Westchester looks at Putnam energy storage project

Westchester County will be monitoring an electric storage project that has been proposed for Carmel in Putnam County. East Point Energy, based in Charlottesville, Virginia, is seeking approval to construct the Union Energy Center on a 94-acre parcel that will have batteries capable of storing electricity until it is needed. It’s known as a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS). The batteries would feed into the New York State Electric and Gas substation and transmission lines along Miller Road and Union Valley Road in Mahopac. The center would be able to store 116 megawatts of electricity, enough to power tens of thousands of homes. A megawatt is one million watts of electricity. A BESS typically is used to store electricity generated by solar and wind devices that is not needed immediately so it can be drawn upon when it is needed.

The proposal for Carmel is not East Point’s first venture into the battery storage field. For example, East Point Energy, which is owned by Equinor, recently announced the start of construction of Sunset Ridge Energy Center in Frio County, Texas, which is a 10 megawatt facility. Another project in which it is involved is the Citrus Flatts Energy Center in Cameron County, Texas, which is a 100 megawatt facility.

“I have been in touch with Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne regarding the proposed battery storage facility in Carmel, particularly its proximity to Somers,” Westchester County Executive George Latimer said. “I have genuine concerns about this project and will be closely following its development. It’s crucial to me that any potential risks to our communities are thoroughly addressed. We trust that the town (of Carmel) will address this matter in its land use deliberations, and we eagerly anticipate participating in the process by providing further comments as it progresses.”

The application for approvals shows the project’s name is Union Energy Center LLC and the applicant is East Point Energy. It is seeking a wetland permit associated with a site plan application currently before the Carmel Planning Board. It also needs permits from the New York State Public Service Commission, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the Carmel Environmental Conservation Board, Carmel Highway Department, Carmel Building Department, Carmel Engineering Department and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

East Point says the project would help bring New York state closer to its stated goal of having 6-gigawatts of energy storage by 2030. A gigawatt is equal to one billion watts of electricity. It says that it would hope to have the Carmel facility in commercial operation in 2027.

The applicant says that the project is expected to generate millions of tax dollars over the course of its life. It says the project will adhere to all relevant codes and standards for battery energy storage systems consistent with industry and state standards, as well as establish close coordination with the Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department and mutual aid.

The applicant points out that since 2018, New York state has deployed 396 megawatts of energy storage capacity with another 581 megawatts approved for deployment.

The Carmel facility is expected to be in operation for at least 20 years. The project will follow a decommissioning plan in coordination with the Town of Carmel, which safely removes all equipment from the site and transports component parts to the appropriate recycling or waste management facilities at the end of the project’s life.