A once-rejected battery energy storage project near Rochester is officially back from the dead. On March 9, 2026, Thurston County's hearing examiner signed off on a 5.4-megawatt lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) facility proposed by Convergent Energy & Power for an 11-acre parcel north of Sargent Road, reversing a denial issued in November. The approval arrives with a long list of safety, testing and emergency-response conditions, and opponents say the fight is not over.
Examiner Reverses Course After New Hearing
As reported by The Olympian, Convergent won a second look through a motion for reconsideration and a reconvened open-record hearing on Feb. 3, 2026. The outlet also notes that critics, led by West Thurston Regional Fire Chief Nathan Drake, are now weighing an appeal to the Thurston County Board of Commissioners.
Approval Comes With Tight Safety Strings
The Hearing Examiner's Findings, Conclusions and Decision on Reconsideration grants the special use permit but only with a slate of site-specific safeguards aimed at tamping down fire and groundwater risks. Conditions include a Hazard Mitigation Analysis, a Fire Safety and Emergency Response Plan, UL 9540A large-scale fire testing, commissioning and decommissioning plans, periodic safety inspections and documentation submitted to the County Fire Code Official before the batteries can be energized, according to Thurston County.
Why Neighbors And Fire Crews Are Still Uneasy
Residents and the local fire district previously pushed for a flat denial, warning about the scale of a potential battery blaze and the limits of the response resources on hand. Earlier coverage of the record notes the hearing examiner quoted West Thurston Fire Chief Nathan Drake flagging the potential for “catastrophic” air-quality impacts if the site ever caught fire. Reporting also highlighted worries about contaminated turnout gear and possible groundwater contamination.
Bigger Battery Boom Taking Shape In The Area
Local reporting has also zeroed in on a second, much larger battery pitch moving through county review. BrightNight LLC is pursuing a Centralia-area project of roughly 127 megawatts and about 508 megawatt-hours of storage near Bucoda. Both the Rochester and Centralia proposals would tie into existing Puget Sound Energy power lines, The Olympian reported.
Appeal Clock Starts Ticking
The hearing examiner's decision landed on March 9, 2026, triggering a tight appeal window. County materials spell out the timeline and steps for anyone seeking review. After a reconsideration decision, an appeal to the Board of County Commissioners must be filed within the short period listed on the county appeal form, which means any challenge from opponents will have to move fast.
What It Means On The Ground
For now, Convergent can move ahead into the remaining permitting and construction phases, but only if it clears every condition set by the examiner to limit fire and environmental risks. If an appeal lands on the commissioners' desks, the project will face another public round, extending a tense local debate over how to balance grid reliability with neighborhood safety in South Puget Sound.
