Panetta to introduce new legislation Friday aimed at ensuring battery storage systems are safer

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A local federal lawmaker is co-sponsoring a bill focused on safeguards for new energy storage systems. The legislation is expected to be introduced Friday.

U.S. Rep Jimmy Panetta, whose congressional district includes parts of Santa Cruz County, wants the Department of Energy to conduct research on energy storage systems and develop better safeguards in the wake of the January 2025 Moss Landing battery plant fire. 

The proposed legislation, co-authored by Rep. Pat Harrigan, a Republican from North Carolina, would direct the federal energy agency to explore what causes battery storage systems to fail, and to recommend preventative measures to reduce the risk of fires like the one that erupted at Moss Landing. 

“As we continue to move towards renewable energy, we must ensure that the corresponding and critical technology is safe and secure,” Panetta said in a media release. 

While state public utility commissions have authority over and responsibility for energy-production safety, this legislation would allow the federal government to mandate testing and development requirements for battery storage systems, Panetta said. 

The bill would authorize $30 million per year, starting in 2027 through 2031, for the research. The National Institute of Standards and Technology and the U.S. Fire Administration would work together to develop better testing methods for energy storage equipment. 

Locally, community concerns about battery storage have only intensified following the massive blaze in Moss Landing. For the past year and a half, residents in south Santa Cruz County have been protesting a proposed battery storage project at 90 Minto Rd. outside Watsonville. That project is now going through the state, rather than the county, for approval. 

“The Moss Landing fire underscored the urgent need to strengthen safety standards for battery energy storage systems nationwide,” state Sen. John Laird said in the media release. “California has taken important steps at the state level, but federal partnership is essential to advancing research, improving coordination with fire officials, and developing stronger testing and safety standards.”