Xcel Energy will not move forward with plans to build a large-scale solar farm near Amarillo following significant opposition from nearby residents, according to local officials.
The proposed Oneida 2 Solar Farm would have spanned approximately 1,400 acres adjacent to the Rolling Hills neighborhood off West Cherry Avenue in Potter County. The project drew criticism from homeowners concerned about potential impacts on property values, aesthetics, and the rural character of the area.
Potter County Commissioner John Coffee confirmed the news in a social media post Friday morning after meeting with a representative from Xcel Energy:
Great news for Rolling Hills and North Amarillo!This morning, I met with a representative from Xcel Energy, and I was informed that they will not be moving forward with the proposed solar farm at the location adjacent to Rolling Hills.This is truly great news for our community! I want to commend the leadership at Xcel/SPS for taking the time to listen, engage, and respond to the concerns of our residents. Their willingness to hear the community’s voice speaks volumes about their commitment to being a responsible partner in Potter County.I also want to thank everyone in the Rolling Hills area and beyond who took the time to ask questions, attend meetings, and share feedback respectfully and thoughtfully. Your efforts made a difference, and this outcome reflects the power of a community working together.I’m grateful for everyone’s engagement and proud to serve such a passionate and caring community.
An overflow crowd packed into the Pleasant Valley Methodist Church this past Tuesday night, leaving no doubt about how Potter County residents felt regarding the proposed $600 million solar project. The solar project triggered widespread opposition from those who live nearby—many of whom feared the industrial-scale solar farm will change their community forever.
For locals like Taylor Brewster, who lives near the proposed site, the project would have been an encroachment on their rural life.
“The proposed project would turn pretty much our community into a solar farm,” Brewster said. “I mean, it will be in a lot of people’s backyards, it’s right by a school, it’s in the middle of a community. It messes with our water, it messes with our property value, it messes with our animals. We love our little country area. There’s a reason we moved out here, we don’t want it.”
Brewster’s frustration resonated with many in the crowd, which filled every pew and spilled out into the parking lot. Attendees cited concerns about property values, proximity to Rolling Hills Elementary School, potential environmental disruptions, and the impact on wildlife.
The proposed site, located between Western Street and Broadway, north of Loop 335 and south of Cherry Avenue, was near to existing neighborhoods. For residents who moved to the area seeking open space and a quiet lifestyle, the scale of the project—spanning more than 1,400 acres—felt like an existential threat to their community’s character.
Brewster described the overwhelming turnout as a sign of unity and renewed hope.
“Today, the room was already full and there was a line out the door wrapping around the building, and for the first time in a week and a half, I feel hope and glad that my neighbors are getting a chance to voice how they feel,” she said.
The concerns went beyond aesthetics or inconvenience. Residents questioned how the solar panels might affect groundwater, whether reflective glare could pose risks near the school, and how wildlife habitats might change as native grasses are replaced with rows of photovoltaic panels. Some also voiced fears about potential fire hazards during the region’s notoriously dry and windy months.
“I mean, it’s in my backyard. You can see—it would be my backyard,” Brewster said. “This weekend, I drove an hour out to the middle of nowhere. You can go ten minutes from my home and there is nothing. You can drive for one hour and there is nothing, so there are options.”
Xcel issued a statement about the withdrawal from the project, noting that the company will “continue to evaluate whether there is another location within Potter County, or elsewhere, to locate the solar project”:
We are grateful that so many people from the Rolling Hills neighborhood shared their concerns about this project because it gives us an opportunity to better serve our communities. Moving forward, we will ask for regulatory approval to build more generation sources to meet the needs of our growing economy, but we are taking the lessons we learned from this project seriously. Xcel Energy will take an active role, sitting down with landowners in Rolling Hills so we can improve how we notify people, and make regulatory processes clearer for those who would like to participate.Xcel Energy is appreciative of Pleasant Valley Methodist Church for hosting last week’s public meeting and the Rolling Hills neighborhood for giving us the feedback we needed to make this decision about the Oneida 2 solar project. We will provide updates if the project is moved to another site.Our employees know the importance of being good neighbors. When high winds and severe weather hit the Texas panhandle, you can count on Xcel Energy line crews. We aim to keep the lights on because we know the importance of powering the industries that drive our region. Xcel Energy and Southwestern Public Service Co. have proudly served this region for more than a century, and we are looking toward the future.
Brewster gave the following response to Xcel stopping the project:
I’m in shock — over the moon and beyond grateful. This was truly a blessing and a gift from the Lord, because that’s the only way it happened so fast. Huge thank-you to Xcel. They didn’t have to listen, and they didn’t have to come get beat up for two and a half hours — but they did, and they listened.I’m not against solar. I’m just against building it on top of a community. More power to them — just not here. I’m so proud of this neighborhood. People linked arms, worked together, and truly lived out the idea of love your neighbor as yourself.
For Rolling Hills residents, the experience was a reminder of what can happen when a community comes together, speaks up, and finds common ground.
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