Smithtown imposes 3-month pause on battery storage systems

The city of Smithtown has approved a three-month ban on the construction of large battery energy storage systems, joining a growing number of municipalities to regulate the technology.

Last week, the Smithtown Town Board voted 5-0 to adopt a moratorium on new battery energy storage systems for three months. Over the summer, the city proposed a six-month moratorium.

Lithium-ion batteries complement renewable energy sources such as wind and solar by storing energy for future use. Fire officials say the systems can overheat and catch fire, so they want to wait until the state tightens its fire codes before approving future projects.

Environmentalists say these facilities are needed to support clean energy initiatives and reverse the effects of climate change.

In May, the Smithtown Fire Chief’s Board asked the city to impose a six-month moratorium to allow enough time to investigate safe ways to stop fires caused by lithium-ion batteries.

Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim said the city wanted to implement a six-month pause. But he said the Suffolk County Planning Commission would only allow Smithtown to adopt a three-month moratorium. A Suffolk County spokesman did not say why the city could not seek a six-month ban.

“I don’t know if (local fire districts) will have the information they need within three months, so we’ll go back and submit a request to the county,” Wehrheim said.

Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the nonprofit Citizens Campaign for the Environment, said she understands the reasoning behind the moratorium, as long as it is not used as a tool to lock down battery storage sites indefinitely.

“The municipality may need some time to implement appropriate codes and conduct due diligence,” Esposito said. Such projects are “essentially needed in the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.”

Esposito criticized Southampton Town’s decision in August to extend the moratorium by six months. By the time the extension ends in February, the ban will have expired for 18 months.

The ongoing expansion is hogging battery storage systems as communities “scramble to avoid being credited with the new technology,” she said.