BESS MORATORIUM MAP

A BESS moratorium is a temporary restriction enacted by a local government that pauses or prohibits the development of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) within its jurisdiction. Moratoriums are typically adopted by town boards, city councils, or county legislatures while the jurisdiction studies how to regulate battery storage facilities. They can last anywhere from a few months to several years, and some are extended indefinitely. During a moratorium, developers cannot obtain permits, zoning approvals, or land use authorizations for new BESS projects in that jurisdiction. Moratoriums are distinct from permanent bans or zoning amendments, though some jurisdictions transition from a temporary moratorium to permanent restrictions.

As of March 2026, we track over 150 battery storage restrictions across 16 states. Of these, 115 are currently active, meaning they are in effect and blocking or limiting new BESS development. The remainder are expired, lifted, pending, or under review. New moratoriums are enacted regularly — we typically see 2 to 5 new restrictions per month nationwide, with the highest concentration in New York. Our database includes moratoriums, bans, permit pauses, zoning amendments, and setback requirements that affect battery storage development.

New York leads the country by a wide margin with 97 active BESS moratoriums — roughly 84% of the national total. The heaviest concentrations are in Westchester County, Chautauqua County, Erie County, and Suffolk County. Outside New York, the states with the most active restrictions are California (4), Iowa (3), and Washington (3). An additional 8 states each have 1 to 2 active moratoriums, including Indiana, Michigan, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Maine, Texas, and Wisconsin. The geographic distribution reflects where utility-scale BESS development is most active and where local communities have pushed back against proposed projects.

In some states, yes. Seven states have enacted laws that allow battery storage developers to bypass local restrictions by going through a state-level permitting process instead. New York’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting (ORES) can approve projects 25 MW and larger regardless of local moratoriums. California’s Energy Commission can certify projects over 50 MW or 200 MWh under Assembly Bill 205. Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Washington have similar pathways with varying thresholds and requirements. These state bypass laws do not eliminate the local moratorium — they provide an alternative approval route that overrides it. Project size is typically the key qualifier: most bypass pathways only apply to utility-scale projects above a specific MW threshold. See our full state bypass laws guide for details on each pathway.

The database is updated monthly. Our monitoring system combines automated news scanning with manual review of government agendas and meeting minutes to detect new moratoriums, extensions, expirations, and status changes. Each record is verified before publication. Email subscribers receive weekly alerts highlighting new changes plus a full Excel export of the database with source links and strategic commentary. Subscribe for weekly updates.

A moratorium is a temporary pause on BESS development, usually enacted while a jurisdiction studies the issue and develops permanent regulations. Moratoriums have a defined or expected end date, though they are frequently extended. A ban is a permanent prohibition that does not expire. In practice, the line between the two can blur — some jurisdictions adopt a moratorium and renew it indefinitely, which functions as a de facto ban. Others transition from a temporary moratorium to a permanent zoning amendment that effectively prohibits battery storage. Our database tracks both moratoriums and bans, as well as other restriction types like setback requirements, permit pauses, and zoning amendments, all of which can limit or prevent BESS development in a jurisdiction.