Planned Lithium-ion battery storage facility causes concern for some Sumner residents

SUMNER, Wash. — Puget Sound Energy announced a new renewable energy project for Pierce County on Tuesday. 

The agency said a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) facility is planned to be built in Sumner off of East Valley Highway.

Puget Sound Energy said will help maintain reliability during peak energy demand. PSE also said it allows them to deliver clean energy, as required by “Washington’s aggressive clean energy requirements.”

The 200-megawatt lithium-ion battery storage facility has already been a topic of discussion in Sumner for months, and some residents have safety, health, and environmental concerns about the facility.

A site plan from the city shows the city’s water well is right next to the planned facility.

“It’s on top of our aquifer for the Dieringer Well, right on top of the aquifer,” said Randall Adams, a longtime Sumner resident. “To me, that’s almost like sacred ground. You don’t go playing with aquifers that you’re going to drink.”

Other residents said there are concerns over fire risk and impacts on the White River, which is nearby.

“There’s concern to make sure the city is keeping track of what types of mitigation procedures are being put into place to make sure that there isn’t seepage from the batteries, from ion batteries, into the groundwater,” Nick Biermann said.

On Bright Night Power’s website, it says:

“There are no emissions or contamination from BESS facilities to the air, water, or soil… Only a few components of the battery system contain toxic materials, but these exist in small quantities and are safely encapsulated within the battery structure.”

When it comes to the well, the City of Sumner said it reviewed any possible impacts.

“That was one of those things we looked at through all the SEPA process,” said Carman Palmer, City of Sumner communications director. “So, wells were of concern to us, so we can reassure them, we thought of it and we looked at it, worked through it with the health department, lots of eyes on it already.”

The City of Sumner issued a conditional use permit for the facility in August.

“There’s very rarely anything we can outright deny. It’s going through the concerns and then seeing if it aligns, and I don’t think there’s any huge red flags,” Palmer said.

Puget Sound Energy said it plans to have the facility in operation in 2027.

KING 5 reached out to East Pierce Fire and Rescue and the fire risk at the planned facility. They said the following:

“As with any industrial or commercial occupancy, the contents of the lithium-ion batteries do present certain risks. However, it is important to note that the facility is located in an industrial zone, which is an appropriate setting for such operations.

Additionally, East Pierce Fire & Rescue is well-prepared for any potential incidents. Our team has received specialized training to handle emergencies related to these types of facilities. Bright Night, the company responsible for building the facility, has engaged with consistent communication with EPFR and with the City of Sumner. We have collaborated on Incident Action Plans, response capabilities, and are exploring training opportunities to ensure our crews and staff are fully equipped to respond in the event of an emergency.”