Meeting on proposed lithium-ion battery plant at former high school in Ulster

Jun 30

Written By HVNY

Lithium-ion batteries are the most common rechargeable battery, widely used for consumer electronics and electric vehicles, and account for over 80-percent of the more than 190 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of battery energy storage deployed globally.

To meet this ever-increasing demand, Terra-Gen, a California-based company and “one of the largest integrated and independent renewable energy power producers in the United States,” has proposed creating a 250-megawatt lithium-ion battery plant at the site of the former John A. Coleman Catholic High School on Hurley Avenue in the Town of Ulster, situated between the City of Kingston and Town of Hurley.

The plan includes razing the former Coleman High School and installing 300 industrial lithium-ion batteries in 14-foot-tall containers on the site, covering nearly 12-acres of the 15-acre property.

According to Terra-Gen: “This Hurley Avenue location is strategically located adjacent to Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp.’s Hurley Substation, to the north of the property across Hurley Avenue. The substation is one of the most vital substations in Ulster County and the Hudson Valley.” The proposed lithium-ion battery energy storage system “would power 250,000 homes and businesses with sustainable energy for four hours.”

The company also plans to teach the local fire department how to contain a fire at the plant, Town of Hurley Supervisor Michael Boms told residents during a recent board meeting. (A fire at a California-based lithium-ion battery plant in January of 2025 burned for five days, with several re-ignitions reported. Over 1,200 residents were evacuated and several schools were closed due to fire and the potential hazards from the smoke.)

“The way you put out a [lithium-ion] fire? You can’t. You let it burn. Water will make it worse and you can’t use foam because it’s PFAS,” Boms said. He added that the Terra-Gen plan included surrounding the lithium-ion storage tanks with a perimeter of water tanks to help cool down the containers in the event of a fire.

The proposed site is considered a mixed-use lot with the nearest house approximately 22-feet away from the plant, and a housing development located approximately 1/4-mile away. Three schools are also within a one-and-a-half-mile radius of the site.

“We’re not doing our job if we’re not protecting our people,” Bom added. “We see how dangerous this can be. If that plant catches on fire, the New York State Thruway is right there, it will be shut down – no, I’m sorry, it’ll burn down,” Bom said during the June 16 board meeting. He added that both the Town of Ulster Supervisor and New York State Governor Kathy Hochul have expressed support for the project. “Well, it’s not her backyard,” one resident in attendance responded.

“This is way too dangerous,” another resident called out during the meeting. “As a member of the fire department and an ambulance driver, this is a nightmare.”

During a Zoom meeting planned for Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 7pm, Mark Turner, a vice president of Terra-Gen, will respond to questions emailed in advance by members of the public. Questions should be sent to info@ulstercleanenergy.com. The presentation will be viewable online at tinyurl.com/TerraGen-Zoom