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Covington council renews six-month moratorium on industrial battery storage sites
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Summary
Covington City Council voted April 14 to extend a six-month moratorium on permitting industrial-scale battery energy storage systems within city limits to give the planning commission and staff more time to study safety, zoning and emergency-response standards.
Covington — The Covington City Council voted April 14 to renew a six-month moratorium on the acceptance, processing and approval of building and land‑use permits for industrial-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) facilities within city limits.
City staff said the renewal, which references ordinance 09-2050, will extend the pause through October 2026 to allow the planning commission to complete a zoning review and to bring in technical experts from Puget Sound Energy and the fire department. "This is the fourth time staff has brought this back to the council," staff member Selena said, explaining that the commission needs additional time to collect information and draft zoning recommendations.
The hearing drew several residents and local advocates who urged the council to preserve the moratorium while regulators and industry update guidance. "One of your proposals is less than 1,000 feet from Matson Middle School," Melody Correa, a director at SBRE, told the council, adding that recommended isolation distances can range from 330 feet to one mile depending on scenarios. Danielle Wallace, president of Snoqualmie Valley for Responsible Energy, said proposals often lack binding commitments to deliver electricity to nearby communities during outages and that local safeguards should not be waived for developer convenience: "We do not believe that clean energy should come at the expense of public safety."
Several speakers detailed fire incidents and concerns about long‑term environmental and emergency‑response impacts; others urged the council to require stronger site selection, operational guarantees and local accountability before permitting large BESS projects. Staff said the planning commission will host presentations from industry and fire officials and will factor state-level studies into any zoning rules. Selena noted that state work on related transmission and siting issues (identified in Senate Bill 6355) will continue into 2027.
Councilmembers supporting the motion said the pause is prudent while technical and zoning work proceeds. "I think it's prudent that we continue to have the moratorium as we get better details," one councilmember said during debate.
The motion to renew the moratorium was moved, seconded and approved during the meeting; the mayor announced the extension with no recorded opposition during the council roll call.
What’s next: The planning commission will receive presentations from Puget Sound Energy and the fire department and will draft zoning and permitting recommendations. Staff indicated the moratorium may need another renewal depending on the pace and completeness of that work.
