COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — For several months, the prospect of a Battery Energy Storage System built near two schools has generated debate in Comstock Township. Developers said the project has been in the works since 2023.
A Battery Energy Storage System, or BESS, would charge large batteries at night and release the energy during peak electricity use during the day. A section of land along E Main Street in Comstock Township could have two BESS collecting power. The proposal comes from Denmark-based Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners.
Right next door to the Swan Battery Energy Storage sits the future Comstock STEM Academy and beyond that is Comstock Elementary. District Superintendent Jeff Thoenes said concerns over the battery site have been brought up to the Board of Education before. Recently, the board opted to get a risk analysis compiled by a third-party firm.
The 5-page reportfrom Ann Arbor-based CTC Engineering LLC reviewed equipment being used, safety and its failure modes if an issue occurs. It highlighted safety measures and that lithium-iron phosphate cells used in the batteries are considered to have a reduced chance of uncontrolled heating that can lead to a fire compared to other lithium-based batteries…