Borrego to bring distributed solar and storage to hydropower facilities in New England

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Borrego Solar has been tapped by FirstLight Power, a clean power company with a portfolio that includes nearly 1,400MW of pumped-hydro storage, battery storage, hydroelectric generation, and solar generation, to build new ground-mounted and floating distributed generation (DG) solar, DG storage, and utility-scale standalone storage at FirstLight’s hydropower facilities in Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The Borrego FirstLight relationship contemplates multiple storage project types and configurations across FirstLight’s real estate portfolio. Project types include but are not limited to utility scale standalone storage, DG standalone storage, and PV+ESS.

“I am thrilled to partner with Borrego to accelerate New England’s path to a fully decarbonized electric grid by advancing innovative new solar and energy storage offerings to customers in Massachusetts and Connecticut,” said Alicia Barton, President and CEO of FirstLight.

The installation will be similar to FirstLight’s first solar facility, Northfield Mountain in Massachusetts. This 2MW installation was one of the largest in New England when constructed in 2011, consisting of more than 18,000 solar panels covering approximately 11 acres of land. The solar facility is adjacent to FirstLight’s pumped storage hydro power generation operation on the Connecticut River.

The partnership advances FirstLight’s mission of creating a clean, affordable, reliable and equitable electric grid. The new developments will provide local jobs and increase FirstLight’s economic development impact in the local communities.

“Borrego’s partnership with FirstLight will help create innovative hybrid renewables solutions in New England – combining solar and energy storage resources with existing generation,” said Jared Connell, VP of Project Development in New England, of Borrego.

This announcement with Borrego follows a recent partnership that FirstLight announced in Connecticut to advance new hybrid renewable energy projects across the state and the company’s participation in a successful investment consortium that secured a lease in the recent NY Bight Offshore Wind auction.

The first Borrego/FirstLight installations are expected to be operational in 2025.

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