Lithium-ion battery manufacturer puts controversial Colorado plant on hold
Back in 2023, CBS Colorado learned more about the 775,000-square-foot Amprius Technologies facility planned to open at 18875 E. Bromley Land in Brighton. State leaders said the facility would boost Colorado's clean energy economy, but neighbors felt differently.
CBS
Those same neighbors are rejoicing over the fact that the battery factory will not be becoming operational near their homes anytime soon.
Jessie Williams has spent years fighting against the lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility, which was planned to be located just 650 feet from her home.
"The biggest concern was the chemicals with our schools, our neighborhoods and our water being directly across the street," Williams said.
Williams said her concerns about Amprius were not just for the surrounding neighborhood, but about potential impacts to the entire community.
Lithium-ion batteries are classified as hazardous materials and are highly flammable under certain conditions.
In 2023, Amprius executives told CBS Colorado they would safely dispose of hazardous waste and follow EPA emissions requirements. They also said fires associated with lithium-ion batteries usually happen due to improper use.
"We went from door to door. We stood on corners. We went to parks," Williams explained.
Despite Williams delivering more than 500 signatures of opposition to Brighton City Council, the land was rezoned in September 2023.
But manufacturing never got underway. Since then, the community has continued to grow around the site.
"We actually have new homes that are going to go into the east of this," Williams said. "We have our new water treatment facility that is getting ready to go online."
And Williams has kept tabs on Amprius.
"I have made sure to watch all their moves, between all their mergers with their manufacturers, and also to see what movement was going to actually happen with the building," Williams said. "Definitely keeping track on everything."
Earlier in 2025, the company officially put the Colorado plant on hold.
Amprius CEO Kang Sun shared a statement with CBS Colorado that said, "At this time, there are no immediate plans to move forward with the next phase of the Colorado facility. We have completed the design phase and continue to closely monitor market dynamics. Building a domestic supply chain for next-generation batteries is important, but also uniquely challenging. Manufacturing these cutting-edge battery technologies at scale in the U.S. requires a highly capital-intensive process. Beyond cost, it also demands deep technical expertise, capabilities that are still developing in the U.S. Meanwhile, other countries have spent years building mature, cost-efficient battery industries, giving them a significant head start. At Amprius, we are able to meet our production needs through a global contract manufacturing network that enables us to scale quickly without building new infrastructure. Our cells are commercially available, allowing us to meet customers' demand worldwide. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, we shipped batteries to more than 100 customers. Our silicon anode batteries are not prototypes, they are already powering applications across aviation, defense, and electric mobility sectors."
"It's a relief. It really is," Williams said. "We have not really had peace knowing that this could happen at any time -- just relief, actually able to sleep."
For now, it's a win for Williams, who said the saga has inspired her to run for Brighton City Council.
"Let's put people before profit," Williams said. But she will keep an eye on her vacant neighbor.
"I'm going to continue to watch this property and make sure that we get somebody in here that's going to mesh well with what we got going on in this neighborhood," Williams said. "It's not that we're against growth. We just want to make sure it's done responsibly, and make sure it's a company that's going to fit with the neighborhood."
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