A new Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) is coming soon to Cicero. On Tuesday, March 17, after a three-hour meeting, the town council voted unanimously to approve the project.
In January, The Reporter covered the Cicero/Jackson Township meeting at which the proposed BESS facility was presented to the plan commission and over 150 residents who attended that meeting. The plan commission voted 6-3 to send it to the town council with a negative recommendation. You can read about that at this link.
On March 17, the town council and dozens of residents in attendance heard from several independent experts hired by the town to research various aspects of the BESS proposal.
Experts speaking to the council and residents included representatives from:
- Environmental consulting firm August Mack spoke about potential environmental impact.
- Integra Realty Resources spoke about the potential impact on real estate prices.
- Cicero’s financial advisor, Baker Tilly accounting firm, spoke about potential financial impact.
- Barnes & Thornburg law firm spoke about potential financial impact of TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district.
- Taft Law firm spoke about the revisions to the zoning ordinance.
Council President Joe Cox, along with council members Emily Pearson, Dennis Johnson, Eric Hayden, and Jacob Everett all voted in favor of the zoning ordinance, allowing Aypa Power to proceed with the BESS facility called Nickel Plate Reliability Project LLC, which will be located on State Road 19 near 221st Street.
You can watch the entire Cicero Town Council meeting at the following links:
- Part 1: tinyurl.com/CiceroBESSmtg1
- Part 2: tinyurl.com/CiceroBESSmtg2
Was there any discussion on the increased burden this will put on the local / regional fire districts?