Candidate urges caution on proposed 200 MW battery project near RecPlex; cites local moratorium

Sandy Wedmeier, a candidate for State Senate District 11, used public comment to raise safety and local‑control concerns about a proposed 200‑megawatt alternating‑current battery energy storage system (BESS) from Dove Storage LLC near Pleasant Prairie’s RecPlex.

Wedmeier said Dove Storage intends to file for a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) under state rules for solar generation, which could allow state approval that supersedes local zoning. She praised the county board and County Executive Samantha Kirkman for adopting a temporary moratorium on battery storage facilities while officials craft a zoning ordinance, and asked the village of Pleasant Prairie to consider the county’s approach as it evaluates the project.

"While the village of Pleasant Prairie does their own zoning, the county's work on this issue has been pioneering for the state of Wisconsin," Wedmeier said, and urged supervisors to support state legislation (2025 Senate Bill 3, cited by the speaker) that would give local communities more say over construction of large energy projects.

Wedmeier referenced recent safety concerns raised about a different proposed BESS facility on Kirkland Farm property in Wheatland and noted high recreational use at nearby Prairie Springs Park and Lake Andrea as reasons to weigh community safety in permitting.

What happens next: Wedmeier asked the board to continue the county’s zoning work and encouraged village officials to consult county ordinance drafts. No formal action on the Dove Storage proposal was taken by the county board at this meeting.