Community Outreach

February 2021

Cross Town cleared the ISO-NE Forward Capacity Market and secured a 7-year Capacity Supply Obligation to provide capacity for ISONE

November 2021

  • Cross Town submitted to a SLODA Site Law application to the MDEP

  • Project Informational Meeting held to inform nearby neighbors about the project

Spring 2022

Cross Town received Site Plan approval from the Town of Gorham, and MDEP approval of the Amendment to the 2017 SLODA permit and approval of the NRPA permit.

Summer 2023

Cross Town received final authorizations from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, SLODA, NRPA, Freshwater Wetland Alteration, and Water Quality Certification

Fall 2023

Site preparation

Winter 2024

Groundbreaking ceremony

Spring 2024

Construction start

November 2025

Commercial operations start

 

Community Benefits

Cross Town will be a good neighbor and a valuable asset to the surrounding community for decades to come. The project provides necessary capacity to the state with zero polluting emissions. Additionally, Cross Town’s operations have little impact on neighboring businesses or the community at large; as a static facility, the project generates insignificant traffic and creates minimal demand for municipal services. Significant project benefits to the community include:

  • High-paying development, construction, and O&M jobs

  • Enhanced grid resiliency from a new, state-of-the-art power resource

  • Property tax revenue for Gorham

Local Support

Plus Power engaged local stakeholders on the Cross Town project, providing updates and answering questions throughout the development process. The project team initiated outreach to neighboring businesses within the Gorham Industrial Park, via an informative mailer, in fall 2021.

Groundbreaking

The groundbreaking for the Cross Town facility took place on February 12, 2024, and was attended by Director of the Maine Governor's Energy Office Dan Burgess, Senator Eloise Vitelli, Representative Maureen Terry, Town of Gorham Council Vice Chairman Lee Pratt, Gorham Fire Department Deputy Chief Kenny Fickett, our lead contractor Cianbro, state and local government representatives, our neighbors, and other stakeholders.

Ribbon Cutting

At the February 11, 2026 ribbon cutting celebration for Cross Town, Governor Janet Mills delivered a speech about the project’s benefits to Maine. Other speakers included Acting Commissioner Dan Burgess of the Maine Department of Energy Resources, Economic Development Director Kevin Jensen from the Town of Gorham, and Vice President and General Manager of Power & Energy Joshua Gale from Cianbro. We were also joined by state and local government representatives, our neighbors, and other stakeholders.

As part of its community engagement, Cross Town Energy Storage has been honored to make donations to the following local non-profit organizations:

  • Community Concepts Maine, which works to provide pathways to a healthy life for and with those most impacted by inequities in Western Maine through programs, partnerships, and advocacy.

  • Friends of the Presumpscot River, which restores and protects the Presumpscot by improving water quality, restoring migratory fish populations, and increasing public awareness of its economic and recreational potential.

  • Full Plates Full Potential, which works to strengthen child nutrition programs as critical tools for ending childhood food insecurity in Maine.

  • Gorham Arts Alliance, which serves to inspire, enrich, and strengthen the surrounding community by offering cultural and educational experiences through the arts.

  • Gorham Youth Soccer Association, a travel soccer program that aims to develop well-balanced, successful individuals in a competitive team environment through instruction of the technical, tactical, physical, and psychological aspects of soccer.

  • United Way of Southern Maine, which works with the community to quickly respond to emerging needs and tackle persistent issues, including child care, food insecurity, housing instability, and mental health.