By Adam Swift
Last week, the zoning board of appeals determined that the proposed changes to the Flatiron Energy Energizer Storage battery facility on Eastern Avenue are a minor modification, and will not require a further hearing before the ZBA.
Flatiron Energy owns and operates the energy storage systems it develops. The original plan was to construct a two-story building on the property at 284 Eastern Ave. for the energy storage unit.
Instead of building one two-story building, however, the battery storage units will be over 120 individual storage units on the property. In addition, there will be a 21-foot fence screening the property.
The company has agreed to a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) and community-host agreements for the project with the city.
The property itself is about 3.7 acres and includes Willoughby Street, which will be the main access point to the project.
The property is also adjacent to the Eversource Chelsea electrical substation and Flatiron will be able to tie into the electrical grid.
Flatiron project manager Hunter Prange has said the new plan will allow the facility to get online faster and provide benefits to the city.
“A good amount has changed, since I believe the last meeting in 2024,” said Prange. “The project went through a design change, moving from a building-based project to a more external container-based project. Additionally, the project was awarded as a part of the Massachusetts DOER contracting process to procure the energy from this project for a 12-year period of time.”
Switching to a containerized design is more common in the United States and utilizes off-the-shelf products from reputable manufacturers.
“Imagine an 18-wheeler truck, the containers that are on the back of those trucks, that’s traditionally what a containerized battery will look like,” said Prange. “There are battery cells, modules within there, electrical conversion, power conversion equipment would all be within the batteries themselves, the containers.”
Prange said all the equipment on site will be installed in accordance with the 14-foot base flood elevation that was recommended by the project’s civil engineer.
“It accounts for storm surge, sea level rise, and 100-year flood events,” he said.
There will be preventative maintenance of the batteries, and the site will be monitored 24-7, but Prange said there are currently not plans to have someone on the site at all times.