Residents, officials concerned about AES battery storage system

Residents near a planned AES battery storage system presented more than 100 signatures calling for a moratorium to the Dubois County Commissioners on Monday, citing safety concerns and a lack of communication about the facility planned between Holland and Huntingburg.

Holly Gogel, a property owner adjacent to the proposed facility, presented the residents’ concerns to county commissioners during their meeting, accompanied by neighbors who stood to show their opposition to the project.

“This is not a message born out of hostility to renewable energy,” Gogel read to commissioners from a prepared statement. “It is a message born of the love for our home, our land, the safety of our children, the honorable members of our emergency services, the people who have tended to and sacrificed for this land, and most importantly, to the future generations who will have to inherit the consequences of your decisions today with respect to this project.”

According to Gogel, the proposed facility would be the second-largest battery storage system in Indiana, with 92 enclosures providing 85 megawatts of capacity over four hours. The project sits less than two miles from Holland Elementary School to the west and approximately two miles from Huntingburg Elementary School, Southridge Middle School and Southridge High School to the east.

Residents express particular concern about emergency response capabilities for battery storage fires, which require specialized equipment and techniques to extinguish. Gogel noted that firefighters often adopt defensive positions, spraying from a distance, and sometimes let the fires burn out completely.

“If on fire, these fires cannot be extinguished, taking days or weeks to burn out,” Gogel told commissioners.

The project’s proximity to the town and schools is also a concern because of the toxins that could be released in the event of a fire.

Gogel also expressed concerns about the planned solar panel development alongside the battery storage system. She said that if panels catch fire, they are also difficult to extinguish and require special considerations for first responders. Additionally, she explained that these fields are operated remotely, and responders’ efforts may be hampered by a slow response from the operator in the event of an emergency.

Gogel asked the commissioners to consider a moratorium on the project due to the current opposition. She noted that 72 of Indiana’s 92 counties have enacted moratoriums on solar panel projects.

Additionally, she asked whether they would consider strengthening the current ordinances and setbacks for these types of projects, and whether they would review the permits, since they were originally approved when the project was owned by BP Renewables before it was sold to AES.

Gogel was joined by members of the Holland Town Council, who stated they received no communication about the project despite its proximity to their community. Melanie Barrett, the town council president, said the town’s volunteer fire department was never contacted.

“We did not get any information from AES at all. Not a letter, not any comments,” Barrett said.

Town Councilman John Kaltenbacher said he also had concerns about evacuation procedures in the event of an emergency at the battery storage site, which could require evacuating areas within 2 to 2.5 miles of the facility. The town would need to develop evacuation plans for the school, a large daycare and elderly residents.

“It’s upsetting that now we as a community have to figure out how we’re going to fund an evacuation,” Kaltenbacher said. “You guys know budgets are terrible now, so we have a daycare we have to worry about, a school that we have to worry about, and our elderly that we have to worry about. I just think it’s irresponsible. Just irresponsible.”

Residents also question the decommissioning plan and whether adequate funds have been secured upfront to prevent taxpayers from bearing cleanup costs if the company fails. Dubois County currently operates under a solar energy ordinance that mirrors state law, providing minimum default standards for commercial solar projects and cleanup requirements.

The county doesn’t have countywide zoning, which Blessinger said limits their ability to restrict certain land uses. He explained that most counties in Indiana have existing zoning ordinances, but when Dubois County considered it more than 30 years ago, there was some pushback from farmers, property owners and towns. The county ultimately did not enact any zoning regulations.

This means that any project outside a two-mile radius of incorporated cities and towns in Dubois County is not subject to zoning.

“If we had countywide zoning, which some people are in favor of and some aren’t, then there would be a little more of these kinds of restrictions,” Blessinger told the crowd.

According to information Blessinger shared from AES, the battery system will be designed in accordance with National Fire Protection Association 855 standards, which guide these types of installations to mitigate risks. The guide covers topics such as fire detection and suppression, explosion control, exhaust ventilation, size and separation of these facilities, and thermal runaways.

According to AES, these standards require a minimum 100-foot setback from existing structures. The company says all listed structures are located more than 1.5 miles from the project site.

AES also told commissioners that the project has undergone a hazard mitigation analysis, which identified no risks to surrounding areas. The company plans to coordinate with local authorities and equipment manufacturers to provide first responder training before commissioning.

“While this may be our first battery project in this specific area, AES has hundreds of safely operating battery assets across the country, and we bring that experience to Crossvine,” Blessinger read from a communication from the company.

AES has indicated plans to begin community outreach, including an open house in November and a website with project details. The company states it will send invitations to neighbors and community members, with construction expected to start in March.

Blessinger promised to review the residents’ request for a moratorium and discuss it with fellow commissioners and the county attorney. He plans to research what other counties are doing and bring the matter to the board within two weeks.

Commissioner Serice Stenftenagel agreed with Blessinger and told those in attendance she appreciated their input.

Commissioner Nick Hostetter was not in attendance at Monday’s meeting.