Dubois County Pauses Duff Solar Phase 2 Amid Regulatory Review

Dubois County Commissioners agreed to keep the planned Phase 2 of the Duff Solar Park on pause as officials complete a regulatory review and maintain a moratorium on new solar projects. The decision halts planned work that would have extended the project from south of the railroad tracks along County Road 600 West to the north side of the tracks and up to the Patoka River access near Division Road.

Commissioner Chad Blessinger said EDP Renewables, the company installing the Duff Solar Park, had approached county officials about the second phase, which would have required road-use agreements to continue construction. Blessinger told fellow commissioners the chances of approval were essentially nonexistent under current circumstances and sought their input. Commissioners Nick Hostetter and Serice Stenftenagel supported maintaining the rejection stance during the moratorium period, stressing the need to complete the county’s review process before entertaining new applications.

County leaders are using the pause to study regulatory authority over battery storage systems that often accompany large solar developments. Blessinger said he reached out to the Indiana Office of Energy Development and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security for clarification on installation and expansion requirements for battery systems. Initial responses from state agencies have been limited, and commissioners said they will continue researching legal authority until they obtain definitive answers.

The moratorium remains in effect while the board crafts clearer standards and guidelines for future projects. The current review is intended to address community concerns and outstanding regulatory questions before the county considers any new applications. For residents near County Road 600 West and Division Road this means construction that would have moved north of the tracks will not begin while the pause is in place, and any required road-use agreements are unlikely to move forward during the moratorium.

Local officials framed the move as an effort to balance renewable energy development with public-safety and infrastructure concerns. The decision also signals that Dubois County will seek defined rules on battery storage siting and safety before approving expansions that could affect farm roads, river access points, and nearby property owners.

For readers, the immediate consequence is stability: no new construction related to Duff Solar Phase 2 will proceed while the county finishes its review. Commissioners will continue outreach to state agencies and refine local standards; residents can expect updates at future county meetings as officials work to resolve the legal and regulatory questions that prompted the pause.