The debate of energy storage facilities is dividing communities across the country. The issue took center stage Wednesday night at Escondido City Council, where there’s been a moratorium on building them after the San Diego Gas and Electric lithium-ion battery storage center there went up in flames in September 2024. WATCH HERE WATCH HEREDuring the meeting, councilmembers voted in favor of new guidelines that would allow them to be built. They adopted the County of San Diego’s Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) guidelines, which would lift the moratorium. And based on those, the setbacks can get bigger, bigger, bigger,” said Batson.