Waxahachie, Texas – October 13, 2026 -- Americase International will use a 25-minute panel at the 2026 Open Compute Project (OCP) Global Summit on Oct. 15 to address conflicting codes for shipping, installing, storing and disposing of lithium batteries in AI data centers. Operators must reconcile rules that differ by country and jurisdiction as AI drives demand for battery energy storage systems (ESS).
South Korean UPS battery fire hit 647 government systems
On Sept. 26, 2025, a lithium-ion battery fire at South Korea's National Information Resources Service data center in Daejeon affected 647 government information systems and disrupted public services nationwide. Officials said the fire started in an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) battery that was being relocated during maintenance. Americase cites the incident as evidence that consistent rules for handling, relocating and replacing batteries matter as data centers expand energy storage.
OCP white paper compiles storage codes for more than 15 countries
The session, "The Compliance Gap: ESS Safety in the Age of AI Infrastructure," draws on the OCP white paper Requirements for Energy Storage Systems Used in Data Centers, published in January 2026. The paper compiles worldwide codes and standards for energy storage in hyperscale and AI data centers. Its appendix profiles more than 15 countries.
NFPA 855, the National Fire Protection Association's standard for installing stationary energy storage systems, is widely adopted by U.S. jurisdictions. It is not legally binding in markets such as Germany, Japan or Singapore. Panelists will discuss how operators manage these differing local requirements.
Panel weighs nickel-zinc treatment and supply chain exposure
The panel will examine where U.S. and international codes on battery transportation, installation and operation overlap and conflict. It will also ask whether emerging chemistries such as nickel-zinc should be treated differently from lithium-ion under current codes. A third topic is what operators, equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and supply chain partners can do now to identify compliance gaps and reduce risk exposure.
Mike Pagel, Senior Consultant at HazMat Safety Consulting, an Americase International company, and a contributing author of the white paper, said operators often learn what they have only after batteries are tested and classified. They find out, he said, when a shipment is held, a permit is delayed or an insurer pushes back. He described the panel's aim as "replacing guesswork with clear, practical steps."
Four white paper contributors from Americase, Flex and Digital Realty take the stage
- Joel Chakkalakal, Director of Data Centers and Sustainability at Americase, moderates.
- Mike Pagel specializes in lithium battery transportation regulations.
- Shrikanth "Sri" Venkateshappa, Director of Accounts DACH at Anord Mardix, a Flex company, was a work stream lead and author of the white paper.
- Mauro Leuce, Senior Director, Global Design & Engineering Standards at Digital Realty, co-authored the paper and brings an operator's perspective on deploying storage across regulatory environments.
The session runs 8:40-9:05 a.m. PDT in Room 210CG at the San Jose Convention Center. It is part of the OCP ReadyTM Facilities / Power & Energy track. Americase targets hyperscale and colocation operators, facilities and fire protection engineers, hardware OEMs, and procurement and supply chain leaders. Prior reading of the white paper is not required, and the session includes time for audience questions.