SAVOY, Texas (KXII) – B.E.S.S. stands for Battery Energy Storage System.
The system holds energy in batteries so, if the grid starts to struggle, the facility can pump in stored energy.
A Houston-based company, Engie, is building a B.E.S.S facility in Fannin County right now.
That’s why residents met in Savoy on Tuesday evening to share their concerns with Engie representatives and county officials.
“It has increased the cost of our electricity, and decreased the reliability of our grid,” one speaker said.
Residents expressed worries over the history of battery facility fires, the novel nature of the battery storage industry, and the possibility of toxic gasses if a fire breaks out.
The also shared concerns that the local fire departments — many of which are volunteer fire departments — don’t have the training or gear needed to fight a battery fire.
The question and answer portion of the town hall got so heated that some residents stormed out.
“I get where you’re coming from,” Brad Walls with Engie chimed in, “My town has a volunteer fire department, the last thing I want to do is hurt one of you, one of your family, or any of these first responders,”
The Engie team also gave a presentation to show their energy storage process and add insight to the facility’s safety measures.
The battery facility is not online yet, but the plan is to have everything up and running by the end of the year.
News 12 will continue to follow this story.
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