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Harlingen approves first‑reading for 9.9 MW battery storage project amid questions on local benefit
Summary
Commission approved first reading of a special‑use permit for a 9.9‑megawatt battery storage facility on East Harrison Ave. Applicant touted anticipated tax revenue and local monitoring; commissioners asked for community benefit commitments and an energy‑routing schematic to keep benefits local.
The Harlingen City Commission on Oct. 2 voted on first reading to approve a special‑use permit for a 9.9‑megawatt battery storage facility proposed along East Harrison Avenue.
Chris Rose, representing the applicant, said the site was chosen for its proximity (within one mile) to an existing substation and projected immediate tax revenue to the city — roughly $49,000–$54,000 in the short term and an estimated $111,000 per year after depreciation in later years, with a forecast of about $500,000 over 30 years. Rose said the developed footprint would be less than one acre and that the site would be monitored remotely 24/7 with on‑site response capability.
Commissioners pressed the applicant on flood risk and local benefit. One commissioner asked how flooding could affect the installation; Rose said the project would sit on helical piles and have a minimal impervious footprint aside from access roads, estimating "0.004 acre feet per acre" in run‑off and "about 1,300 cubic yards" of material. On the question of whether stored energy could be exported outside the region, the applicant said power would remain in the local substation area and "it would never go to Dallas and never go to Houston; it would stay within one area of this side the with the substation being within one mile." (Paraphrased wording in transcript.)
Commissioners requested a community benefit agreement (CBA) and a schematic showing where the energy would be routed; the applicant agreed to provide a CBA and additional materials within about a week to allow staff review ahead of the second reading. The property is privately owned and will be leased to the developer.
The commission moved and passed the motion on first reading; the item will return for formal second reading before final approval. Staff and economic development officials framed the project as a near‑term revenue opportunity while the industrial grid is upgraded.
What’s next: Applicant to provide a schematic of routing and a proposed CBA for commission review prior to second reading. The commission asked staff to include community benefit language and to verify flood‑risk mitigation measures before final approval.
