Croton’s bulk electricity purchasing program is coming to an end. Village Trustee Len Simon announced at the November 9 Sustainability Committee meeting that Westchester Power will discontinue its Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program for all participating municipalities, including Croton, effective November 30. The shutdown is driven by new state mandates regarding customer outreach, education, and enrollment protocols—requirements Westchester Power says are beyond its capacity. Committee members noted the rules stem from past billing issues and customer complaints about erroneous enrollments and delayed de-enrollments across the state. On the infrastructure front, the committee reviewed a lucrative proposal to lease village land for a large-scale battery energy storage system (BESS). A developer proposed building a ~5 MW system on the dirt plot behind the Municipal Place facility, offering $172,000 annually plus a 2% escalator. The system would connect to a large Con Ed feeder beneath Maple Street. While the revenue potential is significant, the committee advised Village staff to solicit competing offers from other BESS developers before making a decision. A previous idea to place batteries on Hessian Hills Road was scrapped because the nearest power line has a hosting capacity of less than 300 kW. The meeting also highlighted a setback for local solar efforts. The winning contractor for the DPW solar canopy was dismissed on October 10 for failing to provide required paperwork. Because of the delay, the village lost about $9,000 of its roughly $48,000 NY-SUN incentive. The project will now be re-bid in a race to lock in the remaining $39,000 before more funding slips away. There was positive news regarding transportation: a contract to install 18 EV charging ports at the train station is expected to be signed this month, with a goal of completion by spring. Additionally, a Renewable Diesel pilot test is showing promise, running flawlessly for two months at a wholesale cost 6% cheaper than standard diesel. Mayor Brian Pugh noted that two more village vehicles were just added to the test, which runs through January. Residents looking to take advantage of the 30% federal tax credit (up to $2,000) for heat pump water heaters should be aware that the credit expires December 31, 2025. However, committee Chair Lindsay Audin cautioned that navigating the current state discount programs may not be worth the hassle for existing homes due to administrative hurdles and inflated contractor pricing. The Sustainability Committee’s next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, December 7 via Zoom.