Battery Energy Storage System Proposal:
Reliable Electricity, Building a More Sustainable Tomorrow
430 Hurley Ave., Town of Ulster, N.Y.
Mailer to community offers update on Terra-Gen proposal. View it here.
View the July 2, 2025 Community Presentation
Terra-Gen is appreciative for the active participation and substantial viewership of its July 2, 2025 Community Presentation via Zoom, a community engagement that Terra-Gen organized on its own to speak directly to the region. Terra-Gen is committed to a culture of listening and learning so we can shape a beneficial and safe project for the community. This presentation was the first of several that will be planned; the public also will have in-person opportunities to provide feedback through the municipal review process. Please watch the video here and questions are always welcome at info@ulstercleanenergy.com. Thank you.
Terra-Gen is proposing to construct and operate a 250-megawatt lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) facility to provide state-of-the-art renewable energy. The location is the former John A. Coleman Catholic High School, comprising 15 acres of privately owned land. The school has been closed since 2019.
This Hurley Avenue location is strategically located adjacent to Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.’s Hurley Substation, to the north of the property across Hurley Avenue. The substation is one of the most vital substations in Ulster County and the Hudson Valley.
(Alcazar Energy Storage System LLC, listed in the Large Scale Proposed Projects section)
This in-depth Q&A responds to numerous detailed questions regarding safety and health, including many questions posed by the community.
The BESS would power 250,000 homes and businesses with sustainable energy for four hours and offer the highest standards for safety, technology and equipment from an industry-leading company.
PROJECT COMPONENTS
The BESS, project substation and controls building.
Modular office and storage enclosures.
Generation interconnect (gen-tie) line to the Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. substation.
Stormwater retention basin.
The blue line represents the “tie line” that would link the BESS to the Central Hudson substation.
Local Municipal Review Steps
On May 13, 2025, the Town of Ulster Planning Board unanimously referred the application to the Town of Ulster Town Board for review under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). The Planning Board also suggested that the Town Board take Lead Agency status in coordinating and conducting the environmental review process for the project.
- Town Board to act as Lead Agent for the environmental review.
- The proposed BESS is classified as a utility company structure under the Town of Ulster Zoning Code. This interpretation is consistent with similar applications approved in the Town.
- Special-use permit application and site-plan review will be reviewed and completed by the Town Board and Planning Board.
State Review
- The project is subject to review by the Public Service Commission, pursuant to Public Service Law Section 68, to confirm that the project is in the public interest and that Terra-Gen is qualified to provide reliable and safe service.
- Demolition of the former high school must be approved by the New York State Historic Preservation Office.
- The State Department of Environmental Conservation also will conduct a review of the plans.
Why New York State Seeks Battery Energy Storage Systems
Energy storage is critical to New York’s clean-energy goals. The State mandates 6 gigawatts of energy storage by 2030 to strengthen the power grid and make up for reduced fossil-fuel use. The goals:
- 3,000 megawatts of new bulk storage, enough to power approximately 1 million homes for up to four hours.
- 1,500 megawatts of new retail storage, enough to power approximately 500,000 homes for up to four hours.
- 200 megawatts of new residential storage, enough to power 120,000 homes for up to two hours.