Maine had zero utility-scale battery storage until a week ago. Now it has the largest system on the New England grid. Plus Power's 175-megawatt Cross Town facility in Gorham began operations on February 11, 2026, capable of powering 19,000 homes for two hours and storing surplus wind power from northern Maine for dispatch to Boston during peak demand.
The project reflects a national transformation: U.S. battery storage capacity grew 66% in 2024 alone, reaching 26 gigawatts. Texas and California account for 82% of deployments, but New England faces unique pressure. The region's natural gas pipelines cannot meet both heating and electricity demand on the coldest winter days, creating reliability gaps that batteries can help fill. Maine's 2021 law mandating 400 megawatts of storage by 2030 positioned the state to attract this investment.
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People Involved
Brandon Keefe
CEO and Co-Founder, Plus Power (Leading company with 11 GW in development across 20+ states)
Janet Mills
Governor of Maine (Recognized as 'Clean Energy Champion' by Maine Renewable Energy Association (February 2026))
Organizations Involved
PL
Plus Power
Energy Storage Developer
Status: Operating Cross Town and expanding nationwide
A leading U.S. developer of standalone battery energy storage projects with over 11 gigawatts in development across more than 20 states.
IS
ISO New England
Regional Transmission Organization
Status: Managing grid transition with 18,000 MW of battery storage in interconnection queue
The independent system operator responsible for grid reliability and wholesale electricity markets across Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
CI
Cianbro Corporation
Construction and Engineering Company
Status: Completed engineering, procurement, and construction for Cross Town
A Maine-based, employee-owned construction company that has operated for over 75 years and handled EPC work for the Cross Town battery facility.
SU
Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd.
Energy Technology Manufacturer
Status: Supplied 156 PowerTitan battery units for Cross Town
A Chinese manufacturer of solar inverters and battery energy storage systems, supplying the PowerTitan units used in the Cross Town facility.
Timeline
Cross Town Becomes New England's Largest Battery
Deployment
Plus Power's 175-megawatt, 350-megawatt-hour Cross Town Energy Storage facility in Gorham, Maine begins operations, marking Maine's first utility-scale battery and the largest on the ISO New England grid.
New England Clean Energy Connect Goes Live
Infrastructure
Central Maine Power's 145-mile transmission corridor begins delivering 1,200 megawatts of hydropower from Quebec to the New England grid, complementing battery storage's role in regional reliability.
Plus Power Opens Cranberry Point in Massachusetts
Deployment
Plus Power's 150-megawatt, 300-megawatt-hour Cranberry Point Energy Storage facility begins operations in Carver, Massachusetts, the company's first project in New England.
Moss Landing Fire Destroys 75% of Facility
Incident
Fire breaks out at the Moss Landing battery storage facility in California, consuming 75% of the world's largest battery plant and forcing evacuation of 1,200 residents. The incident raises questions about battery safety but does not halt industry growth.
U.S. Battery Capacity Reaches 26 Gigawatts
Milestone
Cumulative U.S. utility-scale battery storage exceeds 26 gigawatts after a 66% increase in 2024. Texas and California account for 82% of deployments.
Maine Wins $147 Million for Long-Duration Storage
Investment
Governor Mills announces a $147 million federal grant for a long-duration energy storage system in Lincoln, Maine, part of a $389 million regional grid innovation grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Plus Power Expands Texas Portfolio
Deployment
Plus Power's Anemoi and Ebony facilities become operational in Texas, joining Rodeo Ranch as the state's largest standalone battery at 565 megawatt-hours.
Texas Batteries Save $750 Million During Winter Storm
Performance
When Winter Storm Heather hits Texas, battery storage units generate $750 million in market savings by delivering ancillary services and freeing up natural gas generation to meet demand.
Texas Batteries Prevent Grid Failure During Heat Wave
Performance
During record temperatures, battery storage supplies electricity to approximately 434,000 Texas homes and helps avoid grid failure. Batteries reduce energy prices by almost 50% after a price spike to $5,000 per megawatt-hour.
Plus Power's Gambit Operational in Texas
Deployment
Plus Power's first major project begins operations in Texas, establishing the company as a leading standalone battery developer in the ERCOT market.
Maine Sets Storage Targets
Policy
Governor Mills signs LD 528, making Maine the ninth U.S. state with codified energy storage targets: 300 megawatts by 2025 and 400 megawatts by 2030.
Moss Landing Phase 1 Comes Online
Deployment
Vistra Energy activates a 300-megawatt battery array at Moss Landing, California, beginning what would become the world's largest battery storage facility at 750 megawatts by 2023.
World's Largest Battery Goes Live in Australia
Milestone
Tesla and Neoen complete the 100-megawatt Hornsdale Power Reserve in South Australia, demonstrating that grid-scale batteries can stabilize grids with high renewable penetration. The project saves consumers $150 million in its first two years.
Scenarios
1
Maine Exceeds 400 MW Storage Target Ahead of Schedule
Discussed by: Maine Department of Energy Resources, Utility Dive analysis
Cross Town delivers 175 megawatts, and Maine had approximately 63 megawatts of utility-scale storage before this project. With four additional stand-alone projects totaling 215 megawatts in ISO New England's interconnection queue, Maine could reach or exceed its 400-megawatt 2030 target by 2028. The state's Department of Energy Resources is preparing another request for proposals for additional battery sites, with a draft expected within a month. Success here would position Maine as a model for other New England states.
2
Battery Storage Prevents New England Winter Grid Emergency
Discussed by: ISO New England, Form Energy white paper, regional utility analysts
New England's reliance on natural gas creates acute winter reliability risk when pipelines cannot supply both heating and electricity. ISO-NE estimates the region needs 4.5 gigawatts of storage reserves by 2030 to avoid winter outages. As battery capacity grows from projects like Cross Town and Cranberry Point, the region could avoid calling emergency procedures during a future cold snap. The first real test may come in winter 2026-2027 or 2027-2028.
3
Tariffs and Supply Chain Constraints Slow 2026-2027 Deployments
Discussed by: Wood Mackenzie, Energy Storage Association market forecasts
The U.S. utility-scale storage market is projected to shrink 11% in 2026 and 8% in 2027 as domestic manufacturing scales up and trade policies shift supply chains. Projects using Chinese components like Sungrow's PowerTitan systems could face longer lead times or higher costs. If tariffs tighten further, states like Maine that attracted early investment may see follow-on projects delayed while domestic alternatives ramp up.
4
Battery Fire Forces Regulatory Review of Utility-Scale Projects
Discussed by: MIT Technology Review, Utility Dive, California energy regulators
The January 2025 Moss Landing fire that destroyed 75% of the world's largest battery facility renewed scrutiny of lithium-ion safety. If a similar incident occurs at a New England facility, regulators could impose new permitting requirements, setback distances, or fire suppression standards that slow project development. The industry has recorded only 20 fire-related incidents over the past decade despite a 25,000% capacity increase, but a high-profile failure could still trigger regulatory action.
Historical Context
Hornsdale Power Reserve (2017)
December 2017
What Happened
After a statewide blackout during 2016 storms, South Australia contracted with Tesla and Neoen to build a 100-megawatt battery in just 100 days. The Hornsdale Power Reserve became the world's largest lithium-ion battery and demonstrated that grid-scale storage could respond to frequency deviations in milliseconds rather than seconds.
Outcome
Short Term
In its first two years, Hornsdale saved South Australian consumers over $150 million and provided 55% of the state's frequency control services while cutting those costs by 91%.
Long Term
Hornsdale proved the commercial viability of grid batteries worldwide, triggering a wave of investment. It was expanded to 194 megawatt-hours in 2020 and became the first battery to provide grid inertia services, enabling higher renewable penetration.
Why It's Relevant Today
Cross Town follows the model Hornsdale established: a large battery sited at a grid congestion point that stores intermittent renewable energy and provides rapid response during supply-demand mismatches. Maine's project demonstrates this approach can work in cold climates with winter reliability challenges.
Texas Battery Buildout (2021-2024)
2021-2024
What Happened
After Winter Storm Uri caused blackouts that killed over 200 Texans in February 2021, battery developers rushed into the ERCOT market. Texas added battery capacity from under 500 megawatts in 2020 to nearly 10.7 gigawatts by end of 2024, a 4,100% increase in four years.
Outcome
Short Term
During the September 2023 heat wave, batteries powered 434,000 homes and cut real-time prices nearly 50%. Winter Storm Heather in January 2024 saw batteries generate $750 million in savings.
Long Term
Texas became proof that market-driven battery deployment can rapidly improve grid reliability. Average summer ancillary service prices fell from $30-125 per megawatt-hour in 2023 to below $5 per megawatt-hour in 2024.
Why It's Relevant Today
New England faces similar reliability challenges from extreme weather but has relied on policy mandates rather than pure market incentives. Maine's storage targets and federal grants aim to replicate Texas's capacity growth in a region where natural gas constraints create winter vulnerability rather than summer.
Moss Landing Fire (2025)
January 2025
What Happened
Fire broke out at Vistra Energy's 750-megawatt Moss Landing facility in California, the world's largest battery storage site. The blaze consumed 75% of the facility's oldest battery arrays, installed in 2020, and forced evacuation of 1,200 nearby residents due to toxic smoke concerns.
Outcome
Short Term
California regulators and environmental agencies launched investigations. Community health monitoring expanded to test for heavy metal contamination in nearby wetlands. Vistra faced questions about fire suppression system failures.
Long Term
The incident did not halt industry growth but intensified focus on battery safety standards, siting requirements, and next-generation chemistries. Analysts noted the industry's overall safety record remains strong with only 20 fire incidents over a decade despite explosive capacity growth.
Why It's Relevant Today
Cross Town uses newer Sungrow PowerTitan systems with liquid cooling, addressing some thermal management concerns present in earlier battery designs. The Maine project's rural Gorham location and smaller scale also reduce population exposure compared to Moss Landing's 750-megawatt concentration.
