Battery storage fire at Convergent Energy site in Lyme, New York prompts shelter-in-place

On 27 July 2023, a fire broke out at a battery energy storage facility operated by Convergent Energy in the Town of Lyme, Jefferson County, New York, co-located with a solar farm whose output the batteries stored. Four lithium battery storage trailers were involved. Residents within a one-mile radius were directed to shelter in place for several hours that day. Firefighters poured water on the fire for three days, and officials said that days after the fire was out the area remained too hot for anyone to enter and investigate the cause, with firefighters and public safety personnel remaining on scene to watch for new fires. The fire was reported as successfully contained and no injuries were reported. The facility had a capacity of 20 MW and went online in March 2022. Local officials said there were no toxic byproducts in the air and no indication of groundwater or runoff contamination posing health risks.

The technical cause of the fire is not reported in the source. The batteries at the facility were built by General Electric, according to Convergent Energy. The incident was one of three battery storage fires at commercial facilities in New York State within three months in 2023, which prompted the state to create an inter-agency safety working group.

1. Sites should have clear shelter-in-place protocols agreed with local emergency services for nearby residents during battery fires.
2. Extended post-fire monitoring is needed, as residual heat can prevent access to damaged battery enclosures for days after visible flames are out, and crews may have to stay on scene to watch for reignition.
3. Operators and local officials should communicate early with residents about air quality and firewater runoff monitoring, as these are predictable community concerns during and after such incidents.

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