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| Councilor Maxwell Morrongiello |
Over the past two weeks, I've heard from a number of Franklin residents with concerns about a proposed Battery Energy Storage System at 26 Pearl Street in Bellingham, just across the town line. I want to respond publicly because these questions deserve a thorough and honest answer.
What the project is:
The site is a 20-acre town-owned parcel that Bellingham put out to bid in 2020 and authorized through its own town meeting. Zero-Point Development was awarded the contract, and a ground lease has been in place since 2021. The developer filed a Special Permit application with the Bellingham Zoning Board in February 2026, which is the first step in a multi-stage process that will also include Bellingham's Planning Board, Conservation Commission, and MassDEP before anything can be built.
On the safety questions:
These are questions worth understanding, and I've looked into them carefully. The data on these facilities has improved significantly in recent years. According to the Electric Power Research Institute, the global failure rate for battery storage systems dropped 98% between 2018 and 2024, even as deployment grew dramatically. In 2024, roughly 0.3% of facilities experienced an incident with any safety concern, comparable to the annual rate of residential house fires. A 2025 review of 35 large-scale U.S. battery fires between 2012 and 2024 found no air, soil, or water contamination requiring remediation at any of them.
That said, the proximity to the Charles River is something I've noted. The developer's own site plan shows the facility sits within the state-mandated 200-foot Riverfront Area buffer zone, which triggers specific MassDEP oversight. The developer's design includes an automated containment system for fire water runoff, as MassDEP requires, but the adequacy of that system given the river's proximity is exactly the kind of question the Conservation Commission and MassDEP review stages are designed to scrutinize carefully. On noise, battery storage facilities do produce continuous fan noise, and Bellingham's Planning Board can and should require the developer to address this through noise barriers and overnight operational restrictions.
Franklin's role:
I want to be direct: this is a Bellingham decision about Bellingham-owned land, authorized by Bellingham's own voters. Franklin's Town Council does not have authority over another municipality's permitting process, and it would not be appropriate for us to insert ourselves formally. What I can tell you is that the Planning Board and Conservation Commission hearings ahead are exactly where community voices belong and where they can make a real difference. If you have concerns, I encourage you to attend those hearings and put them on the record.
I'll continue to stay informed as this develops, and I'm always available to hear from residents at mmorrongiello@franklinma.gov.
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**Sources**
1. **Project site, ownership, RFP history, ground lease date, ZBA application date, acreage:** Bellingham Zoning Board of Appeals, Special Permit Application, ZPB 2020-030 LLC, received February 11, 2026.
2. **200-foot Riverfront Area buffer zone:** Site Layout Plan CS-101, ZPB-2020-030 LLC, 26 Pearl Street, Bellingham, MA, prepared by Fuss & O'Neill, dated June 18, 2025.
3. **98% failure rate reduction, 2018-2024:** Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), cited in Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, *Battery Energy Storage Systems: Frequently Asked Questions on Fire Safety and Public Health*, mass.gov, February 2026.
4. **0.3% annual incident rate, comparison to residential house fire rate:** Camelot Energy Group, "Putting BESS Fires in Everyday Context," July 2024, cited in John Pepi, Alliance for Climate Transition, joinact.org, July 2025.
5. **35 fires (2012-2024), no remediation required:** Fire & Risk Alliance LLC and American Clean Power Association, *Assessment of Potential Impacts of Fires at BESS Facilities*, March 28, 2025.
6. **MassDEP containment requirements, automated shutoff valve:** ZPB 2020-030 LLC / Zero-Point Development, Project Narrative, 26 Pearl Street, Bellingham, MA (submitted to Bellingham ZBA, February 2026).
7. **Noise mitigation standards:** Massachusetts DOER/EFSB, *Guidance on Electric Battery Storage and Electric Vehicle Chargers*, August 2025, mass.gov.
