A proposal to build a battery energy storage system on Long Island's North Fork has run into stiff resistance from neighbors, who say the plan has left them frightened for their safety. In the town of Southold, residents have begun speaking out against a facility that could be coming to the hamlet of Cutchogue, arguing that they should not have to live in fear of what might be built next door.
According to concerned homeowners, the facility would be built on Oregon Road, close to nearby houses. That proximity is at the heart of their worry, with residents arguing that a large installation of this kind does not belong so near where families live and raise their children.
Among those raising the alarm is Alex O'Mara, who lives in the area and says she has been worried about the project for years. She said the dangers of explosions were too great to simply turn away from, giving voice to fears that have taken hold in the community as the proposal has lingered.
The Cutchogue proposal is one of many battery storage facilities that have been floated across Long Island, and it has drawn the same kinds of objections heard elsewhere on the island. Those opposed to the projects cite environmental and safety concerns, including the risk of fire and questions about security at such sites.
For now, the plans are on hold. According to town officials, a moratorium is in place that blocks construction of the facility through June of next year. Officials said the town had just renewed the measure, noting that it can only be extended in increments of up to 12 months at a time.
The company behind the proposal, Key Capture Energy, has pushed back on the fears. It says battery energy storage systems are safe, and it has encouraged Southold to lift the moratorium and allow what it describes as the safe development of battery storage that can deliver the reliable, affordable power that Long Island needs.
For the moment, the dispute sits with the town. The town supervisor said that current town code does not allow the facility as it has been proposed, leaving the project in limbo as residents, officials and the company continue to press their competing cases over the future of energy storage on the North Fork.