Planning Board Meeting – BESS Application

Project & Request

Applicant: KCE NY 29, LLC (Key Capture Energy)

Location: 220 Rabro Drive, Hauppauge (SE corner of Rabro Drive and Wheeler Road / Route 111)

Project: Tier 3 Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

The applicant requested:

• A Planning Board special permit under Town Code §68-456(F)(3)

• A waiver of standard fencing requirements to allow a visual and sound barrier wall

• Associated site plan modifications

Key Points Presented to the Planning Board

• The BESS facility would interconnect directly with the existing LIPA substation located directly across Rabro Drive.

• A decommissioning plan was submitted after the public hearing in response to Planning Board requests.

• The plan was prepared by Key Capture Energy and its consultants, H2M Architects and Engineers.

• The exact location of the monitoring/control center was unknown at the time of approval.

• The monitoring location would be selected during the construction phase.

• Monitoring services were stated to be provided by Merit Controls, headquartered in New Jersey.

• The applicant asserted that remote monitoring would not affect the ability to dispatch local emergency responders.

Planning Department Recommendation

• Planning staff confirmed receipt of the required decommissioning plan.

• Staff accepted the applicant’s explanation regarding the unknown monitoring location.

• Planning recommended approval subject to conditions, including limiting battery container height to 12 feet and requiring enhanced landscaping along street frontages.

Planning Board Discussion

• No questions were raised by Planning Board members.

• No discussion occurred on the record regarding fire risk, emergency response planning, or worst-case incident scenarios.

• The applicant agreed to all proposed conditions of approval.

Decision

• A motion was made and seconded to approve the application.

• The vote was unanimous.

• The Planning Board granted the special permit for the Tier 3 BESS.

Key Observations

• The project was approved despite the monitoring location being undetermined.

• The Board relied primarily on applicant representations and Planning staff recommendations.

• There was no documented independent expert review or detailed safety discussion.

• The approval predates later Town actions increasing scrutiny of BESS projects, including moratoriums.