Montgomery County Commissioners hear about a proposed Battery Energy Storage System or BESS Facility that may be coming to the county.

 

 Business Development Director for S-M-T Energy of Boulder, Colorado, Chris Poole appeared via Zoom call at today's Montgomery County Commission meeting. Poole was on hand to discuss the specifics of a proposed BESS facility that may be coming to the Liberty area. Poole told commissioners that their battery cells would provide additional energy for Evergy and would have little impact on the environment. Poole stated that the company currently operates 10 functioning BESS facilities in Texas and that the proposed Liberty facility would the company's first venture in the state of Kansas. He added that S-M-T Energy is pursuing a similar facility in the city of Dearing.

 

Commissioners also heard from Brandon Beurskins with Public Works regarding a road closure in northeast Montgomery County due to an unsafe bridge. Beurskins stated that the bridge has not yet been fully evaluated for safety and added that Montgomery County Sheriff's Deputies would be ticketing any drivers who move the barricades to cross the bridge and avoid the detour.