What Are Peaker Plants?

• They only run for a few hours, very few days a year (5% of the time or less)�
• They are paid to sit �by “on call” for the �whole year - costing �ratepayers about $8.6* �million a year for �Berkshire Co. alone�
• Highest amount of �pollution per MW �
• They drive up the �wholesale cost of �electricity �(sometimes by a factor of 6x or more)

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Price per kWh during peak, from Green Energy Consumers Alliance

Health Impact

Burning fossil fuels produces PM 2.5, �NOx and SOx:�

• Effects are: �reduced lung function, asthma, �cardiovascular disease, �preterm birth, and premature death.�Children and elderly most vulnerable.�
• Fossil fuel pollution increases risk of �severe cases of COVID 19. Air pollution can cause cellular damage and inflammation throughout the body and has been linked to higher rates of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, asthma and other comorbidities.�
• Pittsfield Board of Health Letter of Concern sent to Hull St., 8-21-2021

* “Health Effects of Burning Fossil Fuels”, State Energy & Environmental Impacts Center, NYU

BEAT approached owners of Berkshire Plants

Three fossil fueled peaking power plants in Berkshire County��OWNED BY COGENTRIX:�Woodland in Lee Doreen in Pittsfield��OWNED BY HULL STREET:�Pittsfield Generating �in Pittsfield

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Cogentrix� Very successful talks!

• Retired and dismantled�2 Berkshire Co. peakers

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• Retired West�Springfield peaker

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• Converting �W. Springfield to �storage & renewables �
• ISO Interconnection study now finished after 855 day delay. �Interconnection agreement signed in Oct 2024, awaiting FERC approval.�

West Springfield plant transitioning to battery storage and renewables

Pittsfield Generating Stats:��– Currently employs only 2 crew members 98% of the time. 6 when running.

�– Operating time could rise again as more homes, businesses and transportation electrify.�

– Until recently paid about $693K in taxes. Won appeal to have tax cut by half due to depreciation.�

– In recent capacity auction, payment set to rise from about $4.3M to $6.5M.

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Is a lower tax payment fair for major source of pollution to City neighborhoods when it runs?

�Should we instead be incentivizing non-emitting alternatives like battery energy storage?

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• Directly adjacent to Environmental Justice neighborhoods��

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• Allendale and east side of Morningside within 1 mi. West Side within 2 mi.�
• Less than 1,000 ft. from Allendale�Elementary School�

Pittsfield �Generating

Could decarbonizing this giant, iconic piece of infrastructure be a selling point for clean tech development?�

• Updates City image as green�
• Upholds the values of clean �tech companies City would like to attract�
• Could possibly provide steam service if Vicinity model is adaptable:�a desirable asset for manufacturing,

pharmaceutical or research development

Benefits of converting fossil fuel peaker plants to �BESS and renewables:�

• Keeps peaking power supply in region, keeping the grid stable

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• Helps stabilize the grid by providing ancillary services

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• Keeps tax base for host community, rather than just retiring fossil fuel plants when no longer allowed for climate compliance

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• Improves local health outcomes for host communities

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• Improves municipal image for attracting clean tech developers

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• Ideal location: conversion of what’s already an industrial zone (no additional land acquisition or forest needed). Unique opportunity because of plant's proximity to existing, recently-updated interconnection infrastructure.

Possible decarbonization scenarios (least to best):

1. Simply add BESS to operations
1. Could effectively replace fossil fuel generation, stopping emissions while extending lifespan of its operation / preserving tax base
2. Could run into space limitations; small lot, not much room for two sets of power supply�
2. Retire fossil fuel turbines, convert to BESS
• Could completely replace fossil fuel generation, stopping emissions while extending lifespan of its operation / preserving tax base
• More space would be available either inside existing power plant structure or if demolished

Possible decarbonization scenarios (least to best):

3. Retire fossil fuel turbines, convert to BESS & solar

• Adding solar generation to BESS would ensure that power generation for charging is also zero-emission
• Clean Peak Standard allows generation to be off-site / owned by another party with whom storage operator has purchase agreement�

4. Retire fossil fuel turbines, repower steam capacity to zero emissions, (similar to Vicinity Energy eSteam™ conversion of Kendall Station)

a. Could supply district steam to development on former GE properties

b. Could still provide power to grid during peak events with sufficient

storage capacity

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Vicinity-style transition

Similar to Pittsfield Generating’s original co-gen operating model.��Gas / Oil co-generation plant generates steam to supply district heat and electric �to go to the grid.��Transitioning to zero emissions eSteam™�

NEWS:�• WBUR • Business Wire • NEREJ

Vicinity-style transition

• Electrode-based electric boiler uses electricity to flash-boil water into high-pressure steam. �Water is injected across two opposingly charged plates creating flash steam. The result will be the generation and distribution of electrified steam — renewable thermal energy.�
• Industrial-scale heat pump preheats water for the new electric boiler.

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• 80+ MW molten salt thermal battery for thermal storage.

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Can be run on standard grid power but best if supplied by renewable power.�Can also add BESS to store excess electric for peak supply.�

*View White Paper

Energy Options in the GE Industrial Strip

�Where is the old steam loop? Is it operational?�Can it be extended, or a new one constructed?

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Is there room to develop solar to supply the plant?�Undeveloped former GE property close by.�

Could solar development and purchase agreement with �Hull Street be a community-based endeavor?�Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program

Pittsfield Generating

Currently undeveloped GE property

Upgraded Eversource substation

Who can make this happen?

�Can the City persuade Hull Street to transition?�How can transition be incentivized by the City? �How can business as usual be dis-incentivized by the City?���BIGGER ASKS:�Purchase of the plant by a new developer?�Part of Community Development work?

�Community-owned municipal power takeover?�Can it be cooperatively owned by community members?

Funding Opportunities

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• EPA Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants Program- Help communities improve community health, �including removal of emissions sources.�
• Inflation Reduction Act Clean Energy Incentives for Municipalities and Tax-Exempt Entities available through Direct Pay� *Notes from recent presentation

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