Power play

2 Dallas neighbors plug into $1.6 billion solar project in Texas

Denton has agreed to buy nearly 6 percent of the power generated by the 1,310-megawatt project.

Photo courtesy of Denton Main St Association

Municipal utilities in Denton and Garland will draw power from what’s billed as the largest solar project in the United States.

Chicago-based Invenergy announced November 18 that work is underway on a $1.6 billion solar project in Northeast Texas that will be capable of supplying energy for 300,000 homes. The project, being built in Lamar, Red River, and Franklin counties, is set to begin producing power in 2023.

Among the customers of the Samson Solar Energy Center are Denton Municipal Electric and Garland Power & Light. Denton has agreed to buy nearly 6 percent of the power (75 megawatts) generated by the 1,310-megawatt project, and Garland has agreed to buy almost 2 percent (25 megawatts).

Denton Municipal Electric already is buying or has committed to buying more than 460 megawatts of power from renewable energy sources. In 2018, the city set a goal of achieving 100 percent renewable energy for all power customers by this year.

Two years ago, Garland Power & Light (GP&L) enabled customers to purchase 100 percent renewable energy from wind and solar sources in Texas.

“Customer interest in renewable energy has been growing because these power resources contribute to preserving the environment and are sustainable,” Jeff Janke, general manager and CEO of GP&L, said in 2018.

The solar project’s biggest customer is Dallas-based AT&T, which has committed to buying nearly 40 percent (500 megawatts) of the solar project’s generating capacity. AT&T’s deal is said to be biggest corporate purchase of solar power in the U.S.

“At AT&T, we believe renewable energy is good for the planet, for our business, and for the communities we serve,” Scott Mair, president of AT&T Technology & Operations, says in a release.

Other customers of the Samson Solar Energy Center are Honda, McDonald’s, Google, The Home Depot, and the City of Bryan. The project is roughly 100 miles northeast of Dallas.

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Animal News

Wills Point, Texas man charged with cruelty for abandoning 18 animals

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Lucas Wayne Penrod, charged with animal cruelty

Another animal cruelty case has emerged from Van Zandt County, resulting in the arrest of a Wills Point man: Lucas Wayne Penrod was charged with Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals, a 3rd degree felony.

It began on Friday, October 24, when the Wills Point Police Department performed a welfare check at a mobile home within the city limits. Officers became concerned when they heard multiple dogs barking along with a foul odor of animal waste.

On October 25, after obtaining a search warrant, Wills Point PD and the SPCA of Texas ACI Unit entered the residence and found multiple animals living in deplorable conditions.

The mobile home was filled with trash and animal feces. The team discovered a total of 8 cats, 2 guinea pigs, 4 adult dogs, and 4 puppies, cruelly confined to the unsanitary living conditions on the property.

Two dogs were confined to filthy crates with no access to water.
Three puppies were in a small bathroom covered in urine and feces; one of the puppies was deceased and decomposing.
The guinea pigs were found in a cage without access to food or water.

Most of the animals showed signs of long-term neglect and were in dire need of urgent medical intervention. The animals were seized by the SPCA of Texas and transported to the organization's Dallas location for veterinary care.

Dog in cage Wills Point Lucas Wayne Penrod Dog abandoned in Wills Point by Lucas Wayne Penrod.SPCA

On October 26, Lucas Wayne Penrod, the owner of the animals, contacted an SPCA of Texas Investigator regarding the animals. The Investigator determined that Penrod had unlawfully allegedly abandoned the animals, failing to provide them with proper care, resulting in the death of one of the puppies and the critical state of the surviving animals.

On October 28, the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) Unit obtained an arrest warrant for Penrod, who was apprehended by Tyler Police Department and booked into the Smith County Jail with a $50K bond. Penrod was charged with Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals, a 3rd degree felony.

On November 1, at a civil custody hearing at the Van Zandt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 courthouse in Wills Point, Penrod relinquished custody of the 18 allegedly abandoned, cruelly treated animals to the SPCA.

"The squalid conditions these beautiful animals were living in were abhorrent--locked in spaces without food or water, in their own excrement," said SPCA of Texas ACI Unit Chief Investigator Courtney Burns, CAWA. "This is some of the worst mistreatment of domestic animals I've seen in my extensive career in animal cruelty investigations. In no small part, these pets owe their lives to the Wills Point Police Department. If it wasn’t for their quick thinking to involve us right away, I don't think the animals would have made it."

"This case perfectly illustrates the team effort that investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty cases in Texas is," Burns added. "We are extremely thankful to the Tyler Police Department for their efficient assistance in apprehending Penrod so that he can be brought to justice in the timeliest manner possible. And we are especially grateful to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and court system with whom we continue to partner to get justice for abused animals in their jurisdiction."