Viewpoint
Ulster Battery Plant Project Promises Safe Energy That’s Reliable, Affordable, Creating Local Jobs
By TODD DIORIO
As New York State accelerates toward a cleaner, more reliable energy future, communities are right to ask tough questions about safety, local jobs and whether new infrastructure will strengthen—not strain—the power grid.
In the Town of Ulster, the answer to all three questions is “Yes.”
That is why the Hudson Valley Building & Construction Trades Council and Terra-Gen reached a memorandum of understanding ensuring a proposed battery energy storage system, or BESS, will be built by highly skilled local union labor. The agreement reflects confidence not only in the construction quality the project will deliver, but also in the safety and reliability of modern battery storage technology.
Battery energy storage is no longer experimental. It is a proven tool that strengthens the electric grid by storing power when supply is high and delivering it when demand peaks. Terra-Gen’s proposed 250-megawatt BESS at 430 Hurley Ave. would supply electricity equivalent to the needs of 250,000 homes and businesses for four hours, supporting grid reliability, resiliency and affordability.
Just as important is how the project will be built.
The Hudson Valley Building & Construction Trades Council, representing 29 unions, does not lend its support lightly. Its members have safely constructed some of the region’s most complex projects, including the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and Resorts World Catskills. The Council’s decision to build this BESS underscores its confidence in Terra-Gen’s commitment to safety, advanced technology and rigorous construction standards.
Modern BESS facilities differ significantly from outdated predecessors. Today’s systems use fully tested, Underwriters Laboratories-certified modular steel enclosures designed to be weather-tight and to safely manage and contain highly unlikely fire scenarios. These systems include multiple layers of protection, such as continuous monitoring, automated controls and built-in fail-safe features.
New York battery storage projects are governed by some of the nation’s most stringent fire and building codes. The state recently strengthened its Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code, requiring extensive fire testing and ensuring that credible fire scenarios are designed to be limited to a single battery cabinet. Fire safety leaders, including the FDNY, have said BESS units are safe when installed and operated under these updated standards.
Independent experts agree. The Electric Power Research Institute reports that BESS incidents worldwide declined 97% between 2018 and 2023 as technology and standards improved. The American Clean Power Association said that modern codes and design advancements have significantly reduced risk. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority said the state’s codes rank among the highest safety standards internationally.
The BESS project will undergo thorough local review. Terra-Gen supports the Town of Ulster’s requirement for a comprehensive environmental review under the State Environmental Quality Review Act to ensure transparency, accountability and public input.
The project reflects what smart progress looks like: clean energy infrastructure built by local union workers, held to high safety standards and reviewed through a robust public process. It promises hundreds of good-paying union jobs today and a stronger, more resilient power grid for the future.
About the author: Todd Diorio is president of the Hudson Valley Building & Construction Trades Council. Learn more at builditunion.org.
Published: March 17, 2026.