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County approves contingency agreements with Plus Power after denying CUP
Summary
Although the Board denied the CUP for a battery project, commissioners voted to approve three staff-recommended agreements negotiated with Plus Power; staff noted the agreements are contingent on project approvals and would only take effect if the developer moves the project forward.
After voting to deny the conditional use permit for the Mountain Peak Energy/Plus Power battery project, the Saline County Board approved staff-recommended agreements with the developer on Jan. 6.
County Administrator Philip Smith Haines told commissioners staff had negotiated three documents: a financial agreement with declining payments over a projected 20-year life, a road-impact agreement to reimburse county road costs if development occurs, and an easement proposal related to county-owned parcels adjacent to the proposed site. Haines said the agreements protect county property interests and are contingent on the project moving forward, so approving them would not create immediate obligations if the CUP denial stands.
Christina Hoffman, a Plus Power representative, told the board the agreements would not obligate the county while the project lacks a CUP and said she supported signing them to preserve options should approvals or other conditions change.
A motion to approve RFA 20-26-03 (the set of agreements presented) was moved and seconded; commissioners approved the motion by voice vote.
What it means: Staff described the approvals as precautionary, noting the agreements become binding only if Plus Power chooses to sign and the project obtains necessary external approvals (for example, interconnection and any other regulatory or financing steps).
