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The first battery energy storage facility in Rochester could be coming to Brighton.

Ithaca-based Grid Connected Infrastructure, or GCI Energy, is proposing a 100 megawatt facility off Brighton Henrietta Town Line Road. That’s roughly the energy required by 100,000 houses.

A public hearing on the project resumes Tuesday before the town board.

“This is a large one,” Brighton town Supervisor Bill Moehle said of the proposed facility. “And the location is particularly well suited … from an infrastructure perspective, because there are two significant transmission lines that go right through that area right at the end of Mortimer Avenue.”

The city of Syracuse has pushed its consideration of a 10-megawatt facility into next year, as neighbors and city officials have raised questions about potential fires. A battery facility in Warwick, Orange County, caught fire last week. Warwick instituted a moratorium on any new installations after the same facility caught fire in 2023. Such projects are raising concerns in dozens communities statewide leading some to table or halt development, also citing environmental concerns.

The 18-acre site in west Brighton is near Lynch Woods Nature Park and the Lehigh Valley Trail. The battery cells would be sealed inside 66 tractor-trailer-sized, fan-cooled containers and surrounded by a security fence topped with barbed wire.

In its proposal, GCI officials wrote that the facility would look like a small extension of the nearby substation. It would connect to the power grid, and batteries would charge overnight when people use less electricity, then GCI would sell the stored power back to the grid during the day.

GCI would need about five acres. The company — which also lists offices in Rochester and North Carolina — is offering to let the town use the remaining, mostly wooded acreage, and to make in-lieu-of-tax payments, and a one-time $250,000 cash payment.

“Nothing is final yet,” Moehle said, “but we’ve told them it needs to be more than that, $250,000. And it will be. And we’ve told them that we want the fee title to the rest of the land. And that’s the beauty of incentive zoning. It allows you to really customize a project to meet specific needs in various ways.”

If the project is approved, the town would use that money for park and trail projects in the West Brighton area.

These battery storage facilities are becoming more common across the country, often tied to solar or wind farms but also some are stand alone, like what is being proposed in Brighton. New York state has set a goal of 6 gigawatts of installed energy storage by 2030, aiming to boost grid reliability and renewable integration.

Concerns have been raised about noise from cooling fans. Elsewhere, the issue has been about risk of fires. A series of battery facility fires elsewhere in the state – some of which burned for days – has prompted a number of state fire code changes that take effect in 2026.

Moehle said GCI also would provide training for firefighters and ambulance workers. The research thus far, though, indicates it is best to let a battery fire burn, and does not point to any clear risk to either health or ground water, officials said.

“These fires are extremely rare, but they do happen,” said Martin Plass, director of energy storage testing at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Most often, though, it is not the batteries — which GCI says it can monitor and control remotely — but other external factors, Plass said, like a water leak or a fan overheating and triggering the sprinkler system that leads to short circuiting and arcing.

“The current technology is really lithium ion,” Plass said, with nearly all of the battery cells coming from China. “The U.S. is trying to build up some manufacturing infrastructure for that. But essentially that’s where these cells are coming from. And they build so many, there’s a lot of experience by now with these cells to make them fairly safe.”

If such a facility were to be built at the end of his street, Plass said he would ask two things:

“I would want to know, how loud is it? I would want to know, has that supplier done a large-scale fire test on these containers? And I would want to see that report on that, essentially, to make sure that if a container burns, it doesn’t spread.

“Otherwise I would not be concerned, really.”

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Now that you’ve shaken off the dust from 2025, it’s time to look forward to the good tidings Singapore will bring for workers in 2026!

 

From the young to the old, almost every worker stands to benefit from employment support, which NTUC has been advocating over the years: paid traineeships for young entrants, new training allowances for mid-career workers, expanded parental leave and lower childcare fees for working parents, as well as a higher retirement age and increased CPF contributions for older workers.

 

Most of you can also benefit from the CDC vouchers. And let’s not forget the lower-wage retail, administrative, and driver employees who are set to earn higher wages with the Progressive Wage Model.

 

Below, you’ll find the major new work initiatives, NTUC-championed workforce policies, and Government employment schemes coming in 2026, all designed to help boost your career.

 

Support for mid-career workers: Training allowance for part-time courses

 

By now, you should be familiar with the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme, an initiative that offers a full-time training allowance of up to $3,000 per month for 24 months.

 

What’s new in 2026? There’ll be a $300 monthly allowance for part-time courses. This way, you have the choice to learn new skills while you work.

 

Singapore jobs outlook 2026

 

Training and upskilling support schemes like the SkillsFuture Level-Up Programme in 2026 are crucial if you’re searching for a new job because skills will matter in the coming year.

 

Just take it from the knowledgeable folks at Robert Walters. The leading recruitment agency says that employers are shifting to skills-based hiring and internal mobility. Workers with AI, data, cloud, and cybersecurity skills will have the strongest opportunities, while soft skills such as critical thinking, adaptability, communication, and collaboration will be essential.

 

Support for young workers: Paid traineeship programme

 

Good news for fresh graduates struggling to find a job. The new GRaduate Industry Traineeships (GRIT) programme provides structured, paid traineeships of between three and six months across public and private sectors.

 

Nudge your young associates to apply for the up to 800 paid opportunities to gain industry experience and practical, employable skills ahead of full-time work. Trainees will receive monthly allowances of $1,800 to $2,400; a fair sum compared to other internships.

 

Support for older workers: CPF and retirement

 

More CPF for workers aged 55-65

 

From 1 January 2026, CPF contribution rates will rise by 1.5 percentage points to grow your retirement savings. This increase will reach 18 per cent for those aged 55-60, and 12.5 per cent for those aged 60-65.

 

Higher retirement, re-employment ages

 

Your wish to work longer has been granted. From 1 July 2026, you can retire at 64, one year later than the current age of 63. Furthermore, you can be re-employed until 69, which is a one-year extension of the existing 68.

 

Support for working parents: Parental leave and childcare fees

 

Big jump in parental leave

 

If you are considering having another child, this is an ideal time to do so.

 

Parental leave benefits in Singapore in 2026 are at an all-time high—shared parental leave jumps to 10 weeks from April 2026, up from the current six weeks. Keep the leave for yourself or share it with your spouse. Either way, both of you will enjoy more precious moments with the baby.

 

In case you’re wondering about the mummy-and-daddy leave you’re entitled to with this change, let us break it down for you.

 

MOTHER	FATHER
Maternity leave: 16 weeks	Paternity Leave: 4 weeks
Shared Parental Leave: 10 weeks	Shared Parental Leave: 10 weeks
MAXIMUM LEAVE: 26 WEEKS	MAXIMUM LEAVE: 14 WEEKS

Lower childcare fees

 

With childcare fees taking up a huge chunk of your household budget, you’ll be happy to know that preschool fees will be further reduced in 2026.

 

From 1 January 2026, the amount you’ll have to pay at anchor and partner operator preschools drops to $610 and $650, respectively.

 

If you’re looking for an anchor operator preschool, My First Skool is a good choice. The NTUC-run preschool chain promotes holistic learning, focusing on language and literacy, numeracy, world discovery, motor skills, social and emotional development, and creative expression. With over 160 centres islandwide, you’re likely to find one in your neighbourhood or near your workplace.

 

Support for low-income workers: Progressive wages

 

Who doesn’t love a pay rise? Retail workers, administrative staff, and drivers will see higher wages in 2026 with the Progressive Wage Model.

 

From July 2026, administrative staff will receive pay rises: $2,360 for administrators and $2,940 for admin executives. Drivers can earn up to $2,790.

 

From September 2026, retail assistants and cashiers earn $2,565, senior retail assistants $2,820, and assistant retail supervisors $3,100.

 

Support for all workers: Cost-of-living relief

 

The CDC vouchers will be back in January 2026! If you have a choice, consider using the $300 for work-related items, such as laptops or office stationery, at retailers like FairPrice Xtra. We hope even more merchants can come on board, so you’ll have more choices to start the year right.

 

An ongoing effort to uplift Singapore workers

 

Take note of these support measures for the upcoming year, and stay tuned for more worker-specific support programmes and initiatives that NTUC will advocate in 2026!

 

Not an NTUC member yet? Sign up for the NTUC membership and receive training and more workplace benefits today!