Granite Shore Power will permanently end coal-fired operations at Schiller Station and plans to convert the defunct facility into a battery energy storage system.
Granite Shore Power is additionally ending coal-fired operations at Merrimack Station in Bow, as part of a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The transition marks the start of a new era in clean energy sources in New Hampshire as Granite Shore Power intends to turn both facilities into renewable energy parks.
The transition was announced by Jim Andrews, chief executive officer of Granite Shore Power, after years of opposition against the plants by clean energy advocates. The move comes following lawsuits by the Conservation Law Foundation and the Sierra Club.
Schiller Station, operational since 1949, has faced calls for reduced emissions and closure. The station will now be transformed into a battery energy storage system named Jacona II, to support future offshore wind developments. The system will be located where the old coal pile was, blending into the surrounding neighborhood.
With Schiller Station not in operation since 2020, the battery storage system is expected to be fully operational in two to three years. Granite Shore Power is working with ISO New England to develop the project.
The Conservation Law Foundation and the Sierra Club have praised the agreement, noting that New Hampshire is the 16th state in the country to go coal-free. They anticipate a cleaner energy future for the region.
The move is seen as a significant step towards reducing emissions and transitioning to cleaner energy sources, paving the way for a more sustainable future in New Hampshire.
