Washington State Department of Ecology
09/10/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/10/2026 15:07
Ecology launches new study for battery energy storage systems
Constable, a Portland General Electric-owned facility located in Oregon. Photo courtesy Portland General Electric.
Between a growing economy and a changing climate, our state is facing a growing list of electricity needs. To meet these challenges and the policies we have committed to, we must find ways to improve the resiliency of our electrical grid. Among potential solutions to these needs are battery energy storage systems, also known as 'BESS'. These use large, rechargeable batteries to store excess energy for later use. They can then supply power when other energy sources are limited or may be unavailable. Batteries can also provide electricity during emergencies, especially in remote areas that do not have strong connections to the electrical grid. Access to batteries gives utilities flexibility in how they can respond to these high demand events and can reduce disruptions like power outages.
While BESS can be a viable solution to some of our energy problems, we recognize that people have concerns about safety and impacts. That's why we're studying the potential impacts of large-scale, standalone battery energy storage systems in a new programmatic environmental impact statement. It will also include potential approaches to mitigating impacts.
How will we study battery energy storage systems?
The process starts with scoping, which is when we determine what to study.
On Sept. 1, 2026, we began an extended 30-day scoping period. We released a document describing our planned approach to evaluating large-scale, standalone battery energy storage systems in Washington. Our goal is to produce a document that considers the best available science to assess impacts, reduce risk, and help guide future project siting and design. We would like to hear from you about what you think we should study.
The scoping document is now available for public review and comment, ending at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026. We have posted information on ways to provide comments. We'll publish a draft of the study in summer 2027, and the final document will be released in 2028. You can receive updates including opportunities to participate in the study process by signing up for our clean energy coordination e-mail list.
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Washington State Department of Ecology published this content on September 10, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 10, 2026 at 21:07 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]