Wichita County Commissioners on Dec. 9 held a public hearing on a proposed tax‑abatement agreement with Nymphaea Solar LLC, a development the county’s judge and the project team described as a roughly $165,000,000 investment in a 100‑megawatt solar array paired with approximately 60 megawatts of battery storage.

Gerald Byrd, representing Ernst & Young’s property tax team for the developer and speaking for Samsung and North Star Clean Energy, told the court the developer expects construction to begin in the first half of 2027 with operations likely in 2028, peak construction employment around 250 temporary jobs and one to three full‑time equivalent operations positions once the facility is running. Byrd said the proposal is for a 10‑year payment‑in‑lieu‑of‑taxes (PILOT) agreement that provides a 100% abatement on the county’s M&O portion with a PILOT payment distributed across jurisdictions; he described mechanisms in the agreement that would increase the PILOT if the investor raises the project’s capital outlay.

Developers outlined estimated local receipts tied to the project’s taxable components. Byrd said county M&O and other applicable taxes and payments were estimated in early summaries as hundreds of thousands of dollars during the first ten years, and that local school districts would receive significant benefits because the project sits inside Birkbeck ISD’s jurisdiction.

Commissioners and staff directed detailed questions to the developers about safety, environmental and operational issues. Commissioner (speaker identified in transcript as) Zayman asked how panels perform in hail and storms; North Star and Samsung representatives said the project will source hail‑rated panels and carry insurance to restore damaged arrays. On migratory birds and risks to Sheppard Air Force Base operations, the developers said they conducted studies with environmental consultants, have a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Sheppard Air Force Base, and agreed to notify and mitigate bird‑strike hazards if they arise. On battery storage safety, the team said batteries would be sealed in containers on concrete pads with gravel surrounds, monitored 24/7, and that the project includes training and some equipment grants for the Burke/Burnett fire department; the team also said they would comply with applicable TCEQ and federal rules on containment and response.

Commissioners pressed on decommissioning and long‑term site restoration. The developer said lease provisions and a decommissioning bond will require removal of panels, batteries and underground wiring at lease end so the land can be returned to tillable condition.

Judge closed the public hearing after no members of the public signed up to speak. No formal vote on the Nymphaea Solar abatement was recorded at the hearing; the court took testimony, asked questions of the developer and city representatives and received commitments on mitigation measures and interagency coordination.

What happens next: the record from the hearing will inform staff negotiations and any future court action to approve, amend or reject the abatement agreement. Additional legal documents mentioned in the hearing include the developer’s PILOT/payment schedule and an MOU with Sheppard Air Force Base.