Project overview

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150 MW solar

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Enough clean energy to power 20,000 NY homes annually

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Jefferson County, NY

Project details

  • The Bay Breeze Solar Project is a 150 megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic electric generating facility proposed to be located outside the Village of Chaumont and within the Town of Lyme in Jefferson County, New York. The project plans to connect the Lyme to Coffeen 115kv line. The Project is anticipated to positively impact both the environment and the local economy by reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 194,000 metric tons each year – the equivalent of taking an estimated 40,000 cars off the road – and producing significant tax revenue and other economic benefits for the area. 
  • Map will be available closer to planned permit submission August 2025.

Expected project timeline

Bay Breeze Solar Project Timeline

Article VIII Permit Application Process

Effective April 20, 2024, the Renewable Action through Project Interconnection and Deployment (RAPID) Act (L 2024, ch 58, part O) repealed Executive Law § 94-c and enacted a new Public Service Law article VIII entitled “Siting of Renewable Energy and Electric Transmission” (Article VIII). The RAPID Act consolidates the environmental review, permitting, and siting of major renewable energy facilities and major electric transmission facilities under the purview of the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission (Office or ORES).

The RAPID Act also transferred ORES’s regulations at 19 NYCRR part 900 (Part 900) to 16 NYCRR chapter XI, and continued Part 900 in full force and effect subject to conforming changes, such as the substitution of numbering, names, titles, citations, and other non-substantive changes to be filed with the Secretary of State. Effective July 17, 2024, the conforming changes were filed with the Secretary of State as a new 16 NYCRR part 1100 (Part 1100).

The text of the new Part 1100 currently in effect may be accessed at ORES Regulatory Documents.

A flowchart outlining the New York Article VIII permitting process timeline. It begins with pre-application consultations, followed by application submission in March 2025. Steps include an intervenor funding application, ORES review, public comment, determination, hearings if needed, a final permit decision within a year, compliance and construction.

Join the Bay Breeze Solar stakeholder list.

Joining the Stakeholder List enables you to receive mailings of the Article VIII required notices.

You can join this list by:

  • Filling out the "Contact Us" webform at the bottom of this page
  • Calling 866-757-7697
  • Emailing baybreezesolar@aes.com
  • Subscribe to the Bay Breeze Solar service list once the permit application has been submitted.
  • Requesting Party Status

To learn more about the Article VIII permitting process, please visit the Office of Renewable Energy Siting website at https://ores.ny.gov/.

  • The final Article VIII regulations are available at Chapter XI, Title 16 of NYCRR Part 1100 (Subparts 1100-1 - 1100-15)
  • Resources related to the PSC Document Matter Master system, local agency account funds, and regulatory documents can be viewed on the ORES website at https://ores.ny.gov/resources
  • Information on the Article VIII permit applications currently under review and those which have been deemed complete, can be found at https://ores.ny.gov/permit-applications

The application, once filed, can be examined during normal business hours at the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission, as well as at the local libraries served in accordance with section 1100-1.6(a)(6) of this Part.

The addresses of these locations are:

  • Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) c/o: OGS Mailroom Empire State Plaza 240 State Street P-1 South, J Dock Albany, N.Y. 12242 
  • Town of York Town Hall: 2668 Main Street, PO Box 187, York, NY 14592
  • Town of Leicester Town Hall: 132 Main Street, PO Box 197, Leicester, NY 14481

Intervenor funding is money that Applicants make available to qualified, locally affected parties and municipalities to offset certain expenses they incur in participating in the state permitting process. These funds are meant to encourage early and effective public involvement in project development and permitting.

  • With the filing of its Article VIII permit application, Bay Breeze Solar will submit the required local agency account fee. These funds can be sought by local community intervenors and host towns. 75% of funds are reserved for municipalities.
  • Any local agency or potential community intervenor seeking funding must submit a request for initial funding within 30 days of the date of application filing.
  • Additional details regarding requests for local agency account funding will be provided once the Bay Breeze Solar Article VIII has been submitted to ORES.

Requests for local agency account funds can be made via:

  • The ORES Request for Local Agency Account Funding form available in the Resources section of the ORES website
  • Or by email to general@ores.ny.gov
  • Or by mail to Attention: Request for Local Agency Account Funding Office of Renewable Energy Siting Empire State Plaza 240 State Street P-1 South, J Dock Albany, NY 12242

If you have questions regarding the intervenor process, please contact the ORES office.

To submit any questions or comments regarding the Article VIII permitting process, reach out to ORES by phone, email or written letter.

  • Phone: (518) 473-4590
  • Email: general@ores.ny.gov
  • Mailing information (letters and envelopes):
    Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES)
    c/o OGS Mailroom Empire State Plaza
    240 State Street P-1 South, J Dock
    Albany, NY 12242

Economic and environmental benefits

We believe in being a good neighbor, ensuring responsible and sustainable clean energy development that benefits both the environment and local communities without burdening existing infrastructure.

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295,425 MWh Carbon-free electricity generated each year, improving air quality and reducing CO2 emissions

Clean energy benefits local communities 

  • Long-term tax revenue to counties, towns and school districts
  • Job creation during construction and operation
  • Landowner income diversification, keeping land in the family
  • Local economic stimulus during construction
  • Affordable, reliable and locally produced clean energy
  • Improved air quality and reduced CO2 emissions
  • Social impact funding to area community organizations and non-profits
  • Non-permanent development and low-impact construction that ensures land can be sensitively restored to pre-project conditions at the end of the project’s life
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Best practices in responsible and sustainable development

At AES, safety is our highest priority, and we’ve focused on improving lives for more than 40 years. As a leading innovator in energy solutions, sustainability is core to both our strategy and our culture. We are committed to responsible land use and incorporating sustainable best practices into the entire project lifecycle, contributing to building a domestic circular renewables economy and reducing foreign dependence.

AES is a proud member and partner of

  • North Country Chamber of Commerce – Watertown
  • Career Jam Sponsor 2023 and 2024
  • IBEW Local 910
  • United Way of Watertown
  • Lyme Free Library
  • Jefferson-Lewis-Oneida-St. Lawrence BOCES
  • Three Mile Bay Fire Department

Project updates

The project is currently working through the winter survey season including but not limited to Winter Raptor survey and Hydrology study.

Contact us

We want to hear from you! We appreciate your interest in AES’ Bay Breeze Solar. Please contact us directly at: