Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County begins work session on battery storage and data centers; staff to seek technical experts
Summary
Planning director Amanda Webb led an informational work session on battery energy storage systems (BESS) and data centers, outlining fire‑safety certifications (NFPA/UL), hazard mitigation and emergency‑response planning requirements and noting the county's moratorium on new data centers and BESS while staff research regulations.
Amanda Webb, Riley County planning director, led an informational work session on battery energy storage systems (BESS) and how they relate to ongoing data‑center discussions. She summarized technical guidance from webinars and a model ordinance from American Clean Power and emphasized fire‑safety protocols and certification requirements.
"One of the sessions was fully about fire safety...these things are required to go through large scale fire testing," Webb said, explaining NFPA and UL certification requirements and emergency‑response planning that developers must provide. She noted that Kansas currently has about 1 megawatt operational but more than 9,000 megawatts filed in the SPP interconnection queue, underscoring that more projects are likely to arrive. Webb said staff will try to bring experts to a future meeting and that data centers and BESS remain under the county's moratorium while regulations are developed.
Why it matters: BESS facilities raise local public‑safety and land‑use questions (fire response, siting near water and fire resources, disposal of batteries). Commissioners asked about emergency responder training, insurance implications and where installations might locate; Webb said staff will invite technical experts to provide more detailed information to inform future regulation.
