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Developers outline 500‑MW battery project for Tyngsborough; board hears safety, timeline and PILOT questions
Summary
Rhineland Energy presented the River Mill battery energy storage project at 406 Middlesex Road — a 500 MW / 2,000 MWh installation — and answered detailed safety and timeline questions from town staff, Select Board members and the fire chief. Developers said construction could start in late 2028 with commercial operation targeted around 2030–2031 and committed to providing layman safety materials and training for first responders.
Rhineland Energy representatives presented the River Mill battery energy storage system proposal to the Tyngsborough Select Board and described a 500‑megawatt project capable of discharging 500 MW for four hours (2,000 MWh). Brian Benito, vice president of development at Rhineland, told the board the site is at 406 Middlesex Road and the project was awarded in the state's first solicitation for large storage projects.
"This project will be able to discharge 500 megawatts continuously for 4 straight hours," Benito said, describing the grid role the system would play during evening peak demand. He said the project sits adjacent to a major 345 kV transmission corridor and added that the developers have obtained local conservation permits for tree clearing and stormwater and are working with MassDOT on a curb cut.
The presentation emphasized safety planning and code compliance. Sean Morrison, senior fire and life‑safety consultant with the Energy Safety Response Group (part of the development team), described industry testing and local preparations: "Code compliance is the floor," Morrison said, and urged ongoing training and a living emergency response plan tailored to Tyngsborough's resources.
Tyngsborough Fire Chief Russell told the board he is reassured that the planned facility is unmanned, set away from residences, and designed with perimeter access for incident stabilization. He recommended additional coordination on a perimeter water supply and said the department would need recurring training; "there should be no life‑safety concern responding to even a fire that developed in one of the containers," he said.
Developers outlined a regulatory and financing timeline: they expect local, state and interconnection permits and a Notice to Proceed by roughly Q2 of next year, target groundbreaking in late 2028, and cited a commercial operation target in 2030–2031. They also confirmed decommissioning requirements and a decommissioning bond would be part of permitting, and that any municipal payment‑in‑lieu‑of‑taxes (PILOT) or host‑community arrangement would be negotiated separately and would require Select Board review and a town‑meeting action.
The presentation concluded with a commitment to provide the town with plain‑language materials on safety, noise, fire testing and decommissioning and to host training and exercises for local first responders. Developers said they would provide copies of the emergency response plan (ERP), the hazard mitigation analysis (HMA) and UL/NFPA testing documentation for local review.
