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Planning board moves forward on grid-scale battery bylaw despite pending state rules
Summary
The Hubbardston Planning Board reviewed Article 26 (grid-scale battery energy storage systems) and agreed to advance a town bylaw with minor revisions rather than indefinitely postpone it while the state works on regulations expected in 2026.
On May 22, 2025, the Hubbardston Planning Board discussed proposed Article 26, a zoning bylaw to regulate grid-scale battery energy storage systems, and agreed to advance a town-level bylaw with minor revisions rather than indefinitely postponing the item pending state rulemaking.
The move matters because the Massachusetts Legislature and state regulators are preparing regulations for battery storage installations that the board expects to be finalized in 2026; those state rules could preempt parts of a local bylaw. The planning board debated whether to pause the local effort or adopt a bylaw now to have local standards in place in the interim.
Alec Wade, the town planner, told the board the state is preparing separate regulatory treatment for different system sizes and that the town’s current draft should be kept, with small edits, so Hubbardston has a local…
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