Moffat County approves zone change and conditional use for Morrill Energy battery storage project

The Moffat County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve a zone change and a conditional use permit on Sept. 23 to allow the Morrill Energy Storage Project to move forward on state land near the Craig Station.

The approvals cover zone change R2502 (agricultural to heavy industrial for a defined project site) and conditional use permit C2508 for a utility‑scale battery energy storage facility. Christie Eichorn of Plus Power, the project developer, described the proposal as a 200‑megawatt system designed to discharge for four hours and said the project "can power for 4 hours, tens of thousands of homes." She added, "Safety is our top priority," and described certifications and planned coordination with local fire and emergency services.

Why it matters: Commissioners and planners said the project would increase the county tax base and create construction jobs while anchoring the Craig substation as an energy hub. Neighbors and the planning board pressed the developer on access, stormwater containment, visual screening and emergency response; the county attached conditions intended to address those concerns before construction.

Most important facts - Project scale and timeline: The developer said the project is sized at 200 MW (4‑hour duration). The current plan covers a roughly 32‑acre site the company is negotiating to lease from the State Land Board; the developer said construction is not expected to begin before 2028 and that the production lease is expected to go to the State Land Board in October. - Approvals and conditions: The Moffat County Board approved zone change R2502 and conditional use permit C2508 after the planning board recommended approval 3–1 with conditions. Conditions listed in county planning materials and referenced in the hearing include providing a legal description and survey once the final site is set, a final haul route and access plan, 180‑day notice to the county if the production lease terminates prior to construction, copies of permits and the production lease for the county file, stormwater management plans to keep stormwater on site, emergency response plans and cooperation with local fire and emergency agencies, road and bridge permitting for county roads, weed/erosion control and decommissioning/reclamation plans tied to State Land Board requirements. - Local concerns: A nearby resident raised questions about runoff, groundwater and springs, dust mitigation, road construction and the visual impact on adjacent property. The resident also asked whether local customers would directly receive power; Christie Eichorn replied that power will be injected into the broader grid but that "the tax dollars from the project will stay here in Moffat County."

Planning and procedural details Planning staff Candace Miller told commissioners the planning commission reviewed the applications and recommended approval with conditions, and that the county would maintain project records and require evidence of continued progress (offtake agreements, production lease, permits) before construction would be permitted. Miller said the county would seek a finalized haul route and any county road permits before construction activities affecting county roads.

Public-safety and environmental mitigation Developers said battery enclosures are containerized and that the project would use an on‑site stormwater detention cell to keep runoff on site. Eichorn said the batteries have third‑party certifications and that the company will coordinate training and emergency planning with Moffat County Emergency Management and Craig Rural Fire District. The planning conditions require stormwater and erosion controls, invasive species management and a decommissioning plan consistent with the State Land Board's requirements.

Next steps With local approvals completed, the applicant expects to finalize its production lease with the State Land Board and an offtake agreement with Tri‑State before moving into detailed design and construction permitting. Commissioners said the approvals permit the county to accept the production lease and monitor progress; the county retains the right to have the zone revert to agricultural if the production lease terminates and the project does not progress.

Quotes from the hearing are drawn directly from transcripts of the Sept. 23, 2025 Moffat County Board of County Commissioners meeting.