Large-scale renewable energy project under consideration near Wichita

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - A renewable energy project is under consideration for the construction of a solar farm and battery storage facility on about 1,500 acres near Wichita.

On Wednesday, the Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission will consider a request from Galena Solar Project, LLC to rezone 1,490 acres from about 119th Street West to a little east of South Ridge Road and from West 47th Street South to West 63rd Street South. This is just southwest of Wichita.

The planning commission’s agenda recommends approval of the project “with conditions.”

The renewable energy project calls for 600,000 solar panels and a battery system on what is currently farmland.

People living near that farmland are pushing to stop the project.

“It’s gonna affect your family... health-wise, view-wise,” said Beverly McKibban, who’s lived about a half-mile west of S. Ridge Rd. and W. 47th St. S. with her husband, Bill, for over 35 years. “We know that that’s going to lower our property value. We’re concerned about the water, the wildlife.”

Part of the Galena Solar Project would be located directly in front of the McKibbans’ property. They know it’s something they would have to look at for the rest of their lives.

“We’ll have to see it everyday, and as we drive in and out it’s going to be all in our location,” said Beverly.

As they consider selling their property and moving into a smaller home, Bill says they’ll be left with the reality of trying to sell a home with a solar farm essentially in its front yard. “If I had just moved out here or was looking at this place to buy and looked out my front door and see solar panels, probably wouldn’t do it.”

As of March 11, the Sedgwick County Commission placed a one-year moratorium on any applications for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). However, the planning commission explained that because the applicants (Galena Project, LLC) “submitted the current application prior to the moratorium, the current application can be processed.”

“This application was put in, I believe in January, and we didn’t put the moratorium on batteries, which is a one-year moratorium, until March,” explained Sedgwick County Commissioner Jeff Blubaugh.

When the county approved the moratorium last month, commissioners said they wanted to create regulations for large-scale renewable energy projects, which are becoming more common across the country.

Landscaping is one piece addressed in the renewable-energy project application for the acreage south of West Wichita. The Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission’s staff report on the project includes a section in which developers promise to keep existing trees and add shrubs and slatted fences to somewhat hide the solar panels.

A “Solar Glare Hazard Analysis” was also run to make sure that sunlight reflecting off the panels doesn’t bother pilots landing at nearby Eisenhower National Airport or drivers on neighboring gravel roads.

Considering the potential economic impact, developers said that “once operational, the anticipated revenue of the project is expected to be $82 million per year from the sale of power under a power purchase agreement (PPA) that would run for the life of the project.”

“This is approximately a $17,900% increase over traditional agricultural production and that increase would be reflected in additional revenue for the county,” an analysis of the proposed project read. “The total annual taxes paid to the county will increase by 16,106% and will average roughly $2.35M annually.”

Bill and Beverly are afraid county leaders are not in touch with people’s concerns, since they don’t live near where the project will be constructed.

On Wednesday’s meeting, if the Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission signs off on the renewable energy project outside the city, the project would then need approval from the Wichita City Council and the Sedgwick County Commission to move forward.

The meeting will take place at 9 a.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building in downtown Wichita.