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Staff recommends co-location standards and undergrounding electrical collection lines where practical
Summary
Staff proposed co-location standards for BESS with solar—placing battery systems interior to solar arrays, sharing roads/infrastructure, combined screening—and recommended undergrounding collection and communications lines 'to the maximum extent practical,' with overhead lines required to meet APLIC guidance.
Staff presented a new draft section addressing co-location of solar and battery storage systems that encourages placing battery energy storage interior to arrays, sharing access roads and utilities to reduce visual clutter, and using combined screening and landscape plans to mitigate combined impacts.
Rachel Granrath recommended that electrical collection and communications lines be placed underground "to the maximum extent practical," with applicants required to demonstrate why overhead lines are necessary; overhead lines would otherwise follow APLIC line-placement recommendations. Commissioners and a public commenter urged a stronger preference for undergrounding, with Dave McKeirnan saying, "I think 90% of all power should be underground," prioritizing safety and wildfire risk reduction. Staff will add remote monitoring and emergency shutdown requirements for BESS and refine undergrounding language in the next draft.
