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Developers present Harwood Power battery plan; residents and board raise fire, environmental and engagement concerns
Summary
Harwood Power proposed a battery energy storage system on industrially zoned land near Dahlgren; presenters outlined technical safeguards and planning‑commission conditions, while supervisors and residents pressed for more community outreach, detailed hazard mitigation and firefighter training.
A proposal to build a battery energy storage facility (BESS) — Harwood Power — on an industrially zoned 12‑acre site near Dahlgren drew detailed technical briefing and pointed questions from supervisors and residents at the King George County meeting.
Harwood Power representatives described the project as a grid‑scale battery installation sited along an existing high‑voltage transmission corridor about 4 miles southwest of Dahlgren. The company said the installation would store electricity in containerized battery racks, build a small substation and supply short‑duration storage to improve grid reliability. Project proponents told the board the facility’s capacity would be roughly equivalent to powering county residences for about a day (presenters also said it could power Dahlgren residences for about a week), and estimated the project could deliver roughly $6.4 million in tax and payment revenue over a 40‑year life, plus a siting‑agreement payment to the county fire rescue service.
Presenters emphasized modern safety standards and compliance with NFPA 855 (battery energy storage standard) and proposed conditions the planning commission had recommended: a decommissioning plan, annual training for emergency responders, 24/7 remote monitoring, a site‑specific hazard mitigation analysis and noise limits. Harwood Power representatives said the facility would use spaced, containerized racks — a design intended to prevent fire propagation — and that batteries would be swapped and refurbished or recycled through established supply channels.
Concerns from the board and public focused on fire risk, toxic emissions and emergency response. Supervisor Bender and other residents cited high‑profile battery fires elsewhere and asked for clearer plans for firefighter training, equipment needs and how on‑site incidents would be contained and cleaned up. County staff and Harwood Power agreed to provide a site‑specific hazard mitigation analysis and additional community informational meetings; the company said it had already discussed a siting agreement and possible donation to fire and rescue.
The application is scheduled for a Board of Supervisors public hearing on Feb. 4; the planning commission has recommended approval with conditions. County staff confirmed they would make additional information available to the public, coordinate further meetings with the fire chief and return to the board with responses to the technical and emergency‑response questions raised at the meeting. No board vote was taken.
