Wood River City Council Meeting
WOOD RIVER – Two solar projects are one step closer in Wood River following approval of an agreement to build separate solar arrays powering city and levee district property.
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At their Oct. 5, 2026 meeting, City Council members unanimously approved an amended intergovernmental agreement between the City of Wood River and the Wood River Drainage & Levee District (WRDLD) regarding the use of gifted land.
Wood River officials intend to build a solar field (Solar Array 1) on land owned by WRDLD, which will be used for the city’s benefit, according to the agreement. The city has agreed to build a second solar panel facility (Solar Array 2) on WRDLD property, which will be owned by the district and used for its own benefit.
City Manager Steve Palen said Solar Array 1 will be used to power the city’s water treatment plant. He said the second solar array is being built in exchange for the district’s donation of land being used for the first facility.
“This is the one for the water plant, not the wastewater plant,” Palen said. “They are gifting us two acres there for a solar farm right behind their building, adjacent to our water plant … that’s what we’re doing for them for them donating the land to us.”
The land being donated for Solar Array 1 is located on a portion of Lot 3 in the Ferguson Plaza Subdivision in Wood River. WRDLD will retain ownership of surrounding land, including a pole barn and office building on the site.
Under the agreement, the city is financially responsible for making Solar Array 2 operational, including design, construction, installation costs and more. This includes all work and components necessary to connect the WRDLD buildings to the second solar array and provide the buildings with electrical service.
WRDLD is responsible for the ongoing operation, maintenance, repair and replacement of Solar Array 2 and its components. However, if the facility is unable to meet the electrical demands of the WRDLD buildings, the city has agreed to increase the size or strength of the solar facility at the city’s expense until the buildings’ baseline electrical load is met.
A full recording of the Oct. 5, 2026 Wood River City Council meeting is available at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
