Sumner hears multi‑agency briefing on battery energy storage, safety and state permitting for proposed Greenwater BESS

Sumner planning staff, Puget Sound Energy (PSE), East Pierce Fire & Rescue and the Energy Facility Siting & Evaluation Council (FSEC) briefed council at a study session on April 27 about battery energy storage systems (BESS), the city’s adopted large‑scale BESS code, and a proposed utility‑scale project sited near the White River substation.

Krishanda Walker, associate planner, said the city began receiving inquiries after PSE posted a regional RFP in 2021 and that the Bright Knight team (transcript records also show the name spelled "Bridal Knight" in places) submitted a pre‑application in August 2022. The project proponents filed SEPA and a conditional‑use permit in February 2024, triggering a public engagement process that included community open houses and hearings. Walker described the selected site as approximately eight acres in an M‑1 light industrial zone near East Valley Highway, and staff said the proposal is a 200 MW / 800 MWh utility‑scale…