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175 MW Energy Storage Project Launches in Maine as Grid Batteries Surge | Taha Abbasi
Taha Abbasi··3 min read
Maine Gets a Massive Battery Installation While Coal Plants Linger
Taha Abbasi has been tracking the grid-scale energy storage revolution, and a new 175 MW project in Gorham, Maine marks another milestone. Plus Power’s Cross Town Energy Storage facility represents one of New England’s largest battery installations, positioned to provide critical grid services in a region still grappling with aging fossil fuel infrastructure.
The project comes at a particularly ironic moment — the US continues operating old and aging coal power plants even as battery storage demonstrates the ability to provide many of the same grid services more cleanly and cost-effectively.
Why Grid Batteries Matter More Than You Think
Grid-scale batteries don’t generate electricity — they store and redistribute it. That distinction makes them uniquely valuable for grid reliability. During peak demand, batteries discharge stored energy, reducing the need for expensive and polluting “peaker” natural gas plants. During low demand, they absorb excess renewable generation that would otherwise be curtailed.
As Taha Abbasi has covered with Tesla’s Megapack expansion, the economics of grid storage have crossed a critical threshold where batteries are often the cheapest option for new grid capacity. The 175 MW Maine project exemplifies this trend — it’s cheaper and faster to deploy than building new gas plants, with zero emissions during operation.
New England’s Energy Challenge
New England faces a unique energy predicament. The region has limited natural gas pipeline capacity, aging nuclear plants, and ambitious renewable energy mandates. Winter heating demand competes with electricity generation for gas supply, creating price spikes and reliability concerns. Battery storage directly addresses these challenges by providing dispatchable capacity without fuel supply constraints.
Taha Abbasi notes that Maine specifically is well-positioned for energy storage growth. The state has significant wind and solar resources, a supportive regulatory environment, and grid constraints that make local storage economically attractive. The Cross Town project won’t be the last major battery installation in the region.
The Broader Grid Transformation
The US added over 12 GW of battery storage in 2025 — more than all previous years combined. Projects like Maine’s 175 MW facility are becoming routine rather than exceptional. Taha Abbasi believes this rapid deployment signals a fundamental transformation in how the grid operates: from centralized, always-on generation to distributed, flexible, storage-enabled systems.
The implications extend beyond electricity. As EV adoption accelerates, grid batteries serve as buffers against the increased load from vehicle charging. A well-deployed storage network can absorb off-peak renewable generation and discharge it during evening charging peaks, smoothing the transition to electric transportation without requiring massive new generation capacity.
For Maine and New England, the Cross Town project represents a step toward energy independence — less reliance on imported natural gas, more resilient grid operations, and a cleaner energy mix. As Taha Abbasi sees it, the battery storage revolution isn’t coming — it’s here, and projects like this are the proof.
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About the Author: Taha Abbasi is a technology executive, CTO, and applied frontier tech builder. Read more on Grokpedia | YouTube: The Brown Cowboy | tahaabbasi.com
Taha Abbasi
Engineer by trade. Builder by instinct. Explorer by choice.
