Municipal Oversight Brief: BESS Risks & Local Authority

BESS appears to be global.

Disclaimer

I personally do not advocate any process or procedure contained in any of my Blogs. Information presented here is not intended to provide legal or lawful advice, nor medical advice, diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevent any disease. Views expressed are for educational purposes only.

I surround, protect, purify and make harmless the following in-formation.

Major continents involved

Battery energy storage systems [BESS] are being marketed as key components of transition to clean energy in Canada, the USA, Europe, Australia, China, Russia, etc.

Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

Prepared by: Maggie Hope Braun, KICLEI Canada
Released: November 2025
Published on: KICLEI Canada

© 2025 Maggie Hope Braun. All rights reserved.

About This Report

This report was developed as a direct response to a wave of outreach from communities across Canada. As residents began organizing against Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) proposals in their municipalities, it became clear that local councils were not being given the full picture. Private developers were presenting scripted, vague pitches emphasizing alignment with “green energy transitions” while downplaying the financial model, risk profile, and long-term liabilities. What was missing in council deliberations wasn’t goodwill or concern—but clarity.

Councils are under no obligation to approve them

This report distills what citizens, councillors, and municipal staff need to know: how BESS projects actually make money, what risks they pose, and why councils are under no obligation to approve them. It includes a checklist of key questions, a model resolution to pause approvals, and an urgent call for transparency. We urge everyone reading to share this with their local council. It’s just 10 pages, easy to digest, and could make the difference between informed consent and costly regret. Download the report here.

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1. Executive Summary

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are being marketed to municipalities across Canada as key components of the “clean energy transition.” Developers frame these projects as safe, necessary, and beneficial to the public. In practice, most BESS projects are privately owned industrial sites that profit from electricity market speculation and provincial subsidies—while leaving municipalities to manage fire risk, public concern, emergency response, and eventual decommissioning.

A typical BESS facility stores grid electricity in lithium-ion batteries when prices are low, and resells it at peak rates. The system is designed for profit, not local energy access. Developers receive guaranteed payments from provincial grid operators, while ratepayers cover the cost of generation, storage, and repurchase. Municipalities receive no direct revenue from energy trading and no ownership of the infrastructure. Meanwhile, local governments must oversee permitting, fire response planning, public consultation, and potential environmental or liability issues.

This report provides a detailed breakdown of the risks, responsibilities, and red flags associated with BESS approvals. It also includes a list of questions councils should ask, a sample resolution for municipalities to pause or decline participation, and a guide to asserting local authority in energy development decisions.

2. Understanding BESS: Function, Finance, and Framing

3. Risk Areas for Municipalities

4. The Push for Rural and Small-Town Approvals

5. Sustainability vs. Stewardship: What’s Council’s Role?

6. Council Questions Checklist

7. Recommended Municipal Actions

8. Sample Municipal Resolution

9. Next Steps for Municipal Leaders

📬 Email: info@kiclei.ca
🌐 Web: www.kiclei.ca

Details for each of the above at
https://kiclei.substack.com/p/municipal-oversight-brief-bess-risks

Underestimated intelligence of the human heart

The following is a call to ‘quantum’ action, a chance to get to know our true selves and uplevel physical reality. It’s free, it’s safe, scientifically proven and waiting for humans to discover our own inner technology, the most sophisticated technology to ever grace this Earth. https://www.ourgreaterdestiny.ca/p/torus-activation-call-to-quantum

At this critical juncture, please share the ‘quantum’ call to action.

Without prejudice and without recourse
Doreen Agostino
Our Greater Destiny Blog
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