Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
BRAINTREE, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A proposal for a new lithium battery storage facility has been pulled in Braintree, Mass.
Acting Braintree Fire Chief Fred Viola raised concerns about the proposal to build a battery storage facility in the parking lot of Saint Catherine Greek Orthodox Church.
“I’m not opposed to battery storage. Believe me,” said Viola. “I just want them to be in a more responsible area that’s going to let us respond accordingly.”
A third-of-a-mile is the recommended distance to keep batteries away from areas of concern, something Viola said was not the case for this proposal.
“For me, it was too densely populated and too close to a residential home and the church hall,” said Viola.
Braintree Electric Light Department (BELD) general manager Bill Bottiggi said Convergent Energy and Power has since pulled its proposal.
“When we see a lot of pushback from the town, we’ll go as far as we’re comfortable without really upsetting the residents and then just pull back and that’s what we did here,” said Bottiggi.
He said BELD is now looking at other options.
“We can contract outside of Braintree as a municipal utility in a purchase power agreement or a shared savings agreement,” said Bottiggi. “We may have to do that and not locate it within the town of Braintree.”
WBZ NewsRadio’s James Rojas (@JamesRojasMMJ) reports.
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