The proposed Lyon County moratorium on data centers and solar farms comes with a lot of attention on the Flint Hills Digital Campus data center, but Evergy’s proposed solar facility in east Lyon County is also part of the picture.
Evergy started meetings with landowners near the Emporia Energy Center on Road 200 just east of S as they gauge interest and concerns related to a proposed solar facility. A map provided by Evergy shows the solar panels surrounding the facility, with panels in three general areas:
*A triangle of land between Roads 200 and 210 and from Roads R to S
*An L-shape of land from 200 to 210 immediately north and northeast of the Energy Center
*Another L-shape of land from 0.5 miles south of Road 190 to 0.5 miles north of 190 immediately south and southwest of the Energy Center
Evergy has not confirmed the total acreage to be used if the site is fully developed as a solar farm, and it has not said whether the project timeline would be affected if Lyon County commissioners pass a 6-month moratorium as expected.
Evergy has said the project is not designed for one end user — specifically, the Flint Hills Digital Campus or any other data center. Senior Communications Manager for Media Matt Lucht has said the solar farm will address a general need for more power identified by the utility over 6 years ago.
