Washington County, VA approves zoning ordinance for battery storage facilities

Washington County, Virginia, is clamping down on where large-scale battery storage facilities can be built. On Tuesday night, the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a new zoning ordinance that takes effect immediately. The law restricts utility-scale battery facilities—the kind often used by data centers—strictly to manufacturing zones. Officials say the rule ensures these facilities stay close to existing power lines and substations to keep taxpayer costs down. It also guarantees that no project can start without explicit local approval. Moving forward, any developer looking to build a battery storage site in Washington County must first secure a special exception vote from the board.