GridStor proposes 100-megawatt battery facility in Custer, north of Ferndale

Oregon-based GridStor has proposed a 100-megawatt lithium-ion battery storage system on a 27-acre lot in Custer, north of Ferndale. The 7-acre enclosure would connect to Puget Sound Energy's Portal Way substation, near California Creek, a salmon-bearing stream that flows into Drayton Harbor.

The project is one of several battery storage facilities PSE has solicited to meet growing electricity demand and comply with state law requiring the utility to transition away from fossil fuels. A separate 100-megawatt facility by NextEra Energy Resources is under review for a site across Vista Drive.

In neighboring Skagit County, residents have pushed back hard against battery projects, citing pollution and fire risks. Skagit commissioners prohibited energy storage in agricultural zones last November after a controversial project was proposed on farmland. An anti-battery activist ran for county commissioner there and finished third in the August primary.

Whatcom County amended its code in 2022 to permit utility-scale battery systems in industrial zones and conditionally in certain rural areas near substations. GridStor says it will meet national fire protection standards and coordinate with local fire officials. The company reports no incidents at its operational sites.

The Whatcom County planning department is reviewing the proposal. A public hearing before the county hearing examiner will follow.