A fire at a lithium-ion battery facility in Orange County has intensified scrutiny of large-scale power storage and raised broader questions about the safety and reliability of an energy strategy built around intermittent wind and solar generation.
The blaze at the Convergent battery storage site in the Village of Warwick has become a flashpoint in a growing debate over battery energy storage systems, commonly known as BESS. Critics argue the technology introduces significant safety risks while exposing fundamental weaknesses in grid planning.
Lithium-ion battery systems can burn at extremely high temperatures and are difficult to extinguish once ignited. Fires may continue internally even after visible flames subside, a phenomenon known as thermal runaway, making incidents unpredictable for firefighters and surrounding communities. Warwick officials said the incident underscored how challenging and prolonged such emergencies can be.
Those concerns have echoed across Long Island, where towns and villages have moved aggressively to halt or restrict battery storage development.
In Suffolk County, the towns of Smithtown, Southold, Southampton, Babylon, and Islip have adopted moratoria or extended bans on BESS facilities. Southampton has gone further, working to permanently restrict where such facilities may be located, particularly near residential neighborhoods.
The Town of Brookhaven has paused approvals of new battery storage projects pending updated state fire safety codes, while Riverhead has debated draft regulations amid public opposition, though no permanent ban has yet been enacted.
In Nassau County, the towns of North Hempstead, Oyster Bay, and Hempstead have enacted moratoria or bans on new facilities while reviewing safety standards and siting rules. Oyster Bay has repeatedly extended its moratorium, citing unresolved fire and environmental risks.
Battery storage underpins weather-dependent power sources such as wind and solar, making it a critical element of Green New Deal–style energy infrastructure. Opponents argue that repeated fires, extended burn times, and the clustering of facilities near homes reveal unacceptable risks being shifted onto local communities.
For many local officials, the issue is no longer theoretical. With multiple battery-related fires reported statewide and two incidents at the same Warwick site within a short span, critics say large-scale battery storage has become a warning sign of deeper problems in New York’s energy planning.