New Lithium-ion Battery Plant Proposed At Former HV High School

A new lithium-ion battery plant could replace a former high school near Kingston, New York.

The site, which was once home to John A Coleman Catholic High School in Hurley, NY, has been selected as a possible location for a massive lithium-ion battery plant that would include adding massive water tanks and a massive lithium-ion electricity production facility.

Lithium-ion Battery Plant in Hurley, New York

According to the Daily Freeman, the Terra-Gen company submitted an application that proposes to tear down the former high school located at 430 Hurley Ave, Hurley, NY, and replace it with a 250-megawatt lithium-ion electricity production facility. The project, Alcazar ESS LLC, was presented at a recent Ulster Town Board meeting, where members said they plan to be the lead agency for the project. If it's approved, it would be part of New York's initiative to meet the statewide need for utility-scale energy storage.

What Would the Plant Look Like?

According to the proposal the site would include 300 industrial lithium-ion batteries in 14-foot tall containers spread out over 12-acres of the 15-acre property. It would also include a 30,000-gallon water storage tank with a fire command center near Hurley Avenue, a 10,000-gallon water storage tank in the middle of the property, and a 5,000-gallon underground storage tank.

Town of Ulster Supervisor James Quigley informed residents that the board will make sure the project is as unobtrusive as possible, saying,

"It’s somewhat massive. What I insisted on, and I think the proposal shows, that (the) developer is attempting to do as much landscaping as he can … and make it as least intrusive as possible. They’re really trying."

 

Safety Concerns

Over the last year or so, many have voiced safety concerns regarding the use of lithium-ion batteries after numerous reports show they are prone to problems, including overheating, fire and explosion, degradation, and swelling. Those issues, along with others, are also a concern for residents living in the Hurley area, as many are concerned about having a plant like this in their neighborhood and what would happen if there were a fire.

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Supervisor Quigley agreed that fire is a concern, telling the Freeman, "We have asked that the developers have an active discussion with the fire companies, which is ongoing. There has been a request for technical information, and that has been exchanged between the fire company and the developer, and there’s continuing discussion."

This is the third lithium-ion project that's been brought to the the Town of Ulster Board including proposals that would bring a manufacturing facility to iPark 87 and another at the former Glide Path site on Frank Sottile Boulevard.