Van Zandt County is weighing whether to slam the brakes on new solar, wind, and battery-storage projects, a move that could stall a string of East Texas renewables builds when commissioners meet next Wednesday morning in Canton. The proposed timeout would halt permitting and construction while state and local officials seek more clarity on battery safety testing and the possible use of equipment tied to Chinese manufacturers. The push follows months of community meetings, a resident lawsuit, and earlier court action tied to a 100-megawatt battery project south of Canton.
Commissioners Weighing A Renewables Timeout
According to a measure outlined in a county press release and highlighted by The Dallas Express, the proposed moratorium would pause both permitting and construction on new projects while the Texas attorney general’s office finishes an ongoing investigation into whether components from Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. (CATL) have been used in Texas installations. The Attorney General’s Office opened the probe in November to determine whether certain CATL-linked parts might violate state rules intended to keep hostile foreign actors away from critical infrastructure, according to a press release from the office.
At The Center Of The Fight: The Amador BESS
The immediate flashpoint is the Amador Energy Storage project, a roughly 100-megawatt battery facility managed by Taaleri Energia that developer materials describe as covering about 48 acres in a rural stretch of Van Zandt County. In April 2025, the county obtained a temporary restraining order that blocked batteries from being delivered to the site after testing cited by local officials allegedly showed thermal-runaway and off-gassing failures. Van Zandt County fire officials have also warned that they do not have the specialized equipment or sufficient water supply needed to safely respond to a large battery fire at the facility.
Neighbors, Lawsuits And Grassroots Pressure
Tension around the project did not stay inside the courthouse. A group of nearby residents sued the developers late last year, seeking an injunction and damages and arguing that the facility poses both safety concerns and risks to property values, according to Energy-Storage.News. Local reporting has detailed packed town halls and the creation of a county-level review process after neighbors pressed officials on firefighting capacity, potential evacuation zones and compliance with NFPA 855 battery safety standards, as reported by the Tyler Morning Telegraph.
State-Level Scrutiny Turning Up The Heat
The local showdown is unfolding alongside broader state scrutiny of Chinese-linked energy technology. On Jan. 26, Governor Greg Abbott updated Texas’ prohibited technologies list to add several companies with ties to China, including CATL, after a threat assessment by Texas Cyber Command, according to a press release from the Office of the Texas Governor. The attorney general’s inquiry has pointed to the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act as a legal basis for examining whether the use of certain foreign-made parts could unlawfully grant access to critical Texas infrastructure, the Attorney General’s Office said in its November statement.
What Happens Next
The Van Zandt County Commissioners Court posts its agendas and meeting materials on the county website, and residents can weigh in through the public-comment period at next Wednesday morning’s session at the courthouse in Canton. Whether commissioners will actually approve a temporary moratorium remains an open question, since the court has not signaled a final position on the vote ahead of the meeting.
