Allen County has taken a step forward in storing energy.
On June 10, Allen County commissioners approved a resolution that allows for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). The facilities store electrical energy in batteries for later use.
The resolution was the product of months of research and deliberation by the county’s Planning and Zoning Board after the county received a request by Mission Clean Energy to build a $300 million battery storage system in Allen County.
Members reviewed BESS regulations across Kansas — including Douglas, Labette, and Johnson counties, as well as the city of Halstead in Harvey County — along with policies from eight other states. These comparisons have helped create a framework designed to protect Allen County’s environment, residents, and infrastructure.
Terry Call, Allen County’s zoning administrator, played a central role in the research and drafting process.
At its conclusion, Call sent Mission Clean Energy a copy of the resolution. Unfortunately, they appear to have moved on.
“They said thanks for the update,” Call said. The company was interested in building a 300-megawatt BESS facility near Savonburg and Elsmore.
“At this point, they will not be pursuing the project in Allen County. They did say they would keep the county in mind for the future.”
Despite the loss of that project, Call emphasized the importance of having clear standards in place should other energy developers come calling.
In January, Call sought a moratorium from county commissioners on behalf of the Planning and Zoning Board. The board needed time to update zoning regulations to address this new type of facility. The commissioners approved a 180-day moratorium that could also effectively end once a resolution was approved.
ALTHOUGH Mission Clean Energy has stepped back for now, Call believes interest in Allen County remains strong. “Just from reading about it, there are more and more of these companies building facilities all the time,” he said. Many of the existing BESS facilities are also attached to large solar farms. “If the solar farm’s not directly attached to a grid — or if they are attached to a grid and they’re putting electricity out, but they can’t send all of it out — they put one of these BESS facilities in alongside of it to store the excess energy,” Call added.
A solar farm addition in Allen County could possibly, in turn, make the area even more appealing to a BESS company.
Three separate solar companies have expressed interest in the county, though they face one significant obstacle: land. “They need 900 continuous acres,” Call explained. “There’s a lot of people in Allen County who own that many acres, but they’re scattered all over the county.” He suggested that collaboration among landowners might solve the issue.
Other counties, like Labette, have already inked deals for BESS facilities — with their projects due to go online in 2027-2028. “I would assume it’s like if you want to build a bridge,” Call said. “You’ve got to go through all these environmental studies and historical studies and make sure that some endangered species of cricket isn’t going to be extinct if you build it. It’s very time-consuming.”
ANY FUTURE BESS application in Allen County will trigger notifications to all residents living within 1,000 feet of the proposed site and a period of public comment and review. The decision to approve such a facility will ultimately fall on the county commissioners.
Call expressed gratitude to the planning board for their countless hours of work on the regulations contained within the resolution. “They’re all volunteers, so this is all on their own time and this was a lot of work,” he said.
