Interim Charge 4: Battery Storage and Safety
Advanced Power Alliance Texas Vice President Judd Messer on April 23 provided testimony before the Texas House Committee on State Affairs. Chaired by Texas State Representative Ken King, the committee has broad authority, including jurisdiction over all matters pertaining to “the regulation and deregulation of electric utilities and the electric industry” in Texas. The committee convened to consider Interim Charge 4: to examine the current rules and regulations regarding battery storage and safety and to evaluate potential risks to communities and make recommendations to allow the continued deployment of battery storage without compromising public safety.
Highlighting Texas’ national leadership in grid-scale battery storage, Messer’s testimony highlighted that the state has added more than 19,000 megawatts over the past five years, and batteries improve grid reliability by responding instantly to demand spikes and have contributed to Texas avoiding emergency energy alerts for more than two and a half years.
His testimony referenced recent legislation passed by the Texas 89th Legislature that strengthens fire safety standards for battery facilities, including inspection requirements, emergency response planning, and first responder training. Messer also noted that most battery incidents stem from construction or integration issues rather than battery chemistry.
Additional laws passed require decommissioning, recycling, and financial assurance standards similar to those for wind and solar projects, and recyclers must now submit annual reports and demonstrate they can meet cleanup obligations.
“We believe the policies adopted last session strike the right balance—advancing environmental measures and public safety while preserving the investment certainty that has driven the growth of this technology, which supports greater grid reliability and affordability, as well as meaningful local benefits,” said Messer.
Messer concluded that Texas already had a solid environmental regulatory framework and said the new policies strike a balance between safety, environmental protection, and maintaining investment in battery storage that supports reliability, affordability, and local economic benefits.