Terrence Nolan, a senior project developer with New Leaf Energy, presented a proposal for two fenced 5-megawatt, four-hour battery energy storage systems at 426 East Brighton Avenue and said the installations would improve local grid reliability and reduce reliance on a nearby peaker plant.

"We are here to talk about a proposal for a battery energy storage system on 426 East Brighton," Nolan said, describing prior neighborhood outreach and a City Planning Commission site-plan approval under the city’s utility-major zoning provision. Nolan said the company would invest $1,000,000 in Rock Cut substation upgrades and that the two proposed projects could provide backup power for up to 10,000 residents for four hours.

The committee devoted most of its discussion to safety, operations and local oversight. Fire-safety specialists explained the design and monitoring systems they called "defense in depth," including module enclosures, battery-management systems and 24/7 off-site monitoring that will trigger alerts to emergency services. A speaker with New York City fire-department experience said published incident rates have fallen as deployment and standards matured and emphasized regular inspection, testing and maintenance.

Syracuse’s fire chief pressed the need for a local, comprehensive review before approval. "The number 1 concern here is the introduction of these facilities," the chief said, noting the city has not previously managed large-scale battery installations and that the version of the project presented in predevelopment review did not meet the letter of the local code.

Council members asked about proximity to residences (presenters said the nearest residence is roughly 75 feet, about 30 yards), toxic emissions, vegetation management and noise from HVAC fans. Developers and safety experts said there are no routine toxic emissions during normal operations, that vegetation and inspections must be managed under operations-and-maintenance plans, and that emergency response typically involves protecting exposures rather than entering enclosures.

Michael Collins, commissioner of neighborhood and business development, said the issue is urgent because of rapid local development and asked deputy commissioner Owen Kearney to pull together a cross-department working group to evaluate siting, inspection, environmental and water-supply implications. Collins said staff aims to be efficient but could not commit to a firm schedule immediately.

Nolan offered to fund an independent third-party review to inform the city’s evaluation and said his company has no company-level accidents affecting operations to date: "We have 0 accidents which affect our company." The fire chief reiterated that until the developer submits final, code-compliant plans to the permitting office, the department cannot formally approve construction.

After discussion the committee did not vote on the permit. Councilor Williams said he would hold the item and that it would not be voted on Monday; the chair moved to adjourn and the meeting ended with a second.

Next steps: city staff will form the working group that Collins and the fire department recommended; final permitting, plan review and code compliance verification will be required before any construction begins.