Lithium-ion battery plants sparking new concerns

Lauren Rosolen bought her dream home in Putnam County, about an hour's drive north of New York City. But like many communities, a planned battery project near her home is sparking new concerns.

"There's nothing more important than protecting the safety of your family and that's what this is about," said Rosolen.

A power company wants to install what's called a battery energy storage system or "BESS" facility on a piece of property that butts up to her backyard.

"You're talking about tractor-trailer size containers of lithium ion," said Rosolen.

They're lithium-ion batteries inside metal containers and they're popping up in places from New York City, to the suburbs and beyond. The batteries store energy during off-peak hours and feed it back to the grid when it's needed most. They range in size and dozens have already been installed across the state, including the Bronx and Staten Island.

Consumers have seen what smaller, store-bought batteries can do on e-bikes and scooters. The FDNY responds to a battery fire on one of those devices almost every other day. Some homeowners are now worried that something similar could happen with the new BESS facilities.

There have been three battery plant fires in New York since last summer. From one upstate in Jefferson County, to another in East Hampton, to a fire in Warwick that smoldered for days.

"My biggest fear would be the unknown," said Rosolen. "The facilities are quite new, they could be quite dangerous," she said.

It's part of a push for more green energy and advocates say it can be a renewable safe energy source to help power the grid.

"To make a stronger more resilient grid and to hopefully minimize power outages and stabilize prices as well," said Barry Wygel with Alliance for Clean Energy New York.

"They can also be very important during storms or extreme weather," said Wygel.

By 2030, New York wants to increase the amount of green energy it stores from 359 megawatts to 6,000 megawatts. That would be enough energy to power all of New York City for an entire day.

"There is a tremendous amount of layers of safety," said Paul Rogers with Energy Safety Response Group.

Advocates say that industrial energy storage batteries have stricter regulations than those bought by consumers.

"I think it's important to remember that while it may be the same chemistry, it's very different technology," said Wygel.

The batteries are also housed in containers designed to prevent the spread of fire and they say no dangerous levels were found in the air or soil of the battery fires.

"They didn't find any levels that were exceeding the thresholds that were dangerous to life," said Rogers.

However, after those fires, the state released a taskforce report with numerous recommendations to change the state fire code to help improve safety. The recommendations include requiring all sites to put safety signs around the property, to install a fire detection and alarm system, and to have experts that are able to respond to the fire in a timely manner. The public has until the end of September to give input on the recommendations.

While the state is looking to set safety standards, it's up to local cities and towns to decide where BESS facilities can or cannot be placed.

After residents in Rosolen's community expressed concerns at public meetings, the council voted to pause any plans until next year.

"I know the story doesn't end here," said Rosolen. "Even if we're successful in Mahopac, I know this is a broader issue."

An East Point Energy spokesperson sent Eyewitness News a statement in regards to the proposed project in the community stating: " East Point Energy is assessing the moratorium approved by the Town of Carmel town board to determine the next steps for the Union Energy Center project. We appreciate the concerns raised by local residents and remain committed to continued engagement with stakeholders throughout the community to ensure the project's safety."

More information: NYS Energy Storage Program

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