I read the recent commentary, “Another nuclear reactor in Plymouth? Be careful what you wish for,” with great interest. While I share the skepticism regarding the timeline, feasibility, and advisability of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) for Plymouth, the piece overlooked a concrete, near-term alternative currently before state regulators and the town.
- The Reality of SMR Timelines: SMRs are a decade or two away—if they materialize at all. As Select Board member Kevin Canty rightly put it, you don’t host a second party before the first one is cleaned up. With concrete dry casks set to remain indefinitely on the 144-acre industrial parcel, Plymouth cannot afford to chase speculative nuclear options while facing immediate budget pressures.
- The Sasaki Associates Report: The DOE-funded reuse study, accepted by the Town in late 2025, evaluated actionable redevelopment paths that do not rely on revived nuclear power.
- Pilgrim Sovereign BESS & Forest Sanctuary: Rather than waiting on unproven reactors, there is an active, fully developed path currently before the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB): a 500 MW / 2,000 MWh utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) coupled with a permanent ~1,430-acre Pine Barrens forest sanctuary.
- Fiscal Timeliness & Revenue: Unlike SMRs, utility-scale battery storage leverages the existing 345 kV interconnect immediately, delivers grid reliability for the Commonwealth, and establishes a substantial revenue waterfall for Plymouth taxpayers without industrializing pristine open space.
Plymouth needs real, near-term infrastructure solutions, not a decade of waiting for SMRs.
– Douglas R. Savidge