Important Public Hearing for the Lithium Battery Storage Site proposed for Tewksbury

You have the opportunity to give public Comment about the The Lithium Battery Storage Site being proposed for Tewksbury. The decision to put the battery storage site is to be decided by the Energy Facilities Sitting Board. The residents of Tewksbury will NOT be given a vote. Please attend this important meeting, Thurs Oct 9 at 6:30 Tewksbury Memorial High School Auditorium.

Letters may also be submitted to the board. The deadline for letters is Oct. 24, 2025.

Information concerning the project and the meeting is below.

Project:
There is a Lithium Battery Storage Site Project being proposed for Tewksbury. The project is for a 4.5 acre site that can store enough energy to power 125,000 homes for four hours. It is planned to be located at 73 Hillman Street, Tewksbury near the homes at Emerald Court Condominiums and an assisted living facility. The site is a short distance from Main St, the library many homes and the center of town.

The proposal has prompted significant backlash from local residents who have raised concerns about fire hazards, toxic fumes, and the proximity to residential areas and vulnerable populations.
Nearby properties: Residents point out that the site is located just hundreds of feet from the Emerald Court senior living community, as well as an assisted living facility and the Tewksbury State Hospital.
Safety risks: Opponents cite battery fire incidents in other locations, such as Moss Landing, California, and worry about potential health risks from toxic chemical leaks or "thermal runaway" events.

Evacuation challenges: Concerns have been raised about the potential difficulty of evacuating residents, including the elderly and those with mobility issues, in the event of an emergency.
Public opposition: Residents have staged demonstrations and circulated petitions against the project. As of September 2025, a petition had garnered more than 2,200 signatures.

Meeting:
There is an important Public Hearing scheduled for:
Thursday, October 9, 2025 6:30 p.m. - 9 pm
at the Tewksbury Memorial High School.
320 Pleasant Street , Tewksbury, MA 01876,

Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8840...

This meeting is the opportunity to give feed back to the Energy Facilities Siting Board, which will decide whether this battery storage project is approved or stopped. The final say is up to the Energy Facilities Sitting Board and the residents of Tewksbury will not be given a vote.

Speakers are encouraged to sign up in advance:
To provide oral comments during the hearing (in person, on Zoom, or by telephone), notify Yonathan Mengesha at Yonathan.Mengesha@mass.gov or (617) 305-3544. Please provide your name, email address, mailing address, and docket number (“EFSB 25-08”) by Wednesday, October 8, 2025.

Submitting a comment or letter to the Energy Facilities Siting Board will also make your voice heard.

Email your comments to:dpu.efiling@mass.govdonna.sharkey@mass.govakaplan@pierceatwood.com

Reference: Docket EFSB 25-08 — 73-75 Hillman Road, Tewksbury

More Information may be found on the Mass.gov website here: https://www.mass.gov/event/public-comment-hearing-tewksbury-battery-proj....

Thank you very much, and I hope to see you at the meeting,