New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced draft updates to the New York Fire Code to support safe installation and operation of battery energy storage systems and ensure that first responders have training and information to respond to emergencies involving battery energy storage systems.
The Governor’s Interagency Fire Safety Working Group, co-led by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and other state energy, safety, and environmental agencies, informed the proposed code updates. NYSERDA released the Working Group’s draft Fire Code Recommendations Report for public comment in early 2024, and incorporated that public feedback into the Working Group’s final recommendations.
In a statement, NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris noted, "As we move toward a clean energy future, these code enhancements, if adopted, will be critical in enhancing the resiliency and efficiency of New York’s grid while prioritizing safety for New Yorkers. NYSERDA looks forward to ongoing collaboration with other state agencies to improve safety and standardize best practices to bolster New York as a national and international leader in fire safety and stationary energy storage systems.”
The draft code language is open for public comment until September 24, 2024. The Rule in Development is available on the New York Department of State website here.