NYS impedes battery storage progress

As supervisor of the Town of Brookhaven, New York’s largest township by size, I have long advocated for leading by example in exploring renewable energy. That includes battery energy storage systems (BESS) to improve grid reliability and meet power demands. However, despite our commitment, we are consistently thwarted by state agencies that claim to support BESS but fail to act when it matters most.

New York’s energy agencies, including the New York Independent System Operator, Long Island Power Authority, and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, are responsible for facilitating BESS development. They control the approvals and infrastructure needed to advance clean energy projects yet are causing significant delays and escalating costs. New York’s own mandates — such as the 2019 Climate Leadership Protection Act, which requires a zero-carbon energy grid by 2040, and the goal of 6 gigawatts of BESS power by 2030 — are being undermined by these delays, directly impacting storage projects planned for Brookhaven. In our town, two projects totaling 150 megawatts have been delayed.

While the private sector is ready to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in BESS projects, construction has not begun due to inefficiencies within the state system. The NYISO interconnection process, which should take two years, is taking four to six, and costs have skyrocketed, with some projects facing increases of $25 million or more.

Additionally, LIPA’s policy changes have further complicated BESS integration. Last year, LIPA restricted transmission lines of new projects from crossing existing transmission lines to connect to the grid, resulting in the termination of multiple projects. These regulatory hurdles significantly affect the business case for clean energy, leaving developers with fewer viable options.

These delays are not theoretical — they have real consequences. Developers cannot secure financing without revenue certainty from programs like NYSERDA’s Index Storage Credit. However, this program, designed to provide that certainty, has suffered delays for years, preventing progress. Without its implementation, New York’s already challenged climate goals will remain unattainable.

Brookhaven continues to actively explore BESS development, where appropriate, despite these systemic failures. But without support from NYISO, LIPA, and NYSERDA, we are struggling to move forward. These agencies must implement clear, consistent policies and eliminate obstacles to progress. If New York is serious about improving energy reliability and meeting its climate goals, it must stop allowing bureaucratic inefficiencies to prevent advancement.

Finally, and most importantly to our communities, the amount of time it has taken the state Department of State to update the BESS fire code is unacceptable. Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Fire Safety Working Group issued draft recommendations in July 2024, and there is talk that they might not be finalized and codified for another six to nine months, or more. This updated fire code is critical to evaluate BESS permit applications. Construction on two BESS facilities is underway, with Holtsville only possessing site clearing permits and still in need of building permits.

Brookhaven remains committed to keeping an open mind, but we need state agencies to fulfill their promise and be consistent. We urge NYSERDA, NYISO and LIPA to provide the leadership necessary so that all of the considerable time and expense spent by municipalities to evaluate and hold hearings on these systems is time well spent. Simply said, municipalities throughout Long Island cannot be expected to be partners when the partnership is one-sided and fraught with chaos. The state needs to do better.