The Enumclaw City Council is holding a public hearing on Battery Energy Storage Systems next month.

This follows the council passing a year-long moratorium on accepting any business licenses or applications for land use regarding BESS facilities — and specifically, those that use lithium-ion batteries — during its Feb. 24 meeting.

“The City of Enumclaw’s current zoning and development regulations do not adequately address the unique risks and land use compatibility issues associated with BESS facilities,” Enumclaw City Attorney Brett Vinson wrote in the ordinance agenda bill. “The City requires additional time to conduct a comprehensive analysis of fire codes, environmental impacts, emergency response protocols, and zoning restrictions before permitting any BESS facility within its jurisdiction.”

In a nutshell, these energy storage systems are large batteries that store power for when a traditional power grid has low or no output. For example, when Enumclaw’s power goes out during a storm (not an uncommon occurrence) a BESS facility could power the city until Puget Sound Energy’s system comes back online.

However, according to Vinson, BESS technology poses “significant fire and explosion risks… and toxic emissions” from fires, he wrote in the council agenda bill about the moratorium. “Additionally, BESS facilities contain hazardous materials that present disposal and decommissioning challenges, requiring long-term environmental protections and regulatory oversight.”

In supporting documents, Vinson said there are 10 to 15 BESS failures reported around the world every year. A 2022 fire in Arizona was reported to have burnt for ten days; another fire in 2023 in New York took four days to extinguish.

No BESS facility has come to the city for a business license or land use application at this time.

The city of Black Diamond has also been discussing BESS facilities since placing a moratorium in February 2024, for the same reasons as Enumclaw.

King County opted in September 2024 to establish BESS facility regulations.

“The BESS legislation helps meet our critical need for sustainable green energy in a way that is compatible with other important uses of land county-wide,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said. “But our work doesn’t end here — we will work to identify the optimal places for BESS facilities across the county. King County is committed to making sure these facilities meet the growing energy demands of our communities while safeguarding our environment.”

Enumclaw’s public hearing is scheduled for April 14 at 7 p.m.