Key Takeaways:
– Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church and State Assemblymember Dawn Addis call for an independent investigation into Moss Landing’s battery fire.
– The officials demand Vistra Moss Landing Battery Energy Storage facility to remain offline until the cause of the fire is determined and assuring public safety.
– A battery rack’s fire-suppression system failure was noted as one of the causes of the fire.
– Multiple incidents of fires have been reported from the battery storage facilities, demanding effective safety protocols in place.
“Time for Accountability and Transparency”
In a wake-up call for the energy industry, officials want accountability after a fire erupted at the Vistra Moss Landing Battery Energy Storage facility. Following the incident, Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church and State Assemblymember Dawn Addis are facing a pressing question: Who will ensure that a battery energy storage fire doesn’t occur again?
Earlier in the day, Church had demanded a full independent investigation on the incident. He expressed an urgent need for transparency in handling the situation. The fire led to nearly 1,200 local residents being evacuated and caused a temporary closure of Highway 1 in both directions, striking a heavy blow to the usual course of life.
“Aftermath of the Moss Landing Fire”
In response to Church’s comments on investigation and accountability, a Vistra representative countered that when the plant goes back online will be decided collaboratively. Emphasizing that the company will adhere to all regulations and keep the public informed, the representative tried to assure anxious residents.
However, a troubling sight appeared later that Friday afternoon. As the fire seemed to flare up again, Addis and Church had already been briefed that the fire would potentially ignite more batteries within the structure.
While the road closures were lifted later that day, concerns about the safety of the battery energy storage facility remained paramount. Highlighting the magnitude of the situation, Church mentioned during a press conference that this was the fourth fire in five years at Moss Landing battery facilities.
“Debate Over Safety and Renewable Energy”
The fire was ignited in a building housing 300 lithium-ion batteries, spreading thick plumes of smoke potentially containing hazardous materials like hydrogen fluoride. This has led some officials to weigh the trade-offs carefully between promoting renewable energy and ensuring public safety.
North County Fire Protection District Chief Joel Mendoza noted that a fire-suppression system in a battery rack failed, intensifying the fire. Despite initial findings showing no hazardous hydrogen fluoride detected in the smoke plumes, concerns escalated on Friday as flames could be seen again, sending plumes larger than before.
Adding to the urgency, Monterey County Sheriff Tina Nieto kept evacuation orders in place until an advanced air-monitoring system report could confirm safety for local residents.
“Repeated Challenges at Moss Landing Facilities”
While acknowledging the system failure, Pete Ziegler, Vistra’s Regional Vice President, admitted, “We don’t know what started this event.”
Such events are alarmingly not new at Moss Landing. Vistra itself has faced incidents at its energy storage systems in September 2021 and February 2022. Similarly, Pacific Gas and Electric/Tesla also reported an incident with its Elkhorn Battery Energy Storage System in September 2022.
Though assembly member Dawn Addis and state senator John Laird co-authored a law requiring safety and communication protocols for battery storage facilities, it’s evident that more robust measures are needed. As Church rightly put it, “If renewable energy is going to be the future, it really needs to rest on safe energy.”