By Reata Ranch Realty Group
If you own property in Gillespie, Kendall, or Kerr County, this issue is already at your door. Battery energy storage systems, large-scale industrial facilities that store electricity generated by wind and solar farms, have been proposed at multiple sites across the Texas Hill Country, and the communities surrounding Fredericksburg have been fighting them.
Here's where things stand and why it matters to anyone who lives here or is considering buying a home in this area.
Key Takeaways
- Battery energy storage systems have been proposed near Harper in Gillespie County, near Comfort in Kendall County, and in Kerr County.
- The proposed Rogers Draw BESS near Harper would sit close to the community's only K-12 school and at the headwaters of the Pedernales River.
- The Rock Creek BESS near Comfort was voluntarily abandoned by its developer in early 2026, making it the first Texas BESS project stopped by local opposition.
- Gillespie County passed resolutions opposing BESS development and issued stop-work orders against Rogers Draw, leading to a countersuit filed by the developer on December 22, 2025.
- State legislators have introduced bills to add permitting requirements, fire safety standards, and environmental review to BESS siting decisions in Texas.
What Battery Energy Storage Systems Are and Why They Are Coming Here
Battery energy storage systems, or BESS, are large industrial facilities that store electricity generated by wind and solar farms and release it to the grid when demand is high.
- Why the Hill Country: The region's grid infrastructure and proximity to renewable energy generation have made it a target, with developers seeking interconnection agreements at rural substations where land costs are lower.
- Scale of the facilities: Projects near Fredericksburg involve hundreds of megawatts of storage capacity, requiring large footprints and industrial equipment in areas characterized by working ranches, residential communities, and sensitive watershed lands.
- Who is building them: The Comfort projects involved a South Korean-owned and a Norwegian-owned company. Lithium-ion batteries used in these facilities are predominantly supplied by CATL, a Chinese company that Texas has placed on its list of prohibited technologies.
- Regulatory gap: Texas had no specific permitting process for BESS facilities, allowing projects to advance without environmental review, fire safety requirements, or community notification standards.
This regulatory gap explains why communities have had to organize locally rather than rely on existing state protections.
The Rogers Draw Project Near Harper
The most active fight over Hill Country battery farms is in Gillespie County, where Peregrine Energy's Rogers Draw project has pitted a Colorado-based developer against a coalition of residents, county officials, and state lawmakers.
- Location and proximity: Rogers Draw is a planned 145 MW BESS on FM 2093, approximately 25 miles from Fredericksburg, near Harper's only K-12 school, and at the headwaters of the Pedernales River.
- Gillespie County's response: Commissioners passed a resolution opposing BESS developments and issued stop-work orders, citing wildfire, drought, and flood vulnerability as well as the school and river proximity.
- Legal conflict: Peregrine filed a countersuit against Gillespie County on December 22, 2025, challenging stop-work orders and seeking injunctive relief against the county's regulatory actions.
- Congressional involvement: Representative Chip Roy wrote to Peregrine in July 2025, demanding answers, citing that hundreds of constituents, including local officials, had voiced concerns about wildfire, drought, and flood risk in Gillespie County.
The Rogers Draw fight is unresolved, and the legal outcome will have significant implications for how other Texas counties can respond to similar proposals.
The Rock Creek Victory in Kendall County
The community near Comfort in Kendall County achieved a significant outcome in early 2026 when the proposed Rock Creek BESS was voluntarily abandoned by its developer.
- The project: Two foreign-owned companies proposed a combined 350 MW BESS in Comfort, in a Priority Groundwater Management Area served by a small volunteer fire department with no hazmat capability.
- Community and county response: Residents organized, the Kendall County Fire Marshal demanded stricter fire code compliance, and the Hill Country Energy Sub-Regional Planning Commission coordinated opposition under Texas law.
- The outcome: The developer voluntarily abandoned the project, which was the first time in Texas that a BESS was stopped entirely by local opposition. The Rock Creek result has been widely noted as a precedent by opponents and proponents of BESS development across Texas.
FAQs
Does this affect property values in Gillespie County and surrounding areas?
Community members near proposed sites have formally stated that proximity to a BESS facility constitutes an incurable defect that would reduce property values. Buyers considering property near any proposed site should understand the specific project status, the legal proceedings, and the opposition landscape before making a purchase decision.
What can landowners do if a BESS project is proposed near their property?
The most effective documented responses have involved organized community engagement. Fight BESS Texas (fightbesstexas.org) and the Pedernales River Alliance provide resources and coordination for affected landowners.
Is the Hill Country battery farm fight connected to the broader energy policy debate in Texas?
Yes. The Hill Country conflicts are part of a statewide and national conversation about where BESS facilities should be sited, who should have authority over that process, and what safety and environmental standards should apply.
Contact Reata Ranch Realty Group Today
Reach out to us at Reata Ranch Realty Group to talk through how these developments may affect properties you own or are considering in Gillespie and surrounding counties. Michele and the team know this fight from the inside.
