PRATT, Kan. — A major energy storage project planned for Pratt is expected to create more than 100 construction and operations jobs while providing energy for a local biorefinery.
Antora Energy announced plans for a 5.8 gigawatt-hour, multi-day thermal energy storage project at Pratt Energy’s biorefinery. The company said the project, once completed, would be among the largest battery storage systems in the world.
The thermal battery will provide energy to Pratt Energy under a long-term heat offtake agreement beginning next year. Antora said the project is designed to improve the biorefinery’s efficiency and competitiveness while helping meet growing energy demand in Kansas.
Antora’s thermal batteries use low-cost electricity to heat insulated blocks of solid carbon. That stored energy can later be delivered around the clock as heat or electricity.
The company said the Pratt project is expected to require little additional water beyond the biorefinery’s existing operations and is not expected to increase noise levels for neighboring properties.
“Reliable energy is the foundation of everything we do, and this project lays that foundation for decades to come,” Pratt Energy CEO Travis Lane said. “It means more jobs across the Pratt community, new opportunities for our students, and strengthened demand for the corn and sorghum our neighbors grow.”
Antora said the project could also help Pratt Energy move toward producing ethanol with zero carbon intensity, potentially opening additional markets for Kansas agricultural products.
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners led the project’s third-party equity financing through its credit platform investments. Grok Ventures and University Pension Plan Ontario also participated.
The Pratt project follows Antora’s commissioning earlier this year of a 5 gigawatt-hour thermal battery system in Big Stone City, South Dakota.
Workforce and community investments
Antora is also establishing workforce development and community programs in Pratt County.
The company has partnered with Pratt Community College on a paid internship program providing students experience with advanced energy and electrical systems. Two students from the college’s Electrical Powerline Technology program worked on Antora’s South Dakota project this summer.
One of those interns, recent Pratt Community College graduate Kaleb Reagle, has since become a full-time Antora technician.
Antora said it plans to prioritize local applicants when hiring permanent operations employees for the Pratt facility.
The company is also working with the South Central Community Foundation to establish an energy scholarship program. The program is expected to support as many as 12 Pratt students over three years pursuing post-secondary education in energy, engineering and skilled trades.
A separate Pratt Community Impact Fund will begin providing grants to programs and projects serving Pratt County in 2027. The South Central Community Foundation will administer the fund, while Pratt County community members will make grant decisions.
Pratt Mayor Kyle Farmer said the company has worked with the community on local hiring, internships and scholarships.
“This project brings affordable energy to one of our key employers and ensures steady demand for the grain our farmers produce,” Farmer said. “We’re proud to welcome Antora to our community.”
Antora co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer David Bierman said the investment is intended to provide Pratt Energy with reliable energy while supporting the surrounding economy.
“This biorefinery project is creating jobs and spurring local investment without straining the resources the community depends on,” Bierman said.