Qualified Electrical Worker (QEW) Program for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

Guidelines to help companies build a QEW program 

Building, operating, and maintaining any power generation project requires an elevated level of electrical safety awareness, training, technical skills, knowledge, and the personal discipline to always act in a safe manner. Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are unique in that they cannot typically be fully de-energized and there are so many tasks to be performed by so few technicians, often without the specializations found in traditional generation facilities.

The Guidelines for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Operations Qualified Electrical Workers may prove useful for both construction and maintenance technician. Although various agency requirements may apply, the focus will be primarily on operations and maintenance personnel as most construction tasks are performed before the site is energized and the general safety requirements for construction are well documented. This is intended as a guideline to assist companies in preparing their own QEW program.

ACP’s Electrical Safety Working Group finalized these Guidelines for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) Operations Qualified Electrical Workers.

These guidelines are a part of ACP’s workforce safety resources. If you have questions about the guidelines, please contact safety@cleanpower.org.