NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Chuck Caisley with Evergy provided an email to Debra Teufel with the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce that she read to the Board of County Commissioners at their meeting on Wednesday to give commissioners and the public an idea of the timeline for the new Evergy natural gas plant and steps that will happen between now and the beginning of construction.
"While the announcement has been made, there's going to be a lot of steps over the next few years to work towards an actual construction project," Teufel said. "He just wanted to clarify a few things."
Caisley noted that these plants are still early in their development cycle and are awaiting approval from state and federal regulators.
"Evergy plans to engage with all adjacent landowners, as well as those who are potentially impacted or feel like they've been impacted by the proposed plant," Teufel read. "It is our intention to work with landowners to enter into good neighbor agreements, which among other items could result in financial compensation."
They still have final work to do on the due diligence with the land they have an option on, as well as any negotiation with neighboring landowners.
"Between now and the end of January,they will develop some form of what they call good neighbor agreements for the projects," Teufel read. "They will conduct real estate diligence in the area. They will also be assembling a team that will work with potentially impacted landowners during this time period.Then from February to March, they're going to prepare and file an application for annexation and rezoning of the property in conjunction with the cities of South Hutchinson and Hutchinson, as well as Reno County. There will be public meetings through this process."
This will result in an island annexation much like the one that was made for the K-96 industrial park. The hearings for state regulatory approval will likely happen in August 2025, with a potential start of construction as early as late 2026, but the plant not going online until 2030.