East Point Energy is proposing to build a battery energy storage system facility in Chesapeake’s Hickory area, and the project is nearing a critical vote from city leaders. The proposed Mill Stone Energy Center, located at 1912 Centerville Turnpike South — about 2 miles north of Hickory High School — has been in development for roughly 2 years and could begin construction as early as 2030 if approved.
A battery energy storage system works by pulling power off the grid during off-peak hours, typically at night, and pushing it back onto the grid when demand is highest — during heat waves, winter storms, or other high-usage periods.
“When a peaker plant or something would normally come on, we push the energy back onto the grid and that helps stabilize the grid, provide power, and also, over the course of time, bring down prices,” Elisha Kiser, the Mill Stone Senior Project Developer at East Point Energy, said…