A proposed emergency ordinance that would have placed a six-month moratorium on large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) in La Conner has been tabled by the Town Council, following a discussion at last week’s meeting.
The proposed ordinance aimed to temporarily block the acceptance of large-scale development applications for BESS projects that store power for the electrical grid, giving the Town time to assess the potential safety, environmental, and land-use impacts of these facilities.
The council ultimately opted to table the proposal, delaying a vote and signaling that more discussion, public engagement, and research may be needed before moving forward.
“The hazards of these batteries, if they fail, can be catastrophic,” explained La Conner Fire Chief Aaron Reinstra, who underscored that the risk of failure is low, but not zero, and fire safety technology hasn’t caught up yet. “These batteries have the potential for extremely hot fires, explosions, and almost a perfect fire triangle where they create their own heat, fire, and oxygen and we can’t put them out.”
Growing caution countywide
La Conner’s proposal came in the wake of mounting concern throughout Skagit County over large battery energy projects, which are being encouraged by Puget Sound Energy (PSE) as part of the statewide shift away from fossil fuels.
In Mount Vernon, the City Council enacted its own emergency moratorium on May 29, citing a lack of zoning language addressing BESS and growing public unease. Public attention to battery storage there intensified in January when NextEra Energy Resources received a special use permit to build a 200-megawatt lithium-ion BESS on industrial land west of Mount Vernon — the county’s first major energy storage project.
And in Sedro-Woolley, a proposed 200-megawatt project, called Goldeneye and backed by Nebraska-based energy company Tenaska, is under review by the Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council (EFSEC). The facility would be built on private farmland.
Skagitonians to Preserve Farmland oppose the Sedro-Woolley project and worry that the county’s rich and fertile farmland will be used for BESS projects. They argue that combating climate change is vital — but not at the cost of Skagit’s farmland. What might look like available land is already the backbone of a world-class agricultural economy.
Reinstra said the class he took on ion battery storage fires was “probably the most terrifying class I’ve been to.”
“If it’s a car fire, the protocol is to let them burn and evacuate a mile around them,” he said. “It’s something we’ve been actively researching, talking to bigger departments, but we haven’t gotten any good answers yet. …When it comes to ion batteries in La Conner, it makes me nervous.”
What the ordinance would do
The ordinance, if adopted, would impose an immediate six-month halt on the acceptance or processing of applications for any non-residential BESS installations. The pause would allow the Town to develop land use and safety regulations, especially for lithium-ion battery systems, which carry known risks of fire and thermal runaway events.
Small-scale residential battery systems, such as those paired with rooftop solar, would continued to be processed, confirmed Town Assistant Planner Ajah Ellis.
State law requires a public hearing within 60 days if a moratorium is adopted. However, since the ordinance was tabled, no such hearing is currently scheduled.
Kari Mar is editor and publisher of La Conner Community News.
