A private energy company has received a special use permit to construct a 200-megawatt lithium-ion battery energy storage system, or BESS, on industrial land west of Mount Vernon. The project, proposed by NextEra Energy Resources, is the first large electrical storage system to be approved in Skagit County.
To enable the statewide transition away from fossil fuels, Puget Sound Energy has solicited proposals from private companies to build large battery farms next to substations.
Batteries can manage fluctuations in energy demand for the region and create a more sustainable power grid, by charging off renewable power sources like solar and hydro when the demand is low and discharging when the demand is high.
But some of those BESS projects have prompted strong opposition from the public and elected officials, because they’re proposed for agricultural areas, in a county that highly values its fertile farmland and has put significant effort and money into preserving it for future generations.
In early November, the Skagit County Commissioners approved a code amendment prohibiting new electrical energy generation and storage on agricultural land. However, the code change does not apply to the NextEra project because it will be in the Bayview Ridge Heavy Industrial zoning district.
The project, proposed for a Sierra Pacific-owned property south of Ovenell Road and the Skagit Regional Airport, would entail around 92 single-story inverter/transformer units and 368 battery cabinets within an 18-acre area surrounded by a security fence, according to the Skagit planning department staff report.
The hearing examiner held a public hearing on Dec. 20, 2024, where more than a dozen residents spoke mostly against the application. Speakers voiced concerns over the safety of battery systems and potential environmental impact.
The hearing examiner released a decision on Jan. 2 that said the use was compatible with the land’s zoning. The special use permit approval for the facility included conditions such as regularly updated hazard mitigation and emergency response plans and annual training for local emergency responders.
Meanwhile, a more controversial proposal for another site in Skagit County is working its way through a state-led approval process.
[ Skagit County may prohibit large energy projects on vulnerable agricultural land ]
Goldeneye is a 200-megawatt BESS proposed by energy company Tenaska on private farmland next to the PSE substation in Sedro-Woolley. The state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council will rule on the Goldeneye land use consistency during its Jan. 15 meeting.
EFSEC will not take public comment during the meeting. Comment must be submitted in writing to EFSEC at least three business days prior to the meeting through comments.efsec.wa.gov.
Julia Tellman writes about civic issues and anything else that happens to cross her desk; contact her at juliatellman@cascadiadaily.com.
