Some Two Rivers residents were concerned about a proposed battery storage site from a Nebraska company.
Tenaska wants to build a battery storage facility to connect to the city’s power grid, charge the batteries to provide excess energy on the system, and discharge power when needed.
Tenaska Development Director Jarrod Pitts spoke to the council last night about continuing to support the project and re-explained what the batteries would do.
During a public hearing, two residents voiced their concerns about the plant, including how safe the plant would be and will economic development still happen if the facility is built.
One Manitowoc resident with property in Two Rivers was concerned about battery standards and how they can catch fire; he gave an example of a battery fire at an Australian battery fire that took four days to put out.
He also asked if there could be a tax credit if the plant is built so other businesses could move to the area.
Another resident questioned whether the facility would prevent other businesses from entering the Woodland Industrial Park because of some safety issues.
Pitts reassured both residents, saying there are many conditions regarding safety, and they are working with the fire department if an emergency does happen.
The city council ended up approving a conditional use permit for the project. The facility wouldn’t start being built until 2025 and would be finished by 2026.
