Aypa Power’s new battery plan sparks second round of resident resistance
Last July, a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) proposed by Aypa Power was unanimously denied by the Hamilton County Board of Zoning Appeals. You can read The Reporter’s coverage of that meeting at readthereporter.com/farmland-beats-batteries.
On Wednesday, Jan. 14, Aypa presented a distinctly similar plan to the Cicero/Jackson Township Plan Commission.
The more than four-hour-long meeting was attended by over 150 residents, most of whom spoke publicly against the proposal. There were reportedly two people who spoke in favor of it and three who wrote letters in favor. The overwhelming majority of residents who spoke or wrote to the plan commission were against this proposal.
The plan commission voted 6-3 to send it to the town council with a negative recommendation. Dennis Johnson, Jacob Evertt, and Mark Dillard voted against the negative recommendation.
The plan commission does not have the option to deny a rezoning proposal outright, but only to pass it on to the Cicero Town Council for final determination with one of three possible recommendations: a “favorable” (positive) recommendation, a “non-favorable” (negative) recommendation, or a (neutral) “no recommendation.”
The proposal for Aypa’s Overdorf Road BESS location last year was called the Kingfisher Reserve Project, LLC. This one, located on State Road 19 near 221st Street, is called the Nickel Plate Reliability Project LLC.
Much like Aypa’s last attempt, this one would have a battery backup capacity of 200 megawatts for a four-hour duration (800 MWh).
The proposal is now in the hands of the Cicero Town Council.
Aypa will present its plan, with the negative recommendation, to the town council at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20 at Red Bridge Community Building, 697 W. Jackson St. That meeting will not include time for public comments.
You can watch the full plan commission meeting at tinyurl.com/Aypa2Meeting.
Also at the Jan. 14 meeting, plan commission officers were installed. Dan Strong will continue as president, Harrison Massonne will serve as vice president, and Mark Thomas will serve as secretary.
