Starting January 1, 2026, the California Fire Code will require owners of existing lithium-ion battery energy storage systems (ESS) over 20 kWh to submit a hazard mitigation analysis (HMA) to the fire code official. Among the items included in the HMA, the analysis must evaluate the ability of the installed protection system to provide early detection and notification of a thermal runaway event. Where risks requiring mitigation are identified, a corrective action plan with a timetable for implementation will need to be included with the HMA submission.
Building owners should take a proactive approach to this new requirement to determine if their existing ESS installations will require a corrective action plan and how the implementation timetable could potentially impact their operations.
Not sure if your building’s lithium-ion battery energy storage system requires an HMA, what the process entails, or if your system is posing hazards requiring system improvements? Please give us a call, and we will be happy to guide you through it.