HUTCHINSON, Kan. – After Hutchinson City Attorney Paul Brown in effect said that there was nothing the city could do to block plans for an Evergy substation on North Lorraine south of The Alley property, the Hutchinson City Council this week approved the replat of four existing lots into one on a 3-2 vote.
Residents south of the site had previously submitted a petition opposing the substation based on safety concerns and what they believe would be a drop in property values. Brown noted that under zoning regulations substations are allowed by right in every zoning district in Hutchinson.
Evergy civil engineer John Miller said that the 250′ x 350′ substation would be surrounded by a nine-foot-tall stone cast wall and that lines out of the station to existing transmission poles would be buried. The substation, projected to be in operation in 2027, is part of a plan to upgrade electric transmission in Hutchinson from 69 to 115 KVA. It would replace three existing substations at 14th and Lorraine, 18th and Plum, and on Halstead St.
Council members Greg Fast and Stacy Goss voted against approval of the re-plat.
