Support Grows for Hauppauge Fire District Opposition to Battery Storage Facility

Opposition to a proposed 79-megawatt lithium battery energy storage facility in Hauppauge is drawing additional support from Suffolk County fire officials, while County Executive Edward P. Romaine has raised concerns about safeguards surrounding such projects.

The Suffolk County Fire District Officers Association, which represents 96 fire districts, has formally backed the Hauppauge Fire District’s position on the proposed battery energy storage system at 220 Rabro Drive, according to the district.

The association joins the Hauppauge School District, which has previously opposed locating the facility near homes, Bretton Woods Elementary School and an area above Long Island’s drinking water aquifer.

Romaine also recently wrote to the Fire District about battery storage safety, citing concerns stemming from a 2023 fire at a battery energy storage facility in East Hampton. According to the Fire District, Romaine said additional regulations and safeguards are needed before more facilities are placed into service.

“This is no longer the Hauppauge Fire District standing alone and sounding the alarm,” Commissioner Scott Munro said, pointing to the support from the school district and county fire officials.

The Fire District said its position is not an objection to renewable energy or battery storage technology generally, but rather to the proposed location. Officials have raised questions about emergency response, groundwater protection, environmental impacts and appropriate setbacks from surrounding properties.

Commissioner Louis Zara said officials have focused on whether the Rabro Drive site is appropriate for a large battery facility.

“There are some locations where the consequences of a major incident are simply too great,” Zara said. “We believe 220 Rabro Drive is one of them.”

The Fire District is calling on the Town of Islip, working with Suffolk County, to extend an existing moratorium affecting the project while safety and environmental questions are reviewed.

It is also urging government and regulatory officials to ultimately reject the proposed location and deny Key Capture Energy and the Long Island Power Authority permission to develop the facility.