Andrews highlighted planned transition of coal-fired plant to renewable energy parks, which will continue to provide reliable electric generation to the Granite State (Concord, NH) - Granite Shore Power CEO, Jim Andrews, was a featured speaker at the 2024 New Hampshire Energy Summit, held on September 23, 2024. His presentation, Reliability in a Transforming Market, addressed the critical issue of reliability in balancing regional energy resources to an audience of energy sector stakeholders. “Granite Shore Power’s generating stations have been essential resources within ISO-New England ensuring reliable electricity to the families and businesses of New Hampshire on its hottest days and coldest nights,” said Andrews. “As we transition to new energy resources, we need a balanced mix of generation, which we believe our energy parks will be able to support in a cost-efficient manner.” Andrews highlighted the company’s role in enhancing energy stability through major redevelopment efforts at Schiller Station in Portsmouth, NH and Merrimack Station in Bow, NH. In March, Granite Shore Power voluntarily announced that Schiller Station would cease operations by 2025, and Merrimack Station would be retired by 2028, as part of an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. As part of the redevelopment plan, Schiller Station is building a battery energy storage system, taking energy from the grid during low demand and putting it back on the grid during peak periods. Schiller and Merrimack Stations have been an important, yet limited, part of New Hampshire’s energy infrastructure for many years now. Merrimack Station will continue to be a vital resource when energy demands are at their highest while GSP redevelops the facility on its nearly 400 acres of land into a Clean Energy Park for generations to come. “After years of working toward the promises we made at inception, we are now there,” added Andrews. “It has taken significant effort to get to this point and more work must be done before these transformational projects begin construction, but we’re ready to solve a real reliability concern for the region. It will take the support of all stakeholders, including the business community, the advocacy community and our governmental partners, but we’re excited to take this important next step.
Agreement Between Granite Shore Power and EPA Paves Way for Battery, Solar, and Other Clean Energy Facilities (Bow, New Hampshire) -- Granite Shore Power (“GSP”) today announced a historic agreement with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) whereby the parties have set a firm date for the voluntary closure by GSP of operations at Merrimack Station, New England’s last remaining coal-fired power plant, as well as Schiller Station. This agreement will facilitate the creation of first-of-their-kind “Renewable Energy Parks” in the state of New Hampshire. GSP’s decision to set a firm closure date for coal-fired operations at both Merrimack and Schiller is part of the company’s long-standing repowering plan. The transformation of these power plants into new, clean energy facilities will mark the end of coal-fired generation in New England and facilitate exciting new economic growth at each location. “From our earliest days as owners and operators, we have been crystal clear; while our power occasionally is still on during New England’s warmest days and coldest nights, we were firmly committed to transitioning our facilities away from coal and into a newer, cleaner energy future. By pursuing and ultimately entering into this voluntary agreement with the U.S. EPA, we are keeping that commitment,” said Jim Andrews, CEO of Granite Shore Power. As part of the redevelopment plan, Schiller Station is advancing a battery energy storage system, taking energy from the grid during low demand and putting it back on the grid during peak periods. Schiller is on the Seacoast and will be integral in supporting reliability daily during peak hours and storage for the wind power that is now being built off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and in the Gulf of Maine. “The New Hampshire Seacoast is an area of high-energy demand and through the repowering of Schiller Station, we will provide carbon neutral power to support the businesses and families of New Hampshire. Our facilities are ideally situated near the infrastructure necessary to transition the region to the next generation of energy resources,” stated Andrews. Merrimack Station has been an important, yet limited, part of New Hampshire’s energy infrastructure for many years. It will continue to be a vital resource when energy demands are at their highest while GSP redevelops nearly 400 acres of land into a clean energy center for generations to come. Through the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in Washington D.C. and the continued shift toward a more electrified economy in New England, developing on-demand generation resources has become more critical than ever to ensure electric reliability for New Englanders. With the continued support of state, federal and local leaders, the redevelopment of both Merrimack and Schiller will enhance the interconnection utilization at the facilities and advance the region’s overall generation mix. “This Agreement is a significant accomplishment in driving clean energy forward, and it took a rejection of rhetoric, a focus on facts and a commitment to shared objectives. We thank U.S. EPA for their leadership and partnership over the past six years and look forward to continuing to work collaboratively to deliver reliable, clean energy for New England,” Andrews concluded.
Granite Shore Power identified as clean energy leader after announcing it will close coal-fired power plants, transition to “Renewable Energy Parks” (Concord, New Hampshire) -- Granite Shore Power (“GSP”) today joined the League of Conservation Voters (“LCV”) at the New Hampshire State House to share GSP’s clean energy transition plan and support for offshore wind development in the New England region. In the coming years, Granite Shore Power will be a key player in creating and supporting clean energy projects, including solar, battery storage systems and other alternatives that promote commerce growth in New Hampshire and other northeast states. “We are proud to share the progress we have made in just over a month since we announced our plans to transition our facilities away from coal,” said Jim Andrews, CEO of Granite Shore Power. “The investments we plan to make in New Hampshire’s port infrastructure will be critical to support offshore wind needs that will stimulate economic growth and development.” GSP has been recognized as a leader in sustainable energy initiatives, and the company’s commitment to advancing offshore wind development underscores its dedication to environmental stewardship and economic progress. “New Hampshire has an unparalleled opportunity to play a key role in the development of offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine and to take advantage of direct benefits from economic development, job creation, and enhanced environmental protection of our natural resources,” said Rob Werner, New Hampshire State Director of the League of Conservation Voters. “Granite Shore Power’s leadership in the arena and their plans to transition legacy fossil fuel plants to support offshore wind and other clean energy sources is visionary and will have a transformative and positive impact on New Hampshire’s energy future.” Earlier this year, GSP announced a historic agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) whereby the parties set a firm date for the voluntary closure by GSP of 2 operations at Merrimack Station, New England’s last remaining coal-fired power plant, as well as Schiller Station. This agreement will facilitate the creation of first-of-their-kind “Renewable Energy Parks” in the state of New Hampshire. GSP’s decision to set a firm closure date for coal-fired operations at both Merrimack and Schiller was part of the company’s long-standing repowering plan. The transformation of these power plants into new, clean energy facilities will mark the end of coal-fired generation in New England and facilitate exciting new economic growth at each location. New Hampshire State Senator David Watters joined The League of Conservation Voters and Granite Shore Power to urge his Senate colleagues to support and prioritize clean energy projects. “Granite Shore Power is delivering on their promise to usher in a clean energy future in New Hampshire. Coal-powered fuel will come to an end in New England, to be replaced by clean and renewable energy,” said State Sen. Watters. “I am excited to support GSP’s plans for solar, battery storage and alternative renewable projects at these important sites.” “By prioritizing clean energy initiatives and voluntarily closing their coal-fired plants, Granite Shore Power is setting an example for the industry,” said Sam Evans-Brown, Executive Director, Clean Energy NH. “Their proactive steps to shape the future of energy in the region while mitigating climate change will pave the way for a cleaner, more affordable future here in New Hampshire.” As part of the redevelopment plan, Schiller Station is advancing a battery energy storage system, taking energy from the grid during low demand and putting it back on the grid during peak periods. Schiller is on the Seacoast and will be integral in supporting reliability daily during peak hours and storage for the wind power that is now being built off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and in the Gulf of Maine. Merrimack Station has been an important, yet limited, part of New Hampshire’s energy infrastructure for many years. It will continue to be a vital resource when energy demands are at their highest while GSP redevelops nearly 400 acres of land into a clean energy center for generations to come. Through the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) in Washington D.C. and the continued shift toward a more electrified economy in New England, developing on-demand generation resources has become more critical than ever to ensure electric reliability for New Englanders. With the continued support of state, federal and local leaders, the redevelopment of both Merrimack and Schiller will enhance the interconnection utilization at the facilities and advance the region’s overall generation mix.
For nearly three quarters of a century, Merrimack Station in Bow and Schiller Station in Portsmouth have reliably served the energy needs of families and businesses across New Hampshire. These facilities keep folks warm on our coldest nights and cool during our hottest days, by burning coal. These two stations, however, have not operated as baseload generation for more than a decade. In fact, in recent years Merrimack Station has been a limited part of New Hampshire’s energy infrastructure. From our earliest days as owners and operators at Granite Shore Power, we have been crystal clear; we were fully committed to transitioning our facilities away from coal and into a newer, cleaner energy future for the New England region. And that is precisely what we did last week. In keeping our promise, Granite Shore Power will voluntarily cease coal-fired operations at Merrimack Station, New England’s last remaining coal-fired power plant, as well as Schiller Station. The historic agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) paves the way for first-of-their-kind “Renewable Energy Parks” in the state of New Hampshire. That’s right. Coal is being replaced by solar power, clean hydrogen, green biofuels, and battery storage. Our facilities are ideally situated near the infrastructure necessary to transition the region to the next generation of energy resources. The transformation of these power plants into new, clean energy facilities will facilitate exciting new economic growth at each location. Just like we have promised for the past six years. The New Hampshire Seacoast is an area of high-energy demand. By repowering Schiller Station to a battery storage system, we will provide carbon neutral power to reliably support the peak energy demands of New Hampshire every single day. Importantly, this will also provide storage for the wind power being built off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and in the Gulf of Maine. Our change will make wind power a reality in New Hampshire. Merrimack Station will continue to be a vital resource when energy demands are at their highest. We will redevelop nearly 400 acres of land into a clean energy center for generations to come. The continued shift toward a more electrified economy in New England makes developing reliable, affordable on-demand generation resources more important than ever. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has been key to spurring transition projects like these. New Hampshire will now be at the forefront of building a clean energy economy with the continued support of federal, state, and local leaders. We believe we’re living up to the good, bipartisan work of these thoughtful leaders with our work. And, with the continued support of state, federal and local officials in the months and years to come, the redevelopment of both Merrimack and Schiller will succeed, and we will better utilize the interconnection at these facilities while advancing the region’s overall generation mix. This voluntary agreement by our company is a significant accomplishment in driving clean energy forward. It took the rejection of rhetoric, a focus on facts and a commitment to shared objectives for this energy transition. We are proud of the role we have played in providing a safe and reliable energy bridge and are excited for this next chapter of clean energy infrastructure.
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