Andrews featured as panelist in Business & Industry Association’s 2024 New Hampshire Energy Symposium (Concord, NH) – On November 7, 2024, Granite Shore Power CEO Jim Andrews participated in an expert panel at the Business & Industry Association’s 2024 New Hampshire Energy Symposium. In a panel conversation entitled, State of Energy in New Hampshire, Andrews offered insight into the future of the state’s energy grid, and how Granite Shore Power (“GSP”) is providing reliable energy generation to the families and businesses of New Hampshire. “New England’s energy sector is at a critical moment, as many power plants in the region have recently retired and our own Merrimack and Schiller Stations are transitioning to renewable energy parks. This winter, fewer energy sources will be available, which creates a serious risk for energy stability in the area.” Andrews said. “It is imperative that we combat this by expanding energy sources, which will lower energy costs and help to build a reliable, sustainable future for New Hampshire.” GSP is proactively addressing the need for reliability by investing in battery storage, which can deliver power needed right away–not ten years from now. Andrews outlined the company’s plans for Schiller Station, which includes the addition of a battery energy storage system (BESS). The system will charge at points of low energy demand throughout the day and discharge at afternoon and evening peaks, balancing supply and demand in real time. In tandem with renewable energy resources, the technology will meet increased energy needs and allow for continued economic growth in the Granite State. “Throughout the redevelopment of Merrimack and Schiller stations, it is critical that we have the sustained support of both lawmakers and the community,” added Andrews. “This collaboration is essential to ensure we can deliver reliable electricity to the families and businesses of New England.” In March of this year, GSP announced the voluntary closure of operations at Schiller Station and at Merrimack Station, New England’s last remaining coal-fired plant, facilitating the creation of first-of-their-kind “Renewable Energy Parks” in the state of New Hampshire. The transformation of these power plants into new, clean energy facilities marks the end of coal-fired generation in New England and facilitates exciting new economic growth at each location. 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.
Andrews discussed offshore wind infrastructure at EBC 6th Annual New Hampshire Offshore Wind Conference (Concord, NH) - On October 16, 2024, Granite Shore Power CEO Jim Andrews participated in the Environmental Business Council of New England’s 6th Annual New Hampshire Offshore Wind Conference. Andrews’ presentation focused on the Granite State’s burgeoning offshore wind industry and the vital role that Granite Shore Power (“GSP”) will play in helping to make wind power a reality for New England. Specifically, Andrews talked about GSP's transformation of Schiller Station into a battery energy storage facility, which would provide storage for the wind power 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 it’s well-positioned to take advantage of the potential sites for offshore wind,” said Andrews. “By repowering Schiller Station to a battery storage system, we will be able to provide reliable, carbon-neutral power to support the peak energy demands of New Hampshire residents every single day.” GSP’s Schiller Station will be repowered to a battery energy storage system (BESS) called Jacona II. BESS is an optimal dispatchable resource for supporting decarbonization efforts when located in proximity to the load demand they are servicing. The Schiller Station, located on the Seacoast in Portsmouth, provides an ideal opportunity to site a critically needed resource utilizing existing infrastructure to meet reliability needs sensibly. It is estimated that the coast of New Hampshire has enough offshore wind potential to supply 2,600 MW of clean energy to the region's power grid, enough to power the entire Granite State, according to Clean Energy NH. Offshore wind developments can provide significant investment in the state's economy and offer a suite of well-paying jobs across a suite of supporting industries. “This is a pivotal moment, as we embark on this journey to build a cleaner energy future. GSP has a unique opportunity to help address New England’s reliability challenges, by creating an energy storage surplus that dispatches power when and where it’s needed,” added Andrews. “This project will be a major step forward in the region’s transition to the next generation of energy resources.” Andrews noted the need for significant investment to make this transformation come to fruition. “The offshore wind sector requires significant coastal infrastructure for manufacturing, construction, marshaling, and operations and maintenance,” Andrews stated. “New Hampshire needs direct investments in these clean energy projects for the state to benefit from decarbonization efforts and the economic growth possibilities that come with them.” In March of this year, GSP announced the voluntary closure of operations at Schiller Station and at Merrimack Station, New England’s last remaining coal-fired plant, facilitating the creation of first-of-their-kind “Renewable Energy Parks” in the state of New Hampshire. The transformation of these power plants into new, clean energy facilities marks the end of coal-fired generation in New England and facilitates exciting new economic growth at each location. 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. “Our transformed facilities will continue providing reliable electric generation to Granite Staters. This is a bold step forward and making good on our promise to transition our coal-fired plants to clean energy facilities, meeting the changing needs of the region,” concluded Andrews.
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.
Originally Posted By E&E News By POLITICO (BOW, New Hampshire) — For Jim Andrews, an old photograph tells a cautionary tale. The black and white picture shows five electricity executives smiling and pointing at what they hoped would be a technological breakthrough: a mercury vapor turbine at a new coal plant on the New Hampshire seacoast. Mercury turbines, which used the toxic element to transfer heat rather than steam, never caught on. Only a few were built. Now, some 75 years after that photo was snapped, Andrews finds himself in a similar spot. The CEO of Granite Shore Power announced earlier this year that his company will soon close the last two coal plants in New England. In their place, the company plans to build two large battery storage facilities, a small solar farm and, if all goes well, a port that could eventually serve the offshore wind industry in the Gulf of Maine. Which brings Andrews back to the picture hanging on the wall outside his office. “They’re pointing like, ‘Isn’t this a great idea?’ and everybody’s so proud,” he said during an interview last week. “It sort of always gives me pause as I go into my office and make a major decision. Is it really going to be that good of a decision when folks 40 years from now look back on me?” Granite Shore Power CEO Jim Andrews poises by a picture of New England Public Service Co. executives celebrating the commissioning of a mercury vapor turbine at Schiller Station. “It sort of always gives me pause as I go into my office and make a major decision,” he said. | Benjamin Storrow/POLITICO’s E&E News In some senses, Granite Shore Power’s move away from coal is mostly symbolic. New England never was a particularly large coal market, even in the fuel’s heyday. Coal ceased to play a significant role in the region’s six-state power market with the retirement of a large Massachusetts coal plant in 2017. One of Granite Shore Power’s two coal facilities hasn’t run since 2020. The other typically logs fewer than 20 days in a year, switching on only during the hottest summer swelters or coldest winter periods when power demand in the region spikes. But the company’s moves point to one of the biggest questions facing the country as efforts to green the electrical system gather steam: how to keep the lights on when power demand surges. That role has traditionally been the domain of fossil fuels. It is a job frequently done by many of the dirtiest, least efficient power plants on the electrical grid. How to replace those facilities with cleaner alternatives is one of the bigger challenges of decarbonizing the electric sector. Few places capture the conundrum like New England. The region of nearly 15 million people has a unique challenge in that it has a gas-reliant power grid but limited pipeline capacity to serve it. That can be especially troublesome in the winter, when demand for gas rises and space on New England’s pipelines is limited. Traditionally, the region has been able to call on other power plants to help fill the void. Mystic Generating Station, a gas plant outside Boston and New England’s largest fossil fuel-fired facility, relied on imports of liquefied natural gas until it closed earlier this summer. Merrimack and Schiller stations, the two coal plants operated by Granite Shore Power in New Hampshire, supply a small amount of coal generation. New England could also count on oil-fired facilities like the one operated by ArcLight Capital Partners in Middletown, Connecticut. It was an effective, if dirty, way to keep the lights on. Now all four of those power plants are slated to retire by 2028, beginning with the already-shuttered Mystic. Altogether, New England stands to lose 3,000 megawatts over the next four years, or about a tenth of its generating capacity. There are few easy replacements. A transmission line capable of delivering 1,200 MW of hydropower from Canada has resumed construction after being blocked for almost two years by voters in Maine. Two offshore wind projects, which will add 1,500 MW of new capacity to the New England grid, are under construction after years of delays. But whether the region can quickly add more large-scale clean energy projects is an open question. “The challenge in New England is the retirements always happen on time and the new entry is almost always late,” said Dan Dolan, CEO of New England Power Generators Association, a trade group that represents power plant owners like Granite Shore Power. A coal pile at Merrimack Station outside Concord, New Hampshire. Merrimack is the last operating coal plant in New England. It is slated to close in 2028. | Benjamin Storrow/POLITICO’s E&E News New England is banking on offshore wind, in part because it’s easier to site large renewable energy projects at sea than on land. Offshore wind is also attractive to the region because the winds over the North Atlantic tend to blow hardest in winter, when power is needed the most. “I am a believer that offshore wind will play a meaningful role in the winter and will enhance the overall reliability of the system,” Dolan said, before cautioning, “It is not going to be perfect. There are going to be moments in time where other resources are needed and need to step up — infrequent periods every few years, with low temperatures and low winds and we will need to rely on other dispatchable resources.” ISO New England, the regional grid operator, shares the concern. Its grid modeling shows that there’s enough power to operate its grid reliably through 2032. But that finding comes with important caveats. It assumes 4,800 MW in offshore wind capacity will come online by 2032, a figure that could be difficult to reach after a series of wind developers were forced to cancel power contracts with New England states last year due to inflation. It also supposes the new transmission line with Canada will be completed. While that project is once again moving forward, it still faces a legal challenge from one of the region’s nuclear power plant operators. To make matters even more complicated: ISO New England is predicting a steady uptick in power demand due to electric vehicles and home heat pumps. The grid operator thinks demand will grow 17 percent over the next 10 years, reversing more than a decade of declining demand due to energy efficiency measures. It also projects that winter power demand will nearly match summer power demand by 2033 because of the growing popularity of heat pumps. That makes new clean energy resources more important, said Anne George, ISO New England’s chief communications officer. “If the supply growth and demand growth are out of whack then there is the potential for problems on the system,” she said. It is against that backdrop that Granite Shore Power announced its plans to replace its coal plants with cleaner facilities. Schiller Station sits on the Piscataqua River and once received shipments of coal via barge. Its deepwater dock is ideal for a potential offshore wind port, as developers eye new projects in the Gulf of Maine. But wind projects remain years away, with the Biden administration only recently moving to open the area to leasing. In the interim, Andrews, the CEO, is focused on storage. Granite Shore Power is planning to build a 150-MW battery system at Schiller, which once was home to the mercury turbine pictured in the hallway of Andrews’ office. Another 100-MW battery would be built at the site of Merrimack Station, the coal plant outside Concord. It would be accompanied by a 10-MW solar farm. Those are massive storage projects by New England standards. The region has only installed 360 MW of batteries to date. But Andrews thinks Granite Shore Power’s coal plants offer a unique opportunity. Each facility has acreage and an existing interconnection with the power system. They also offer a chance to help address the reliability challenges stemming from New England’s limited gas pipeline system, he said. “If I can’t get gas off the pipe at a price that allows me to be dispatched, it’s sort of like the resource is there and not being utilized,” Andrews said. Batteries, by contrast, will draw energy when there is a surplus and dispatch it when it’s needed, he said. “That’s probably the optimum resource right now to build, in my view,” he said. Andrews describes his vision for an offshore wind port at the 75-year-old Schiller Station. | Benjamin Storrow/POLITICO’s E&E News New England is traditionally a difficult market for energy storage, which typically gravitates to markets with large amounts of solar generation like California and Texas. That creates a predictable pattern for electricity prices, with batteries able to charge when power is cheap during the day and discharging electricity in the evening when prices rise. While New England has seen significant growth in its rooftop solar industry, it has yet to reach the level of solar penetration generally sought by battery developers. But there is evidence that is starting to change. Elevate Renewables, an arm of the private equity firm ArcLight Capital, has proposed replacing its oil-fired generator in Middletown, Connecticut, with a 200-MW battery. Much like Granite Shore Power, Elevate Renewables is looking to use existing infrastructure to bring clean energy online. That is particularly valuable in a region where permitting and interconnection are two of the biggest barriers to clean energy development, said Eric Cherniss, who leads renewable development at the company. “It’s one of the largest holdups to delivering some of this energy transition, is the building of new infrastructure,” Cherniss said. “So let’s use what we have now to its greatest extent possible and have the highest impact in the short term.” Still, the application of batteries in New England will likely be limited. Today’s batteries often dispatch for two to four hours. That is helpful in handling power demand associated with heat waves. Solar can provide power during the day, while batteries kick in during the early evening hours when demand is high but the sun has gone down. It is less helpful during the prolonged winter cold snaps that grid planners worry about in New England. ISO New England’s modeling shows that batteries would be of limited help after discharging their energy because they would need to recharge at a time when the grid is already stretched. Andrews is clear-eyed about the challenge. He acknowledged that batteries will offer little assistance in a deep freeze. His job is to bring online at least some of the capacity needed to replace the region’s retiring power plants. It’s either that or end up like one of the smiling executives in the photograph in his office.
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.
Originally published by the Seacoastonline New Hampshire has new opportunities to lead on energy policy that promotes jobs, economic development, and reliable clean energy. For decades, New Hampshire has relied on aging energy resources and insufficient diversity of generation resources for reliability while electric rates continue to increase for ratepayers due to extreme weather events and turmoil in world markets. There has been too little investment to drive new technologies in our state. The recent news announced by Granite Shore Power — owner of the state’s last remaining coal plants — that it was forging ahead with the voluntary closure of Schiller and Merrimack stations to launch a massive new investment in clean energy parks is welcome news. The recent unprecedented step by Granite Shore Power to end coal-burning operations and build sustainable energy facilities in their place will make New Hampshire a national leader in clean energy production. It will have transformational effects on New Hampshire’s energy resilience with less costly clean energy. This news is especially timely given the availability of federal funding and the planning by the New Hampshire Department of Energy to move New Hampshire forward on clean energy and energy efficiency. As members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and chair of the New Hampshire Commission on Offshore Wind and Port Development, we know that good policy and a regulatory environment that supports private investment are essential for New Hampshire’s energy future. Granite Shore Power’s decision to proactively transition two major coal-burning stations to environmentally safe power production alternatives is private sector leadership. It is something that all residents of our state, as well as leaders from both sides of the aisle, should support now and in the months to come. Schiller Station will be converted into a battery storage facility, taking energy from the grid during low demand and putting it back on the grid during peak periods. Schiller’s strategic location on the Seacoast will allow it to capture offshore wind power from Martha’s Vineyard and the Gulf of Maine, meaning the plant will be replacing coal power with renewable battery power. And this is just a start for Granite Shore Power. The success of offshore wind and potential clean hydrogen energy development need to be coupled with battery storage, solar energy, and grid modernization. The Granite Shore Power proposals provide key features for a successful development of new power sources to provide clean, lower cost energy for New Hampshire homes and businesses. Merrimack Station will be converted to a Renewable Energy Park — the first of its kind in our state’s history. GSP will redevelop the power plant’s nearly 400 acres to facilitate multiple sources of clean energy manufacturing including a solar farm, battery storage, green biodiesel, and hydrogen that can link to an existing natural gas pipeline. In addition to lowering emissions and providing families and businesses with more cost-effective energy, the construction and operation of two state-of-the-art renewable energy parks will add untold numbers of jobs to the state and local economies. Granite Shore Power will count on us all to support the development of these massive projects. The positive impact these transformative projects will have not only on the grid, but on our economy cannot be overstated. For years we have hoped for the promise of policy and power companies making clean energy a reality. Granite Shore Power is delivering on those promises. New Hampshire state Sen. Kevin Avard, District 12, is chairman Senate Energy & Natural Resources. State Sen. David Watters, District 4, is ranking Democrat on the Senate Energy & Natural Resources
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