PUAB 7/16/26

The City of Independence, Missouri Public Utilities Advisory Board (PUAB) held a meeting on July 16, 2026, where they reviewed financial reports for the Power and Lights, Water, and Sanitary Sewer departments. Budget utilization and capital project expenditures were discussed, including a recent $14 million ordinance for a switchyard related to a new data center. The board also addressed ongoing capital projects and noted the moratorium on new data center applications pending zoning ordinance updates to require special permits for data centers, categorized by size and impact. Additionally, the board discussed the need for educational presentations on battery energy storage systems (BESS) and data centers to better understand their operational and utility impacts. Updates on the automated meter reading (AMI) project and related RFP planning were provided, with attention to policy development and compliance with recent legislation. No contract awards or vendor selections were reported, but the meeting included important policy and budget discussions affecting future procurement and infrastructure projects.