WHEATLAND — Dozens of Wheatland residents packed a town board meeting, speaking out against a proposed 200-megawatt lithium-ion battery energy storage facility they believed had already been stopped.
Instead, many say the fight is far from over.
“We hope that our elected officials, the ones that we elected, have our well-being at the top of their list and listen to us,” said resident Nora Boss.
The proposed facility would be built on farmland near homes and a grade school. While the Wheatland town board previously voted against the project, Robin Energy Storage withdrew its application — but told TMJ4 its next steps include to resubmit.
That’s where residents say trust in the process is breaking down.
“It’s opening Pandora’s box,” said Chad Toedter. “Everybody’s going to try to get on this bandwagon, and they’re going to use us as a stepping stone.”
Kenosha County recently adopted Wisconsin’s first battery energy storage ordinance, which could play a key role if the project returns.
Watch: Wheatland residents push back as battery storage project could return
Under the ordinance:
- Facilities must sit on at least 10 acres
- 100-foot setbacks are required from homes
- 25-foot setbacks are required from agricultural or commercial land
Town leaders acknowledged that the ultimate decision may no longer rest solely with Wheatland.
“We don’t know what’s going to happen,” said Town Chairperson Jeffrey Butler, referencing the proposed $8.6 million in revenue tied to the project. "It's not in our hands, it's in theirs [the company]."
In response, residents like Jenny Morehouse have launched a petition, saying the community deserves transparency and a real voice — even if decisions move beyond the town.
“I just want to raise awareness,” Morehouse said. “People should know this is happening.”
For now, residents say one thing is certain, if the company reapplies, they’ll keep showing up and they’ll keep speaking out.
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