Public speaker urges commissioners to reject Galena and TED industrial solar projects

A resident told the Sedgwick County Board of Commissioners he opposed two proposed industrial solar projects — identified in his remarks as the Galena and TED projects — and challenged county staff’s MAPC findings on neighborhood support and public benefit.

"In summary, opposition greatly outnumbers support for these 2 applications," George Palmer said, disputing MAPC’s golden-rule findings and arguing the county would gain little public benefit. Palmer cited national and state figures in arguing Kansas exports electricity and questioned the projects’ economic returns. "Industrial solar is not green. It's not reliable. It's not cheaper, and it does not help the grid," he said.

Palmer cited a figure he attributed to a state official and the EIA when disputing the need for additional generation: "EIA confirms Kansas is an exporter of electricity... Mister Mike Thompson, who is a state senator on the Kansas utility board, says we export 56% of our electricity." He also presented a rough county-benefit calculation (about $2.7 million per year for both projects in the first 10 years) and argued the benefits would likely decline after that.

Commissioners received and filed Palmer's public comment by a unanimous vote; no formal county action or motions affecting the projects were taken during the meeting. The board did not debate or vote on the underlying land-use applications during this session; Palmer's remarks were recorded as public comment for the record.