⚡ 440 BOSTON RD W

BESS Site Diligence Analysis Report

To: Sunland America Corp. Development Committee
From: Senior BESS Site Evaluation Analyst
Date: October 26, 2023
Subject: Comprehensive Site Diligence for APN 191 001_010 (440 BOSTON RD W, Monson, MA)

1. Site Access & Topography

The subject property benefits from excellent road frontage on Boston Road West (U.S. Route 20), a major east-west thoroughfare. This provides direct, unimpeded access for both construction and operational vehicles. Based on aerial imagery and the property's current use as a restaurant, the site appears to be previously graded and relatively flat, which is ideal for BESS development as it minimizes civil engineering and earthwork costs. The existing paved parking lot and entrance curb cut are significant advantages.

Feasibility for heavy equipment delivery is high. Low-boy trailers carrying 40-foot battery containers, switchgear, and a main power transformer should be able to access the site directly from Route 20. However, on-site circulation requires verification. A conceptual site plan must confirm that turning radii are sufficient for delivery vehicles to maneuver from the entrance to the proposed BESS pad location without extensive modifications to the existing layout. Given the direct road frontage, no off-site access easements are anticipated to be required, which is a significant de-risking factor. The primary buildability concern is not access, but rather the placement of the array within the parcel to accommodate setbacks and potential environmental constraints while utilizing the existing entrance.

2. Environmental Constraints

The environmental profile of this site contains significant unknowns that represent a primary project risk. The following analysis is based on preliminary data and requires immediate, detailed verification:

• FEMA Flood Zone: The designation is currently Unknown. This is a critical data gap. A review of FEMA's Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) is a top priority. If the site is located within a Special Flood Hazard Area (e.g., Zone A or AE), development costs will increase substantially due to the need for elevated foundations for all equipment, or the buildable area could be eliminated entirely if it falls within a floodway.
• Wetlands: The presence of wetlands is Unknown. Massachusetts has stringent wetland protection regulations under the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. A desktop review using MassGIS OLIVER is the first step, to be followed by a formal field delineation by a certified wetland scientist if the site progresses. The presence of regulated wetlands would trigger a 100-foot buffer zone, which could severely constrain the 6.68-acre parcel and make siting a 5MW project infeasible.
• Critical Habitat / Species: The initial data indicates no critical habitat or protected areas on site. This is a positive finding, but it must be confirmed by cross-referencing with the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program (NHESP) database to ensure no state-listed species or priority habitats are present.
• Brownfield/Superfund Status: The site is not a listed brownfield, nor is it near a Superfund site. While this indicates a clean environmental history, it is a commercial disadvantage. The project is ineligible for the 10% IRA Brownfield ITC adder, which could have improved project economics.
• Pipeline Proximity: The absence of major gas pipelines within a 3-mile radius is a significant safety and design advantage, eliminating concerns related to explosion risk and associated setback requirements.

3. Grid Infrastructure & Interconnection

The grid infrastructure presents the most significant challenge and cost risk for this project. The nearest identified Point of Interconnection (POI) is a substation 1.5 miles away. This is a considerable distance for a distribution-scale project.

• Substation & Distribution Feeder: The data for the nearest substation ("UNKNOWN172840") is incomplete and contains errors (voltage listed as -999999 kV). The first step is to identify the interconnecting utility (likely Eversource or National Grid for this region) and the actual name, voltage class (likely 13.2kV or similar), and available capacity of this substation. A 1.5-mile distribution line extension is a major construction project. Costs for such a line are highly variable but could easily range from $1.5M to $3.5M+, depending on whether the route is overhead or underground and the number of road/water crossings. This cost could make the project financially unviable. The likely feeder configuration would be a 3-phase overhead line along Boston Rd, but its capacity is unknown and may require significant upgrades.
• Transmission Access: A 345kV transmission line is located 2.4 miles away. This is not a viable interconnection point for a distribution-scale (≤5MW) project. The cost of a new substation and transmission-level interconnection would be tens of millions of dollars. Therefore, a distribution-level interconnection is the only feasible path.
• Interconnection Process: