The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has updated its guidance on the development and planning of grid-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS)
Approved for publication in December 2025, the updated document supersedes guidance first issued in 2023 and is intended to support fire and rescue services (FRSs) with a better understanding of the operational preplanning of grid-scale BESS projects in their area.
The increasing use of BESS, in line with the government’s objectives for greater energy independence and security, has led to growing concerns around standards and regulations, including the fire safety risks that surround lithium-ion battery use.
As the NFCC notes, current oversight for the development of BESS sites sits with the local government planning system, and more recently, BESS developers and planners have been encouraged to engage with local FRSs to address any potential fire safety issues and risks that may arise. However, there are inconsistencies in terms of approach by FRSs, which the NFCC looks to address with these revised guidelines:
“The aim of this guidance is to ensure that fire and rescue service requirements are proportionate to the hazard and risk present on site, without placing an undue burden on the developer of the BESS installation. It is hoped that the guidance will promote a consistent approach across fire and rescue services.”
Specifically intended for BESS sites that are deployed in open-air environments, with an energy capacity of one megawatt hour (MWh) or greater using lithium variant batteries, the guidance emphasises the need for a comprehensive risk management process, carried out by developers and operators, to “identify hazards and risks specific to the facility”. Following this, a “robust outline battery safety management plan and emergency response plan” can be developed in conjunction with the local FRS.
The updated guidance builds on the 2023 original with an expanded structure and scope to reflect a range of supporting material, such as academic research, national and international standards, case studies, and industry guidance. New sections around the organisational requirements for FRS and the planning approval process have also been added.
The suggested initial minimum distance between BESS structures and occupied buildings has also increased from 25 metres to 30 metres, with spacing between BESS enclosures reduced to 3ft if the unit has passed certain tests.
Developers are also advised to produce a detailed incident impact assessment, identifying “all sensitive receptors within a 1km radius of the site”, and taking into consideration the impact on business continuity and “possible fire gas plume modelling”.
It covers explosion control, with BESS containers designed with deflagration protection and venting that is “appropriate to the hazard and battery technology deployed”.
NFCC states: “Several manufacturers of BESS now advocate that if a thermal event occurs in a BESS unit and this progresses to thermal runaway, the BESS cabinet/enclosure should be allowed to consume itself or in other words, burn itself out. Furthermore, an increasing number of BESS manufacturers suggest that applying firefighting jets to the BESS cabinet/enclosure will have limited effect and could prolong the duration of the thermal event unnecessarily. In these instances, water fog or spray pattern branches should only be directed to areas to ensure the incident does not spread to adjacent BESS.”
In the event of a fire, operators are advised to develop a post-incident recovery plan, addressing the “potential for re-ignition of BESS and de-energising the system”.
“The plan should also include provisions for removal and disposal of damaged equipment and contaminated fire water effluent.”
As previously reported by the FPA, NFCC shared its concerns over the growing challenge of lithium-ion battery fires in the UK. The position statement drew attention to the fact that the rate of emerging energy technologies was outpacing UK safety standards, with more action needed from the government to help tackle the risks.
A separate position statement on BESS was also issued, highlighting the NFCC’s concern around the lack of research on “best practice firefighting tactics in response to a BESS fire incident”. It called on the government to create an “overarching framework and UK standard for the safe deployment and operation of BESS” and include BESS in the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 at the earliest opportunity.
The revised guidance from NFCC regarding grid-scale BESS planning can be accessed here.