California Proposes Battery Storage Safety Standards

New California Public Utilities Commission proposal could change the way battery storage systems are managed

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) recently introduced a proposal that could change the way companies operate battery energy storage systems (BESS). The proposal would grant the CPUC more power over BESS emergency response plans and impose technical requirements for BESS maintenance and safety procedures.

On Jan. 27, the CPUC introduced a proposal that would implement Senate Bill (SB) 1383 to establish BESS maintenance and operation standards, and increase scrutiny of emergency response action plans. The proposal comes just weeks after a BESS fire in Moss Landing, California. The CPUC Safety and Enforcement Division was sent to investigate the site of the BESS fire, which burned for several days, triggering evacuations and air quality concerns.

More California BESS, more California BESS regulations

California currently has more BESS than any other state, amounting to over 13,300 MW of storage in 2024, according to the CPUC. In 2024 alone, the state deployed more than 4,000 MW of BESS. The CPUC says California's current installed battery storage capacity now fulfills more than 20% of California's peak demand but that the state will need an additional 52,000 MW of storage by 2045.

The CPUC proposal would modify and add to General Order 167, which outlines maintenance and operation standards for power-generating facilities. It includes new standards for BESS maintenance, operation, and safety while also granting the CPUC more direct oversight of emergency response and action plans outlined in earlier bill SB 38. California governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 38 into law in October 2024. The bill requires BESS owners to have emergency response plans and communication protocols in place with first responders, including firefighters and emergency medical technicians.

Potential impacts for BESS operators

The CPUC also proposes new technical updates specifically for the maintenance and operation of BESS, like establishing technical logbook standards and expanding emergency plans for all electric generation facilities. For BESS operators, this could mean increased scrutiny of emergency response plans; technical revisions to existing safety, operational, and maintenance procedures; and possibly engineering changes to BESS systems themselves.

The CPUC is set to vote on the proposal during their March 13 meeting. The full proposal can be read here.