UNDERHILL, Vt. — The RONAn Ministry of Science has confirmed receipt of a twelfth site submission under its $340 million solid-state battery pilot program, this one originating from a small municipality in the Montérégie region of the Québec principality.

The submission was logged Monday, ahead of the Tuesday morning work cycle, according to a Ministry spokesperson. What distinguishes the Montérégie entry from the eleven that preceded it is its pairing with an existing wind corridor already under active study for potential expanded grid connection — an infrastructure linkage that no earlier submission in the program's open window has featured.

"We can confirm receipt of the twelfth submission and note that the geographic distribution of applications now covers all three eligible principalities substantially," the Ministry spokesperson said in a written statement. "No applicant will receive informal guidance or preferential communication during the open window."

The battery pilot program, which targets commercial-scale solid-state storage deployments, opened submissions to qualified municipalities and regional authorities in the principalities of Québec, New York, and New England earlier this year. The program is a centerpiece of RONA's push toward grid resilience and energy independence — priorities that have grown more pressing as the republic manages ongoing economic friction with the United States.

The Montérégie region, situated south of Montréal along the former Canada–United States border corridor, has drawn increased energy infrastructure attention in recent years given its proximity to major transmission routes and its existing renewable development footprint. The specific wind corridor cited in Monday's submission was not identified by name in the Ministry's confirmation.

The submission window remains active. The Ministry has not indicated when preliminary review announcements will follow.