Spruce Summit Energy Storage

What if I missed the Open House?

The Jupiter Power team hosted a community open house at the Hayden Center on June 11th from 3 to 7 p.m. If you missed the open house, a virtual presentation can be found here: https://sprucesummitmeeting.com/.

Where will the project be located?

Spruce Summit Energy Storage will be located off County Road 51, less than a mile west of Hayden Station. The generation tie-line will run across utility property, near existing transmission lines, to interconnect at the Mt Harris substation. In the photo, the green lines represent the outline of the site’s property lines, while the area shaded in blue is the actual project footprint.

What will be located at the facility?

The Project is a standalone battery energy storage facility. It is not connected or associated with any generation projects, and will include only the following equipment and associated facilities:

Lithium-ion battery energy storage system enclosures
Power Conversion Systems (Inverters / transformers)
Main project substation, including a Main Power Transformer, lightning protection, a control enclosure, and internal fencing
Generator transmission tie-line to connect to the Mt Harris Substation
HVAC systems for the enclosures
Fire detection and suppression systems
Electric control equipment
Communications equipment
A perimeter fence and security gate
Other facilities required for construction and operation of the Energy Storage Facility

For reference, here is a photo of Jupiter’s Tibbits project in Coldwater, MI shortly after construction with the major project infrastructure labeled:
1. Battery enclosures
2. Power conversion systems
3. Project substation
4. Grid connection substation

What will the facility look like?

The Project facilities will sit on approximately 30-40 acres across a 72-acre project site. A portion of the site will be reserved for snow containment. It will be set back from the road, enclosed by a fence and project components will be shielded from view as best as possible. Most of the equipment will be energy storage containers, which are about the size and shape of shipping containers and will be placed in neat rows. These containers are fairly low to the ground, standing about 10 to 12 feet tall. The site will also include a small project substation, which will look like a scaled-down version of the nearby substations at Hayden Station.

Is battery energy storage safe?

At Jupiter Power, safety is our top priority—for the community and for our team—through every stage of the project. During normal operations, Spruce Summit will not produce fumes, pollution, odor, dust, or other off-site impacts to those nearby.

Jupiter Power uses only standardized, lab-tested and approved equipment, complies with all National Fire Codes, including standards specifically governing energy storage, and specifically engineers our projects so that in the extremely unlikely case of an equipment malfunction, any resulting event can be managed safely. To make that possible during operations:

Each battery module is monitored 24/7 and is equipped with sensors, fire suppression systems and alarms.
Every battery is individually tracked by advanced software to catch problems early.
Enclosures are spaced deliberately to ensure that any potential fire would stay contained within a very limited area of the projects.
The projects will be built to meet national Fire Code standards and will be tested to strict safety protocols developed by Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the world’s leading safety testing organization.

Jupiter has met with the West Routt Fire Protection District and will work closely with them and other emergency responders throughout the process of the Project design. Jupiter looks forward to continuing that coordination throughout the life of the Project, offering fire safety training opportunities and resources to support preparedness.

Bottom line: Spruce Summit is designed with the highest safety standards, using cutting-edge technology, and with ongoing coordination with local first responders to ensure safe and responsible operations.

How will this project benefit the community?

The Project will benefit residents and businesses by improving the power grid, increasing the local tax base and supporting the local economy. Battery energy storage is a proven technology that provides increased power to the grid and other grid management capabilities, like grid balancing through instantaneous battery energy storage response. With these capabilities, the Projects will deliver more reliable power for residents and businesses.

The project will directly benefit the local economy, and represents a significant financial investment in Hayden and Routt County:

A projected $500 million in direct investment in critical infrastructure in Northwest Colorado
The Project is expected to pay over $1 million in local taxes annually.
200 total construction jobs forecasted
Several permanent technical maintenance positions

Beyond these direct benefits, Spruce Summit will strengthen the local and regional power grid and improve its reliability. Jupiter Power is in this for the long term and looks forward to working closely with the community in meaningful ways for years to come.

When will construction start?

Pending successful permitting, Jupiter is projecting to start construction in 2027 and begin operating by late-2028.

How can I get involved in this project?

Please send a message via the Contact page on this website.

FAQs