The debate of energy storage facilities is dividing communities across the country.
The issue took center stage Wednesday night at Escondido City Council, where there’s been a moratorium on building them after the San Diego Gas and Electric lithium-ion battery storage center there went up in flames in September 2024.
During the meeting, councilmembers voted in favor of new guidelines that would allow them to be built. They adopted the County of San Diego’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) guidelines, which would lift the moratorium.
The guidelines include things like fire suppression and explosion control systems, as well as a 100-foot property setback.
It may not sound like much, but Escondido Fire Department Acting Fire Chief Tyler Batson says when you add in the mandated plume analysis for mapping smoke and contaminants, where the energy storage centers can be built becomes very limited.
“With the plume analysis, and then what’s surrounding structures, like schools, like hospitals, like other vulnerable populations like senior living facilities. And based on those, the setbacks can get bigger, bigger, bigger,” said Batson.
Cristina Marquez spoke in favor of passing the guidelines. As an Escondido homeowner and union head, she’s applauding regulated growth of the industry.
“Nobody wants their power out when it’s 100 degrees. So, it’s, like, we need these batteries to help us out,” Marquez said.
Councilmembers are also working to make sure certain labor standards are also included to make sure qualified people are building and maintaining the battery centers.