# Simsbury Solar 2026: What the Nod Road Project Means for Homeowners

*A practical guide to what's happening with large-scale solar in Simsbury — and what it means for your rooftop.*

**Published:** August 2, 2026

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If you've been hearing buzz about a solar farm proposed for Simsbury's Nod Road, you're not alone. A controversial $11 million solar array is at the center of a heated local debate that's made headlines in the Hartford Courant. Here's what Simsbury homeowners need to know.

## What's Being Proposed

Lodestar Energy has proposed a large utility-scale solar installation along Nod Road in Simsbury. The project would span a significant footprint and feed power directly into the grid — not to individual homes.

The Connecticut Siting Council, the state body that reviews large energy projects, signaled in late July 2026 that it intends to approve the array.

## Why Some Simsbury Residents Are Pushing Back

The proposal has faced organized opposition:

- **Simsbury filed a formal legal challenge** to the Siting Council's preliminary approval, seeking to reverse the decision before a final vote later this year
- **The owner of a disc golf course** on the affected property says the array would force his business to close
- **State Rep. Melissa Osborne (D-Simsbury)** submitted a three-page letter to the Siting Council urging rejection, calling on the council to use stronger judgment before approving large ground-mount installations in residential areas

This is a real split in the community — and it highlights that "solar" doesn't automatically mean universal welcome, especially for utility-scale projects.

## The Difference: Utility-Scale vs. Residential Rooftop Solar

This is the key distinction worth understanding:

| Utility-Scale Solar (Simsbury Array) | Residential Rooftop Solar |
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| 100+ acres, clears land | Installs on your existing roof or property |
| Benefits: large power contract | Benefits: your own lower electric bills |
| Community may see visual/land impact | Zero visual impact on neighbors |
| Developer profits, utilities ratepayers share costs | You own the system, you keep the savings |
| Subject to state siting approval | No siting council review needed |

Simsbury homeowners with rooftop solar on their own homes were not part of this debate — and that's precisely the point. When you go solar on your own home, you're not asking the town to approve a new land use. You're simply reducing your own electric bill.

## What This Means for Simsbury Homeowners Considering Solar

If you're a Simsbury homeowner exploring solar right now, here's the honest picture:

**The economics are strong in 2026:**
- Connecticut's Eversource supply rate is 11.577¢/kWh (July 2026) — among the highest in the Northeast
- A typical Simsbury home consuming 700–900 kWh/month pays $140–$200 in supply charges
- A properly sized solar system eliminates most or all of that, depending on net metering rules
- Connecticut's property tax exemption (HB05442, active July 1, 2026) means solar won't increase your home assessment

**Community solar is an alternative — but comes with trade-offs:**
- If you can't install on your own roof, community solar lets you subscribe to a shared array and credit on your bill
- The trade-off: you don't own the system, and terms vary by program
- The Simsbury ground-mount proposal is NOT a community solar project — it's utility-scale

**Simsbury is Eversource territory:**
- If you own your solar system, you can explore Eversource's net metering program to offset your bill
- The CT RRES (Residential Renewable Energy Solutions) program offered a per-watt rebate for qualifying installations — confirm current status with a CT-licensed solar installer

## What Doesn't Change With the Simsbury Array

Whether the Nod Road project gets approved or Simsbury's legal challenge succeeds, the fundamentals for residential solar don't change:

- Your roof is yours — no siting council review for individual homeowner installations
- Connecticut law (HB5340, effective May 1, 2026) explicitly permits residential plug-in solar systems up to 1,200W without utility approval
- Federal residential ITC (Section 25C) expired January 1, 2026 — no federal tax credit is available for residential solar in 2026 — but CT-specific programs may still offer value
- The property tax exemption (HB05442, capped at $0 additional assessment) fully applies to residential installations

## The Bottom Line

Simsbury's Nod Road debate is about large utility-scale solar — a different proposition than putting panels on your own home. If you've been curious about residential solar in Simsbury, the conversation hasn't changed: your roof, your bill, your savings.

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*Connecticut solar homeowners: [Compare solar quotes from CT-licensed installers →] or browse our Simsbury solar guide for town-specific data.*

**Sources:**
- Hartford Courant, "Central CT suburb tries to fight looming approval for unwelcome solar farm," August 2, 2026
- CT Siting Council procedural correspondence, PE1698
- Connecticut HB05442 (2025 session), property tax exemption
- Connecticut HB5340 (2026), plug-in solar authorization
- PURA Residential Aggregate Metering rates, July 2026