Developer urges caution as council retables proposed ban on battery energy storage systems

Alexis, a senior project developer at Carson Power, addressed Ordinance 9884 — a proposed amendment to the Rome code of ordinances that would prohibit establishing battery energy storage systems in the city. Alexis thanked the council for the moratorium already in place and urged officials to use the moratorium period to develop a nuanced local law rather than institute a permanent ban. “Rather than replacing the moratorium with a permanent ban, I would encourage you to use the remainder of the moratorium to help develop a thoughtful local best law,” Alexis said, offering the company’s technical assistance.

Alexis described distributed, grid-connected battery systems as different from utility-scale projects, explained safety measures she said are commonly required (site-specific emergency response plans, firefighter training, continuous system monitoring and adherence to UL 9540 testing and New York State fire code updates), and argued that local regulations can distinguish by system size, zoning, setbacks and emergency-response expectations. The council did not vote on the ordinance itself: members moved to remove Ordinance 9884 from the table for consideration, then a motion to table was made and Ordinance 9884 was retabled without further action.

The public comment and the council's decision to retable leave the moratorium in place for further consideration. Alexis offered to provide technical materials and to answer questions if the council resumes consideration during the moratorium period.