Notice Of Application
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City of Sumner has received an application SEPA-2024-0001 for a proposed 200-megawatt/800-megawatt hour Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) facility located in the light industrial (M-1) zones, including a proposed generation-intertie overhead transmission line (gen-tie) connecting the BESS substation to Puget Sound Energy’s White River Substation to the east in unincorporated Pierce County. Additional details can be found below and with the project documents.
The public has the right to review the contents of the official file for the proposal, provide written comments and request a copy of the final decision. Comments may be emailed to the staff contact below or mailed to the attention of the staff contact at 1104 Maple St. Sumner, WA 98390.
Comments will be accepted if filed with the Development Services Department on or before 5:00pm on May 23rd, 2024.
Project Name: Greenwater Battery Energy Storage System
Permit Application Number: SEPA-2024-0001
Primary Location: 1808 East Valley Highway E. Sumner, WA 98390
Parcel(s) #: BESS and substation project occurs on M-1 zoned parcels 9520000174, 9520000173, 9520000168 and 9520000152. Proposed gen-tie route extends from BESS substation to include M-1 zoned parcels 9520000143, 9520000121, 9520000110, then across East Valley Highway East through parcels 0520072002, 0520072001, 9520000071 and LDR-12 zoned parcel 0520072004; continues through unincorporated Pierce County parcels 0520071007 and 0520071008 to connect to the PSE White River Substation.
Description of Proposal: A proposed 200-megawatt/800-megawatt hour Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility to enhance local electrical reliability and meet affordable sustainable energy goals. The proposed facility is located on four contiguous parcels located on the west side of East Valley Highway Easy in the M-1 zone, to include site development of approximately 8 acres containing modular energy storage units arranged in rows. Each BESS unit measures 20-25 feet long and 8.5-9.5 feet tall with each row connected to a fully contained medium-voltage transformer, which will be connected via electrical cables to a small on-site substation. The BESS substation area is approximately 32,670 square feet in size and is proposed fully enclosed with an 8-foot-tall fence with 2 feet of barbed wire. The BESS substation would increase voltage from 34.5 kilovolts (kV) to 230kV to match PSE’s White River Substation voltage. The proposed gen-tie route extends from the BESS facility south, then east across East Valley Highway through the parcels to connect to the PSE White River substation located in unincorporated Pierce County. The gen-tie will consist of three transmission line cables and a tension cable mounted on steel single-pole vertical aligned transmission towers. The ground will be excavated approximately 7 feet below ground surface and the proposed towers range from 65 feet to 125 feet tall and will be equipped with insulators and wire conductors designed to carry 230 kV. Once construction of the infrastructure is complete, the project footprint will be landscaped, and the area secured.
Applicant: GREE bn, LLC, BrightNight
communications@brightnightpower.com
515 N Flager Dr., Suite P-200
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Date of Application: February 5, 2024
Date of Complete Application: April 8, 2024
Zoning: Light Industrial (M-1); LDR-12 (APN: 0520072004) & Pierce County
SEPA: MDNS is likely to be issued
Hearing Date: No hearing is scheduled for this SEPA, any future hearing for this project will include separate noticing per SMC 18.56.
Other Required Permits:
- Conditional Use Permit, for parcels zoned LDR
- ROW permit(s)
- Civil Permit(s)
- Building Permit(s)
- Pierce County Permit(s)
- Compliance with all State and Federal regulations
Associated Documents:
Comment Period(s): Any persons desiring to submit written comments concerning this application may submit written comments to Chrissanda Walker of the Development Services Department. City of Sumner, 1104 Maple Street, Sumner, WA 98390 no later than 5:00 PM on May 23rd, 2024
Staff Contact: For comments/questions, please contact Chrissanda Walker, Associate Planner 253-299-5528, chrissandaw@sumnerwa.gov
