Islip bans large battery storage

The Town of Islip voted 5-0 Tuesday to prohibit new battery storage facilities with capacity exceeding 600 kilowatts per hour, blocking a proposed facility in Hauppauge.

Fire department fears lithium fires

Hauppauge Fire Commissioner Scott Munro warned that lithium-ion battery fires release dangerous chemicals like hydrogen fluoride and can burn even when submerged in water.

“These batteries are known to carry different chemicals... hydrogen fluoride released in gases when they are on fire.”

Munro says let it burn

The fire commissioner stated there's little the department can do during a lithium-ion battery fire except allow it to burn, highlighting the department's unpreparedness.

“There's nothing much that the fire department can do, other than allowing them... that's where we hear the term, 'Let it burn.'”

New York updated fire code

New York's 2025 fire code update requires battery storage sites to undergo large-scale fire testing and contain fires within metal enclosures to address safety concerns.

Developer says code addresses risks

Key Capture Energy project developer Lucia Yu argued the updated state fire code thoroughly addresses safety concerns and includes rigorous requirements for all battery storage projects.

“The safety concerns that initially prompted this discussion have been thoroughly addressed through New York State's updated fire code.”

Local control trumps state standards

Despite New York's updated fire code, Islip's ban shows towns can restrict battery storage facilities if local officials believe their emergency services cannot safely handle incidents.