Cogentrix is the owner of three peaker plants in Massachusetts, one in West Springfield and two in Pittsfield. A meeting with them in 2021 to request shut down or transitioning of the plants to solar + storage resulted in preliminary studies by Cogentrix that showed that they would be able to move forward with shutting down fossil fuel use at the Berkshire plants; and also brought up the possibility of a “larger storage project” at the West Springfield plant.
Currently, both Berkshire County plants have been not only shut down but physically removed from their original sites. The transition of the West Springfield plant to solar + storage is underway.
As of August 2024, private equity firm Quantum Capital Group has announced their intention to buy Cogentrix Energy for about $3 billion. The deal is expected to close between the fourth quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025, and Cogentrix will continue to be led by current CEO John Ragan and the existing management team. According to their press release, Quantum plans to expand Cogentrix’s capabilities, focusing on gas-fired power generation, renewables, and battery storage to supply clean and reliable energy. It remains to be seen how much of that focus on renewables and battery storage will come into play in Massachusetts,
