Question and Submission History

The chiller and cooling fans produce most of the sound. We are working with Tesla to confirm which specifications we can publish. These cooling systems commonly operate well below their maximum capacity. Sound levels drop by about 6 dBA every time the distance doubles, so homes 300 feet away hear much less. However, sound remains a real concern for close neighbors.

The state noise policy sets the limit. Sound from the facility may not be more than 10 decibels above the existing background sound at the property line and at the nearest homes. Meeting that limit is a condition of the state permit, and it binds any owner. The first screening found that the two closest property lines, along the transmission line, would be above that limit. The closest dwelling to the equipment is the home of the landowner who is leasing the site to the project. The screening used stand-in equipment data, because sound data for the Megapack 3 is not available yet. The project is testing design changes to bring those property lines within the limit, including a sound wall. The full sound study will measure background sound at nearby homes and predict the sound level at each. It will be published, and its results, not the screening, set the design. Decibel figures mentioned at the meeting came from preliminary data and varied. The figures to rely on will come from the full study.

Data center. No, this is not a data center. Carpenter Hill Power is a battery storage facility. It stores electricity from the grid and releases it when demand is high. It does not generate power or burn fuel. The only data processed is for monitoring and controlling the operation of the system.

Air, water, and noise. In normal operation the facility gives off no smoke or emissions. Water use details have not been published. The main sound in operation is a steady hum from the cooling units, inverters, and transformers, and the sound study is in progress.

Light and views. A lighting plan has not been published. Night sky, screening, and noise for close neighbors are Community Benefits Plan topics under discussion. The equipment is under 10 feet tall and set back from homes, and existing trees are kept for screening where possible. It is still industrial equipment on a rural parcel.

Taxes. The town is expected to receive standard property taxes or a payment in lieu of taxes negotiated with the town. Tax and assessment research is in progress, and no figures have been published.

Noise. Early noise screening, based on stand-in equipment data, found that the two closest property lines would be louder than the state noise policy allows. Fixes, including a sound wall, are being tested, and a full sound study is next. Enforceable noise limits are set as permit conditions in the state process and bind any owner. A post-construction review is a Community Benefits Plan topic. Anyone who wants to discuss this directly can reach Jonathan Santiago at jsantiago@esa-solar.com or 407-232-7440 ext. 251, or join the weekly virtual office hours starting October 14.

Wildlife and nearby natural areas. Clearing outside the transmission right-of-way is limited to no more than 10 acres, and state reviewers have asked for a formal wetland delineation and a rare species information request. Project mapping shows rain that lands on the equipment area draining south into a chain of wetlands, not into Cady Brook. A detailed project location map and a preliminary wetlands index are in the Document Library. For exact distances to a specific natural area, contact Jonathan Santiago.