ST. JOHN – Following a two-hour public hearing at the Annex Building Community Room in St. John, the Stafford County Zoning Board on Wednesday evening voted 4-2 to grant a conditional use permit to Lightsource BP US to construct a solar farm and battery storage facility spanning roughly 2,400 acres in the county.
Lightsource BP, founded in London in 2010 and fully acquired by energy giant BP in 2024, is one of the world’s largest developers and operators of utility-scale solar projects. The company operates in more than a dozen countries and has an existing presence in Kansas, having previously signed a long-term power purchase agreement in Stanton County. The Zion Valley project in Stafford County would add to its growing U.S. portfolio.
Public hearing
The public hearing followed an open house hosted by the company on Aug. 19 regarding the proposed Zion Valley Solar and Storage project. Preceding the event, announcement of the public hearing was published by the Great Bend Tribune as the official newspaper for Stafford County on Aug. 11. Approximately 30 Stafford County residents attended the hearing Wednesday, which featured three representatives from the Lightsource BP organization presenting the application for the conditional use permit.
Matt Miller, zoning board chairman, noted that notice of the hearing was mailed to the applicant, as well as 29 property owners in the area affected by the proposed construction project.
Zoning board administrator Carl Miller noted that zoning regulations were adopted in March addressing concerns for both the solar energy facility and commercial energy lithium battery storage system. The regulations defined parameters for fenced panel array, storage system and its design requirements, setbacks from residences, public structures, cemeteries and private airstrips that may be adjacent to the construction.
Requirements also included a complete development plan presented by appropriate maps, diagrams or plans that designate the total acreage for the project, names and current addresses of property owners providing leases or licenses; fire safety plan, road agreement, state required soil erosion, sediment control and storm-water runoff plan, post-construction cleanup and decommissioning plan revised every five years.
Following public comment that included concerns from the audience regarding meeting notice for neighbors not directly affected by the project’s location, the six-person voting membership cast a 4-2 vote, with members Jenna Zeman and Darryl Lucas opposed, authorizing the board chairman to sign a resolution granting conditional use permission for Lightsource to proceed with the project.
Project parameters
As explained by Alyssa Edwards, senior vice president of environmental affairs and government relations, Lightsource BP staff worked through the permit application step-by-step in accordance with the zoning regulations.
“We have worked with landowners, neighbors, hosted a public information meeting and so we have been in the area since 2024. We feel that our application reflects the ordinance and all the items were addressed,” she noted.
While the total area of the project at a planned 342-megawatt capacity spans roughly 2,400 acres, the fenced-in facility with panels and batteries is estimated at 1,800 acres. The project represents a capital investment of approximately $300 million in Stafford County.
Adam Iago, Lightsource senior development manager, noted that drawings and renderings represent the project in draft form, as final engineering has yet to be completed. A firm construction schedule with target completion date remains to be determined.
