The residents spoke loud and clear. The only question left was if the Town Board would make a decision that favored the vast majority of those who spoke.

Finally, after several months, the Town Board made its decision, and it was a decision that many local residents are surely happy to hear.

The Town Board unanimously voted to reject the proposed battery energy storage system from Northland Power, along with any similar projects of its kind located anywhere within the limits of the town of Hanover. The Town Board enacted a six-month moratorium on any projects related to renewable energy systems within the town of Hanover to allow for Planning Board review.

The Town Board postponed the battery energy storage system vote to make sure the entire board was in attendance and had researched the matter fully before making a decision. Hanover Supervisor Lou Pelletter then brought the matter forward on the agenda at the latest meeting.

Town of Hanover resident Emily Cornwall urged the town to fight against a battery energy storage system being established in the town.

“We have done our due diligence. The public has spoken. Northland has expressed what their project would be. So at this time, we would need a motion to approve it or deny it,” Pelletter said.

Town Board member Aimee Rogers then made the motion to deny the project. Ed Schintzius seconded the motion, then the roll call vote was held. All five members of the Town Board voted against the project, along with any others of its kind as the Town seeks to draft a local law on the matter in the coming months.

The proposed project in question was a 250-megawatt lithium battery storage system, with an interconnection that would have been located on Stebbins Road. It was set to be located just over one mile away from Silver Creek Central School.

A battery storage system is used to generate and store energy generated from sources such as solar and wind farms to dispatch the electricity when needed. Batteries can also serve as a backup power source, and can reduce the need for grid infrastructure upgrades by optimizing local energy use.

There are currently more than 5,000 energy storage projects operating in the state of New York, totaling more than 340 megawatts of energy. Non-hydro renewable energy sources – such as wind, solar, and battery systems – accounted for 10% of New York’s energy generation in 2024.

The applicant for the Hanover project, Northland Power, is the same owner as the Ball Hill Wind Turbine project. Northland Power is located in Toronto, Ontario and is a publicly traded stock on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

The project’s proximity to Silver Creek Central School was one of several concerns raised consistently by residents and stakeholders at various meetings regarding the proposal. Other concerns consistently raised include the proximity to Lake Erie and the risk of a fire. Residents feared potential water and air pollution, as well as the toll a fire could take on local fire departments. Several presentations from representatives from Northland Power regarding the safety measures designed to address fire safety concerns did not change the minds of the majority of those who spoke out.

One of the most outspoken residents on the matter was Emily Cornwall, a resident of the town of Hanover. She helped organize a petition against the project and presented it to the Town Board.

Cornwall said at a public hearing regarding the project, “I understand that we might lose anyways, but we should at least put up a fight.”

It seems like the residents won the fight in the eyes of the Town Board.