Westar Energy’s request to re-zone land to build a power plant in Lyon County will be voted on during Thursday’s action session. It was discussed by Lyon County commissioners during today’s study session.
The proposed plant, if approved, will be off Road 200 near the company’s Lang substation, about six miles northeast of Emporia.
Following the last meeting, the Lyon County Planning and Appeals board recommended to Lyon County Commissioners 7-0 that the application to re-zone 160 acres of land for a peaking power plant be approved. The power plant would use natural gas to generate power during peak power needs such as heavy use summer days.
Westar Energy announced in August its plans to build the plant, which would cost $333 million, in Lyon County. The plant would increase the county's assessed valuation by more than $50 million — 24 percent of the tax revenue. The North Lyon County school district would benefit from this revenue, according to Westar.
Some of the concerns at the planning board meeting centered around noise levels. According to Westar, the plant will be designed and constructed to minimize noise. The noise level in the immediate neighborhood would be 50 to 70 decibels — ranging from the sound of a normal conversation to the noise of a busy street. The issue of lights also was discussed. The lights are expected to be parking-lot type lights and will be pointed downward. The lights are needed for security and safety.
Two nearby residents showed up to express their concerns about the proposed plant during today's study session.
Brett Wilson expressed concern of the noise and light pollution.
“There’s going to be light pollution and noise pollution at the least,” Wilson said. “I don’t know what the light is going to do to that.”
Commissioner Marshall Miller and County Zoning Administrator and Flood Plain Manager Steve Samuelson visited a peaking power plant in Sedgwick County Monday. They said the noise levels were minimal when the plant was running.
“We moved off from a distance, the noise was minimal background noise,” Samuelson said. “The birds were louder than the plant.”
Samuelson said they were barely 100 yards away from the plant when they listened to it.
Vanda Hall, who lives near the proposed plant, also expressed her concerns about the plant.
“One of my main concerns through all of this has been the traffic,” Hall said. “Traffic on our road is horrific. There is no speed limit that anybody observes on a county road. I would like to know if this plant goes through what kind of controls you are going to put on the roads.”
Hall said it is cattle trucks that go past her house at 60 miles per hour.
“They don’t care,” she said. “I think that’s one of the issues that the commission needs to consider is what are you going to do for the roads?”
Commissioner Bob Davis said the road leading up to the plant will be widened and paved.
Westar Energy representatives today said there will be minimal light pollution and cedar trees will be planted for screening.
The board will allow additional public comment during Thursday’s public comment time at 9:45 a.m. County counselor Michael Halleran recommended to board members that they state why they approve or disapprove the application during Thursday’s meeting. The issue will be addressed at 10 a.m. Thursday.