North Shore Residents Rally Against Battery Storage and Power Lines

In Glen Head, New York, several hundred residents gathered at North Shore High School to voice their opposition to a proposed 275-megawatt battery storage facility, part of the Oyster Shore Energy project. This facility is intended to store energy from renewable sources, such as offshore wind, and replace fossil fuel plants. Community members expressed concerns about safety, particularly regarding potential battery fires and the local fire department's ability to respond effectively. They fear that an emergency could lead to inadequate evacuation options, necessitating shelter-in-place orders instead. The project is seen as critical to New York's goal of transitioning to a carbon-free energy grid by 2050, with Governor Kathy Hochul aiming for 6,000 megawatts of battery storage across the state by 2030. However, local opposition poses significant challenges to these plans. Residents highlighted the risks associated with battery storage, referencing past incidents of battery fires, including a notable one in East Hampton that lasted for 30 hours. Jupiter Power, the company behind the project, has committed to engaging with the local community and addressing their concerns. They argue that the facility would help clean up a contaminated oil terminal and provide economic benefits, such as job creation and increased local government revenues. Despite these assurances, the community remains skeptical, especially with a moratorium on battery storage units currently in place in Oyster Bay and other towns. If approved, construction of the facility would not begin until at least 2026, with operations potentially starting by the end of the decade, raising questions about the future of energy storage in the region.