Facility Siting Council approval to extend the construction completion deadline for the unbuilt portion of the facility, and to split the approved facility into two facilities, each with their own site certificate.​

Also on February 27, 2026, the Department issued a Proposed Order on RFA1 and a Public Notice of the Proposed Order. The Proposed Order, ODOE’s first evaluation for the amendment request, includes recommended findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommends new and amended site certificate conditions, all of which are open for the public to comment on. The Proposed Order recommends that EFSC approve RFA1, subject to existing and recommended new and amended conditions.

The issuance of the Public Notice initiates a 35-day public comment period that extends from February 27, 2026, through April 3, 2026. The public may provide written or verbal comments regarding RFA1 and the Proposed Order including but not limited to recommended new or amended site certificate conditions.

Comments may be submitted:​

1. By mail or email to:
Chase McVeigh-Walker, Senior Siting Analyst
550 Capitol Street NE
Salem, OR 97301
Phone: (971) 600-5323
Email: chase.mcveigh-walker@energy.oregon.gov

2. Orally during the in-person & remote public hearing:
Thursday, March 19, 2026
5:30 p.m. Pacific Time (PT)
Sage Center
101 Olson Road
Boardman, OR 97818

Webex Link: https://tinyurl.com/2k9sp6ds
Webex Number: 2660 692 4545
Webex Password: EFSC (3372 from phones)
Please use your full name to sign in to help staff manage public comments.

​Teleconference: +1-650-479-3208; Teleconference Access code: 2660 692 4545

If using Webex or telephone, additional instructions will be provided at the hearing. Please note that individual commentors will be limited to 7 minutes. However, as noted above, that time may be decreased (or increased) based on the number of commentors.

3. Hand Delivered at the address listed above or during the public hearing.

4. Through the Online Comment Portal:
https://odoe.powerappsportals.us/SitingPublicComment/ 

Choose Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility III Energy Facility from the drop-down menu. Click “Next” and follow the instructions on the screen. You will receive an email confirmation after submitting your comment.

Individuals who comment during the comment period will have the opportunity to continue in the following process, allowing further review of their issue(s). Additional information is provided in the Public Notice posted below.

WREFIII facility components are located in Morrow County; the site boundary is bisected by OR 207, approximately 5 miles northeast of Lexington and approximately 7 miles northwest of Heppner. PDF Map I Online Map​

Applicant/Certificate holder: Wheatridge Solar Energy Center, LLC
ODOE contact: Chase McVeigh-Walker
Applicant/Certificate holder contact: David Lawlor

​​On November 19, 2020, the Energy Facility Siting Council approved Request for Amendment 1 of the Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility II site certificate, which authorized allocation of previously approved facility components into an amended and two original site certificates for Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility II, Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility III and Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility East​, respectively. The documentation for the original project can be found on the Wheatridge Renewable Energy Facility II webpage.

  • Click here to view a diagram of the Site Certificate history.

Project Amendment(s)

  
Description
  
Preliminary Request for Amendment 1 (pRFA1)
11/21/2025
12/02/2025
02/27/2026
02/27/2026
02/27/2026

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Project Timeline

  
Additional Documents
  

​For other documents related to WREFIII, please see the original facility page​.

12/10/2020

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​Contact the Facility Siting Team:
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Exhibit Files Reference

  • Exhibit A: Applicant Information 
  • Exhibit B: Project Description
  • Exhibit C: Property Location and Maps
  • Exhibit D: Organizational Information
  • Exhibit E​: Permits Required
  • Exhibit F: Property Ownership 
  • Exhibit G: Materials Analysis
  • Exhibit H: Geology and Soil Stability 
  • Exhibit I: Soils
  • Exhibit J: Wetlands
  • Exhibit K: Land Use
  • Exhibit L: Protected Areas
  • Exhibit M: Financial Analysis
  • Exhibit N​: Non-generating Facility Information
  • Exhibit O: Water Requirements
  • Exhibit P: Fish Wildlife Habitat 
  • Exhibit Q: Threatened and Endangered Plants and Animals
  • Exhibit R: Scenic Aesthetic Values 
  • Exhibit S: Cultural Resources
  • Exhibit T: Recreational Facilities 
  • Exhibit U: Public Services
  • Exhibit V​: Waste Minimization 
  • Exhibit W: Site Restoration
  • Exhibit X: Noise 
  • Exhibit Y: Carbon Dioxide Emissions 
  • Exhibit Z: Cooling Towers  
  • Exhibit AA: EMFs – Electric and Magnetic Fields
  • Exhibit BB: Other Information
  • Exhibit CC: Additional Statutes Rules Ordinances
  • Exhibit DD​: Other Specific Standards