County Confirms Vesper Energy's Intent to Build Battery Energy Storage System
Archer County Judge Randy Jackson announced that Vesper Energy plans to develop a 2,300-acre Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) just south of Archer City on DeMoss Road during the Archer County Commissioner’s Court meeting on Monday, May 11.
Jackson said Vesper representatives met with him and Commissioner Pct. 2 Darin Wolf a couple of weeks ago to inform them of the company’s interest in the site.
“I asked them if they would continue with the project without any kind of tax abatement or payment in lieu of taxes and they said yes they would,” Jackson said. “(…) No Non-Disclosure Agreement was requested, and no abatement was requested either.”
Jackson said he believed that Vesper Energy has since met with Archer City Administrator Ronnie Meyer, Commissioner Pct. 2 elect Justin Coleman and County Emergency Management Coordinator Shane Wright.
Commissioner Pct. 3 Kendall Coleman said he had concerns about the proximity of the project to Archer City but didn’t know of what the county could do to prevent the project.
“Property rights trump everything,” Jackson responded. “They are planning on putting the battery storage units on the south end of this. So, it will be approximately three miles from town.”
The judge said that the representative at the meeting was receptive of putting a privacy fence or barrier up.
“This is the about the 10th or 11th company that has come in and talked to me privately about some kind of alternative energy moving into Archer County,” Jackson said. “I do think Vesper is going to go ahead and build this. Most of them are just coming in to see if we want them to come in. We told Vesper that ‘we don’t want you here.’ And they told us ‘We’re coming.’”
The county judge said Vesper plans to invest $350 million into the project.
Jackson said the belief is the company will begin holding town hall meetings about the company and project starting in the fall and that the project is slated for completion in late 2028.
Jackson said the contact person for the project is Mona Bond who can be reached at Mona.Bond@vesperenergy.com or at 406-414-7712.
More Details Released:
Following the Commissioner’s Court meeting, the county released a packet provided by Vesper Energy with more information about the project.
According to the packet, Vesper Energy Is an experienced developer, owner and operator of utility scale renewable energy and energy storage assets across the U.S. with a 9,000 MWh pipeline across 15 energy storage projects.
According to Vesper Solar panels harness the energy from sunlight and turn it into electricity.
“Paired with energy storage such as a (BESS), we can enhance the use of solar by adding additional energy into the local electrical grid, making it stronger, more stable and secure,” Vesper states. “BESS bridges the gap between peak solar production during the daytime and peak energy usage in the evening, resulting in an increased supply of sustainable electricity for both families and businesses.”
The company states that BESS utilizes lithium batteries which ‘are a safe and high-energy-density power source.’ It also states that they have no pollution during normal operations, will comply with local noise ordinances and be between nine and 12 feet tall.
“Storage enclosures include an HVAC system and either air or liquid cooling to maintain steady temperature,” Vesper states. “Maintaining stable temperatures is critical to the battery cells' stability.”
According to the energy company, Archer County is the right location for its BESS project because of demand for reliable energy, proximity to major electrical infrastructure and available land.
The Archer County project is entitled Red Hollow Renewable Energy.
“(This) is a proposed 300-megawatt solar and 300-megawatt BESS project,” Vesper states.
The project is located on 2,300 acres of privately owned land on DeMoss Road south of East South Street in Archer County which will avoid wetlands and provide setbacks from floodplains. The total project footprint is approximately 1,400 acres with 1,300 acres of it for solar array coverage and 40 acres for battery storage.
The company states it has a commitment to safety that includes that each container will have its own cooling system, compartmentalized and tested batteries being monitored 24/7 and ability to take them offline remotely, strict regulations and testing standards.
“Vesper Energy will work closely in partnership with first responders on final design, emergency response plans, and provide ongoing first responder training,” the company states. “Vesper will utilize a vegetation management system, potentially sheep grazing.”
The company also states it will commit to a full decommissioning bond at the start of the project to return the property to its original state at the end of life.
The full informational packet has been posted onto the Archer County website.
