Wakefield Battery Storage System to Provide Backup Power for Local Schools and Reduce Grid Strain

Lightshift Energy, in collaboration with the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department (WMGLD) and the Massachusetts Municipal Wholesale Electric Company (MMWEC), has announced the commercial operation of a 5-megawatt (MW) battery energy storage system in Wakefield, Massachusetts. The installation will serve as a grid-connected microgrid, supporting both Wakefield Memorial High School and Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School with backup power during outages.

The project, part of WMGLD’s Energy Park initiative, is primarily intended to reduce peak electricity demand on the local grid. According to the project partners, this could generate approximately $20 million in savings for local customers over the life of the system. The battery system also replaces the need for diesel backup generators and contributes to the electrification of both school buildings, supporting year-round electric heating and cooling.

“Energy storage was our first choice when identifying a more cost-effective and renewable solution to power the schools, compared to diesel backup generators that would have cost $1.2 million per generator,” said Peter Dion, WMGLD’s General Manager. “We are incredibly grateful to have the entire town’s support to deploy the Lightshift battery that will provide cleaner, cheaper, and more reliable electricity to our schools.”

The system is the third installation under a broader partnership between Lightshift Energy and MMWEC aimed at expanding battery storage across municipal utilities in Massachusetts. The program is estimated to produce more than $200 million in total energy savings for residents statewide.

“This project is such a great example of the many ways energy storage strengthens the communities we partner with. We are bringing clean backup power to schools and supporting their electrification while also providing WMGLD customers with major, risk-free savings,” said Rory Jones, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Lightshift Energy. “We couldn’t be more excited to partner with WMGLD on this innovative and timely project.”

“We’re thrilled to be part of this partnership with Lightshift Energy, WMGLD and several other municipal light plants,” said Jason Viadero, MMWEC’s Director of Engineering and Generation Assets. “Wakefield has been one of the energy storage trailblazers amongst the municipal utilities, having installed their first battery in 2019. Their innovative energy park is further demonstration of the out-of-the-box thinking we will need as part of our clean energy future.”

As part of the project’s launch, Lightshift Energy also announced a $10,000 donation to the Boys & Girls Club of MetroNorth. The contribution will support the creation of the organization’s planned Energy Education Center. The donation is part of Lightshift’s “Beyond the Grid” initiative, which focuses on supporting local organizations in communities where the company develops and operates projects.