Safe by Law: Texas’ New BESS Safety & Decommissioning Standards

Texas has rewritten the rules for battery energy storage from ignition to end of life. HB 3824 requires all BESS facilities to meet NFPA 855 and UL certification standards, maintain a State Fire Marshal-reviewed Emergency Operations Plan, and coordinate directly with local fire departments. HB 3809 went further, making Texas the first state to mandate BESS decommissioning, recycling, and financial assurance. New EPA federal guidance adds a national baseline covering siting through emergency response. Panelists will examine what these overlapping frameworks mean in practice and how developers, municipalities, and first responders can work together to deploy storage safely and with community trust.