Question and Submission History

Battery storage (BESS) isn't about generating electricity, just like a water tower isn't about generating water. It is about getting more use out of the energy we already produce, leveraging it to meet peak demand and regulate the grid throughout the day. Because Charlton is uniquely and strategically positioned near a major East-West transmission line, it serves as a critical node for reinforcing grid reliability and efficiency as electric load rises.

Charlton was not chosen so much as the Carpenter Hill Substation was. The 345 kV and 115 kV transmission lines meet there, and it connects eastern and western Massachusetts. We described it as an interchange on a highway, where voltage can be stepped up or down to serve the region. Battery storage fits best at a substation like this one. When we find a suitable substation, we reach out to the surrounding landowners to see whether any are willing to lease land to host a project.

Charlton was not chosen so much as the Carpenter Hill Substation was. The 345 kV and 115 kV transmission lines meet there, and it connects eastern and western Massachusetts. Because the project connects at an existing substation, it needs only a short line to the substation and no new long-distance transmission.

Each project is considered on its own merits, and cumulative burden is taken into account. The burden is high for this census block. A cumulative impact analysis is part of the state process and will become part of the public record. If the project is built, tree clearing outside the existing New England Power (National Grid) transmission right-of-way is committed at no more than 10 acres, on a 47-acre parcel.

Energy storage has to connect where the grid already exists, and two transmission voltages converge at the Carpenter Hill Substation, which makes it a workable connection point. Whether the site is appropriate beyond that depends on factors such as a parcel large enough for real setbacks, clearing limited to a fraction of the land, and distance from neighbors. A preliminary draft of the Site Suitability Analysis, which evaluates these factors, is available now. Read it online at https://carpenterhillpower.com/reports/site-suitability or download the PDF at https://carpenterhillpower.com/files/carpenter-hill-site-suitability-analysis-draft.pdf. The final assessment required by the state process will be part of the public filing record.