(La Porte, IN) - Plans for a high-dollar energy facility in La Porte County came before the Board of Zoning and Appeals this week.

 

A Texas-based energy company called Open Road Renewables is proposing to install a battery energy storage system near Highway 104 in Stillwell. It will take up about 14 acres adjacent to the existing NIPSCO substation. The project will cost about $150 million.

 

The facility, to be known as Monroe Power, will be able to store 131 Megawatts of electricity in lithium-ion batteries, providing power to La Porte County and surrounding areas.

 

A spokesperson at Tuesday’s Zoning and Appeals meeting said the project, if approved, is unlikely to break ground for three years.

 

Also at the meeting were many Stillwell-area residents speaking out against the project, citing environmental and safety concerns, among other objections. Several people cited lack of public notice as a cause of skepticism.

 

The Board of Zoning and Appeals is currently considering the proposal.