Commissioners deny Battery Energy Storage System moratorium recommendation

The Advisory Plan Commission (APC) recommendation for an 18 month moratorium on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), Ordinance 2025-04, was denied by the Pulaski County Commissioners during a regular meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Pulaski County Building Inspector and Plan Administrator Karla Redweik explained that the recommendation was coming before them on behalf of the APC as they recently voted in favor of it, 7-0, with one abstaining. Redweik explained, in response to a question from President Don Street, that the purpose of the moratorium would be to offer the APC time to better understand BESS and to educate themselves on proper ordinance language, especially since the county does not have anything related to BESS currently in place.