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Select board seeks answers from NSTAR/Eversource and proposes special town meeting on energy projects
Summary
Select Board member J. Coury reported NSTAR (d/b/a Eversource) filed a state petition seeking to bypass Blandford zoning; the board asked the company to attend a meeting and proposed a Special Town Meeting with three non-binding questions on Eversource expansion, large solar projects and BESS.
At the June 30 meeting, Select Board member J. Coury reported that NSTAR, doing business as Eversource Energy, has filed a petition with the state seeking exemptions from Blandford zoning regulations. Coury said she wants the company to appear before the Select Board to explain the scope and drivers of the expansion and expressed concern it could relate to larger solar projects or battery energy storage systems (BESS).
Coury asked for greater transparency and proposed the town hold a Special Town Meeting with three non-binding questions for residents to advise the board on: whether to support Eversource expansion, whether to permit larger solar projects, and whether to allow battery-operated storage systems. Chair Cara Letendre supported placing the three non-binding questions for resident input; no vote on the questions occurred that night and the board asked staff to pursue next steps for scheduling and outreach and to invite NSTAR/Eversource to a future Blandford meeting.
No company representative was present at the June 30 meeting; the board provided no formal response from NSTAR/Eversource during the session.
