en.Wedoany.com Reported - Massachusetts utility departments have recently signed long-term contracts with several energy storage project developers, involving Jupiter Power's Trimount energy storage project, Flatiron Energy's Energizar and Salt Cod projects. These projects are all from the first solicitation in the bidding process. In addition, Rhynland Energy's 200-megawatt River Mill energy storage project also came from that solicitation but has not yet signed a long-term contract. Rhynland did not respond to Utility Dive's request for comment.

This bidding targets transmission-side projects with a total target capacity of 1,500 megawatts of battery power capacity, with each project having at least 40 megawatts of power capacity. The second solicitation in the current bidding process seeks 250 to 300 megawatts of distribution-side energy storage projects, each with at least 1 megawatt of power capacity. According to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (MDER), subsequent bidding will seek 3,500 megawatts of energy storage power capacity by July 2030.

Financial analysis submitted to Massachusetts utility departments shows that these projects will moderately reduce monthly bills for most customers over the next 5 to 15 years.

Jupiter Power's Trimount is the largest of the three projects that have submitted long-term utility contracts. The facility is expected to become the largest energy storage facility in New England after it comes online later this decade. The project's capacity contract allocates 200 megawatts to Fitchburg Gas & Electric Light (Unitil's Massachusetts subsidiary) and 500 megawatts to National Grid's Massachusetts subsidiary. The project will be built on a 20-acre former oil terminal site in Everett, north of Boston, and will connect to the nearby Mystic substation. Jupiter Power stated that the project will improve reliability, alleviate peak demand, and reduce voltage and frequency fluctuations on the regional grid.

At a former industrial site in Chelsea, a few miles east of Trimount, Flatiron Energy's Energizar will also stabilize the grid and alleviate peak demand. Flatiron stated that the project will also help more efficiently utilize locally produced renewable energy. The company aims to begin operations in the second quarter of 2027.

Flatiron expects its Salt Cod project to begin operations around the end of 2028. The project will occupy an 11-acre area on the site of the Montaup Power Plant, a coal- and oil-fired power plant located on the waterfront in Somerset, southeastern Massachusetts, which was closed in 2010.

Last year, an Italian company canceled plans to build a submarine cable manufacturing plant at the site due to policy impacts from the Trump administration on the emerging U.S. offshore wind industry. An earlier analysis by the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center indicated that the site is suitable for energy storage and manufacturing of offshore wind blades, monopiles, nacelles, and other equipment.