The Real Story – A Column by Dirk Knudsen

Jupiter Energy (a Blackrock company) is pushing hard for its proposed BESS Battery Facility in Hillsboro.  The proposed location may have a Hillsboro address, but it is located North of and outside Hillsboro’s Urban Growth Boundary in a farm area not zoned for heavy industrial uses, such as 114 Lithium Ion Batteries, which is what Jupiter proposes to place adjacent to residential uses.  Batteries so big that each one is the size of a semi-truck.  The facility will create noise and light pollution, not to mention be a visual eyesore along West Union Road, and for those living adjacent to it.  And no matter how many great things the developer or its supporters say about the energy benefits and safety features the installation will have, it will be a constant threat to public safety and property values the minute it is built.

Unfortunately for the dozens of neighbors in the Bendemeer community who are fighting this, Washington County planning intends to recommend approval based on sources we have talked to. The County code addresses the “compatibility” of this proposed use, which the applicant is labeling a “Public Utility.” Unfortunately for the neighbors, the code does not appear to consider the dangers posed by deadly batteries that can catch fire, causing mass evacuations, polluting groundwater, and surrounding lands as criteria when considering compatibility. People can become sick, property values can be destroyed, and a littany of other issues can happen if there is a fire of any scale.  Once again, the code appears to be unaffected.  Obtaining a property insurance policy or a mortgage may be an issue for those who own property near a BESS facility if a fire of any scale were to occur.  And again, there is nothing in the Code that considers that relevant.  

Here is an interview with Bill Hickox, who has lived on his beautiful country property for decades with his wife, Judy. An unwelcome industrial user now threatens their property and way of life.

For those reasons, BESS Facilities are not built near people- NOT BUILT NEAR PEOPLE.  Even Jupiter, which owns dozens of BESS facilities, has not successfully built in a residential community- but here in Hillsboro, they are ready to push it through.

No Batteries In Back Yards – a group of neighbors directly affected by this proposed project, who are organized and have legal representation, is seeking assistance.  I am helping them, for one, as are many others. Why?  Because what is happening is wrong.  What is happening is going to set a precedent for the rest of Oregon.  If Jupiter pulls this off, then no one is safe.  The implications for farm and forest lands are even more dire – the gates will be open for BESS projects to be built almost anywhere in the State where there are powerlines and a substation nearby.  Moreover, these fine people, all of whom own 1 to 5 acre lots, deserve to live peacefully on their small acreages and not be forced to live in constant threat.

The group and other citizens have reached out to County Commissioners, state representatives, the City of Hillsboro, and other relevant parties.  No one is coming to help them.  It seems Jupiter is winning the PR Ground game, with feedback being that this is Green Energy, and we need it.  Hog Wash?  This BESS is what is known as a power arbitrage. PGE and Jupiter have specifically made a deal for PGE to sell off-peak power to Jupiter at a fraction of the cost, and for Jupiter to sell it at a significant markup during peak hours.  There is no clarity on who will be granted this power.  Lithium mines and the environmental destruction they cause are anything but green, not to mention the massive amount of carbon required for mining.  Greenwashing is what Jupiter and local politicians are doing to anyone who opposes this.  But they are the ones who lack the intelligence or the compassion to really look at the issues- or maybe it is the money headed their way.  Either way, BESS facilities are neither green nor safe, and they do not belong in residential areas.

What the EPA said after the massive MOSS LANDING FIRE….

– a BESS Fire that burned for days and led to the evacuation of thousands of people-

“Calling a technology ‘green energy’ does not mean there are no environmental impacts. This is an issue of growing concern,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Region Administrator Josh F.W. Cook. “I am alarmed by the incidents and impacts of utility grade battery fires on first responders, specifically the professional firefighters who are exposed to horrible toxic conditions when batteries catch fire. This settlement action is a step in the right direction, but the broader
battery storage fire issue requires additional attention and EPA enforcement.”

Oregon, Hillsboro, and Washington County Are Behind On Policies

We researched BESS facilities and the evolving laws governing their locations.  We found that many counties have now banned or limited the locations of these facilities.   And for good reason.  The questions remain: why is Oregon so far behind on this?  PGE has four BESS facilities in the metro area, all located in Industrial parks.  However, PGE is supposedly seeking out Jupiter and promoting this site as the fifth BESS in the area.  Why?

Jupiter Knocks on Doors And Hosts 2nd Meeting.

This week, representatives of Jupiter have been knocking on doors to calm fears and raise support, according to a local who contacted the Herald.  The company will also be hosting a Community Open House to share its side of the story.

COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE – 10/07/2025

Jupiter Power(Link is external) (Link opens in new window) is hosting an in-person event to discuss the proposed battery energy storage system at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, at Portland Community College Rock Creek Event Center Building 9, 17705 NW Springville Road(Link is external) (Link opens in new window).

The project team will be available to answer any questions you may have about the project. Attendees are welcome to come and go as they please.

Great. The reason for a second open house is obviously to diffuse concerns and make the project look Green and wonderful!

Here is a challenge one local made:  Guarantee Us There Will Be NO Fire or Loss Of Property Value.  BlackRock is the world’s largest investment company – with Billions or Trillions in assets.  If they are 100% sure there is not risk, then sign an open ended guarantee, backed by the full financial strength of Blacrock, that no one will ever be harmed, nor lose property value or health if a fire occurs.  It is as simple as that.  That will not be offered.  So let’s not pretend there is no risk.

The Hearing Delayed: What’s Going On?

Blackberry Grove Energy Storage Project: Casefile L2500161

A public hearing for Washington County Casefile L2500161 was scheduled for October 16, 2025, but has been moved without explanation to 9:00 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, online via Zoom.    This changes the hearing from a 6:30 PM time slot to a 9:00 AM time slot, eliminating a large number of participants. This is a typical Washington County move, siding with the developer/applicant and making it harder for the public and those impacted to participate.

More info:  https://www.washingtoncountyor.gov/current-planning/frequently-discussed-development-applications

Over 350 citizens have provided testimony so far in this case, making it perhaps the most contested land use case in decades —and yet little media attention has been paid.

The Community demanded an in-person hearing: An online petition was signed by over 220 citizens and sent to County Officials demanding a hybrid meeting (in person and Zoom) and for good reason.

Community member Sue Arney, who lives one lot from the proposed battery site, says she sent the petition to the county on September 22nd but has received no written response. Sue followed up by leaving phone calls with three separate Washington County Staff members who are working on the project, and finally spoke to one.  She said a Zoom Room will be offered at the County, but no live hearing will take place.  She worries that not everyone will participate.

I am 77 years old (almost 78) and have Parkinsons. I want the public hearing to be in person so I can see all the people in the room, especially the County representatives at all times. I am not comfortable with zoom and with someone else having control of where I can look and who I can see.

FYI – I have lived in Bendemeer since 1977, 48 years.

Sue Arney

Our Demand: Call to Action: Require an In-Person Public Hearing

To:  Washington County Planners and Officials- Maitreyee Sinha, Senior Planner —
maitreyee_sinha@washingtoncountyor.gov, Stephen Roberts, Land Use &
Transportation Director — stephen_roberts@washingtoncountyor.gov , Stephan
Shane, Principal Planner — stephen_shane@washingtoncountyor.gov. Tanya Ange
– Washington County Adminstrator– Tanya_Ange@washingtoncountyor.gov

Dear Ms. Sinha, Director Roberts, Mr. Shane, and County Admin Ange;

We request that you hold an in-person public hearing at an ADA-accessible venue in Washington County.
Provide a hybrid option (Zoom or similar) for those who prefer it. Ensure clear notice of the time, place, and access details.
Release the staff report at least one week before the hearing. The Bottom Line: Washington County prefers a Zoom-only format. We say that is not fair, not
inclusive, and not acceptable.

Issues raised by the petition and supported by the 220-plus signatories include:

○ Accessibility: Neighbors with hearing impairments, visual
impairments, or limited technology access cannot fairly
participate in a Zoom-only process.
○ Public Trust: The pandemic is over. There is no reason to
hide this process behind a screen. A public forum means we
show up, together, face-to-face.
○ Community Voice: Land use hearings are about more than
comments — they are about neighbors standing with their
peers in a transparent process.

Community member Sue Arney, who lives one lot from the proposed battery site, says she sent the petition to the county on September 22nd but has received no response.  She followed up by leaving phone calls with three separate Washington County Staff members who are working on the project, but has still received no responses.  Arney has lived in the area for more than 50 years.  She, like other neighbors, worries she won’t be able to participate easily in the online decision-making due to the technology and difficulty hearing everything.

Look for a lot more fireworks on this story, because this is not just a story of the citizens in North Hillsboro vs. Jupiter.  This is a story of the world’s wealthiest corporations descending on Washington County, seeking to privatize our power grids, occupy all of our land for data centers, drain our resources, and relocate the profits abroad.  Our power costs will still rise, very few jobs will be created, and the community will lose.

We have to be smarter —and all of you in power (Janeen Sollman / Nathan Sosa / Susan McLain / Pam Treece, etc.) better get on board and stand up, because you’re either with us or with them.  Which is it?