Examiner OKs controversial energy facility in Thurston Co. Here’s what to know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Hearings examiner reversed denial and approved Rochester 5.4 MW BESS permit.
- Approval requires hazard plan, pre-incident walk‑through, training, and documentation.
- Opponents led by Fire Chief Drake are weighing appeal to county commissioners.
The Thurston County Hearings Examiner, after previously denying a special use permit for a battery energy storage system in Rochester, has reversed herself and approved the permit in a ruling released this week.
Those opposed to the proposal, which include West Thurston Regional Fire Authority Chief Nathan Drake, now have to decide if they are going to appeal that decision to the Board of County Commissioners.
“We are disappointed in the ruling,” said Drake on Thursday, adding that his primary concerns about the battery energy storage system, or BESS, remain unchanged because of fire safety and related hazards tied to the systems.
He added he is aware of the appeal process and that he’s involved in conversations with residents about it. He didn’t immediately know the appeal deadline.
A New York-based company called Convergent Energy and Power wants to bring a 5.4 megawatt lithium-ion battery site to an 11-acre parcel in the 7500 block of 183rd Avenue Southwest in Rochester. The BESS is proposed to occupy about 16,000 square feet of that overall site, The Olympian previously reported.
“How the battery works is it pulls from the (power) grid at times when there’s a surplus, which means that there’s relatively more unencumbered power available than is being demanded,” Convergent project manager Dennis Duffin previously said. “So it’ll pull that power, it’ll charge the battery, and then it will dispatch at times when demand for power exceeds the supply on the grid.”
Hearings examiner Sharon Rice denied the permit in November, following a public hearing in October. Convergent then asked and was granted a motion for reconsideration on her ruling that resulted in another public hearing in February.
Rice previously said the following when she denied the permit: “Given the fire risk associated with lithium-ion battery installations, the concerns raised by the Fire Chief and residents regarding air quality, groundwater contamination, and risk of wildfire were reasonable and credible,” she wrote in November.
This time her concerns about fire risk had been addressed, she wrote.
“While the surrounding community remains understandably concerned about the fire risk associated with lithium-ion battery installations, the record on reconsideration addresses these concerns more credibly and in more detail than was provided at the October 2025 hearing,” she wrote. “It is true that BESS fires, including some at (Convergent)-owned facilities, continue to occur; however, the current fire codes contain provisions addressing many of the previously unaddressed hazards. These updated codes ... decrease the public safety risks associated with potential fires.”
Fire safety is one of several conditions tied to the approval of the special use permit.
“Prior to energizing the BESS facility, the applicant (Convergent) shall provide the approved Hazard Mitigation Analysis and Fire Safety/Emergency Response Plan to the serving Fire District/Regional Fire Authority,” she wrote. “The applicant shall coordinate with the district to conduct at least one pre-incident planning walk-through and training session for responding personnel, including explanation of system layout, shut-down procedures, access routes, and water supply. Documentation of this coordination shall be provided to the Fire Code Official.”
Not the only proposal, differing opinions
Thurston County also has received a separate land use application from Florida-based BrightNight LLC for the Centralia BESS project near the town of Bucoda at 20337 Tono Road SE, The Olympian reported.
“The applicant proposed project is a BESS that will be capable of delivering 127 megawatts of electrical energy, with a total storage capacity of 508 megawatt hours,” the county information reads.
Both the Rochester and Centralia proposals envision tying into existing Puget Sound Energy power lines.
Although Fire Chief Drake remains concerned about the Rochester proposal, Tenino-based South Thurston Fire interim Chief Kris Gray shared a different view in a recent Facebook post.
“Our experience working with companies proposing projects within the South Thurston response area has differed from the experience shared by West Thurston Fire Officials,” the post reads.
Gray said PSE and BrightNight officials have taken an open and collaborative approach in their communications with South Thurston Fire.
“Our responsibility is not to advocate for or against development projects,” the post reads. “Our sole focus is understanding potential hazards and ensuring we are fully prepared to respond safely and effectively to any emergency.”
