6 Moratoriums Tracked | 3 Active | 3 Counties | Updated Monthly
California’s BESS moratorium landscape is sparse compared to New York, with just 3 active restrictions across 3 counties. San Juan Capistrano’s moratorium expired in April 2026 without replacement. But for developers siting projects in Southern California, the remaining moratoriums are meaningful obstacles.
California’s Energy Commission (CEC) administers an opt-in certification process under Assembly Bill 205 that allows qualifying energy projects to bypass local permitting authority. Battery storage projects with a capacity of 50 MW or greater can apply for CEC certification, which supersedes local land use approvals — including active moratoriums.
For developers in California, the practical math is straightforward. A 100 MW BESS project proposed in Escondido (San Diego County) or San Juan Capistrano (Orange County) can apply to the CEC and sidestep the local moratorium entirely. A 30 MW project in those same jurisdictions cannot — it falls below the 50 MW threshold and must navigate the local process, which means waiting for the moratorium to expire or seeking a variance.
Note that Moorpark (Ventura County) is a different situation. Its restriction is a permanent zoning amendment, not a temporary moratorium, which means it will not expire on its own. The CEC bypass is the only realistic path for utility-scale BESS in Moorpark unless the city council reverses the zoning change.
Subscribers receive the full CEC pathway details including the application process, typical approval timelines, and Carina’s analysis of how the CEC is handling BESS projects in restricted jurisdictions.
California is one of seven states with a pathway that allows developers to bypass local BESS restrictions. See the full comparison of state bypass laws.
California’s three active restrictions are concentrated in Southern California, spanning from San Diego County up through Ventura County. All three target utility-scale projects only, leaving residential and commercial battery installations unaffected.
The key distinction in California is between temporary moratoriums and permanent zoning changes. Two of the three active restrictions are standard moratoriums with defined expiration dates: Escondido expires October 2026 and Morro Bay in January 2027. These are temporary pauses that will resolve on their own unless the jurisdictions vote to extend them.
Moorpark is the outlier. Its restriction is a permanent zoning amendment, not a temporary moratorium, which means it has no expiration date and will remain in effect unless the Ventura County city actively reverses it. For developers eyeing the Moorpark area, the CEC bypass (for projects ≥50 MW) is effectively the only path forward.
hree California moratoriums have already expired. Orange County ended in March 2025, Solano County in January 2026, and San Juan Capistrano in April 2026. None of the three jurisdictions enacted replacement restrictions, suggesting the moratoriums served their intended purpose as temporary pauses while permanent zoning frameworks were developed.
| Jurisdiction | Status | Expires | Scope | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escondido, San Diego County | ACTIVE | 10/5/2026 | UTILITY_SCALE | MORATORIUM |
| Moorpark, Ventura County | ACTIVE | UTILITY_SCALE | ZONING_AMENDMENT | |
| Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo County | ACTIVE | 1/30/2027 | UTILITY_SCALE | MORATORIUM |
| Orange County | EXPIRED | 3/3/2025 | UTILITY_SCALE | MORATORIUM |
| San Juan Capistrano, Orange County | EXPIRED | 4/30/2026 | UTILITY_SCALE | MORATORIUM |
| Solano County | EXPIRED | 1/3/2026 | UTILITY_SCALE | MORATORIUM |
Source: Carina Energy research.
Battery storage moratoriums are one of the fastest-growing regulatory challenges facing BESS developers in California. Here are answers to the questions we hear most often.
As of June 2026, California has 3 active BESS restrictions: Escondido (San Diego County), Moorpark (Ventura County), and Morro Bay (San Luis Obispo County). Three additional moratoriums have already expired: Orange County (March 2025), Solano County (January 2026), and San Juan Capistrano (April 2026). All restrictions apply to utility-scale projects only.
Yes. Battery storage projects 50 MW or larger can apply for certification through the California Energy Commission (CEC) under Assembly Bill 205. CEC certification supersedes local permitting authority, including active moratoriums. Projects below 50 MW must navigate local permitting processes.
Moorpark enacted a permanent zoning amendment restricting utility-scale BESS, while the other three jurisdictions enacted temporary moratoriums with defined expiration dates. Moratoriums will expire on their own; Moorpark’s zoning change is indefinite and will remain in effect unless the city council votes to reverse it.
The map and table above show the summary. Subscribers get the complete picture: a full Excel export with 15+ fields per record, including source URLs to every ordinance, strategic commentary from our expert team, expiration dates, and scope details you won’t find anywhere else. Plus weekly alerts whenever a moratorium is enacted, extended, lifted, or challenged.
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