Clara Harter
LA TIMES
Sun, January 26, 2025
This image from a video shows flames rising after a major fire erupted at the Moss Landing Power Plant, about 77 miles south of San Francisco, on Jan. 16. (KSBW via AP)
When a massive fire erupted at one of the world's largest lithium-ion battery storage facilities in Monterey County, it didn't just send plumes of smoke over nearby communities — it cast a pall over the future of California's clean energy industry.
The fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant, which ignited on Jan. 16, burned for five days and ultimately destroyed around 80% of the batteries inside the building. Now, as the smoke clears, Monterey-area officials warn that the blaze may be a harbinger as the state increases its reliance on renewable energy, electric vehicles and other battery-powered devices.
"I know green is good, but we've got to move slowly," Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church told The Times. "What we're doing with this technology is way ahead of government regulations and ahead of the industry's ability to control it."
The fire earlier this month was the fourth at Moss Landing since 2019, and the third at buildings owned by Texas-based Vistra Energy. The plant is off Highway 1, about 18 miles northeast of the city of Monterey.
Read more: Monterey County officials call Moss Landing lithium battery storage fire a 'wake-up call'
Already, the fire has prompted calls for additional safety regulations around battery storage, and more local control over where storage sites are located. Officials are also demanding that Moss Landing remain offline until an investigation can be completed and major safety improvements implemented.
Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) has introduced Assembly Bill 303 — the Battery Energy Safety & Accountability Act — which would require local engagement in the permitting process for battery or energy storage facilities, and establish a buffer to keep such sites a set distance away from sensitive areas like schools, hospitals and natural habitats.
"I believe that we are living in a climate crisis and that we need to have solutions," Addis said at a news conference Thursday. "But along with those solutions, we have to be able to have safety."
Gov. Gavin Newsom, a fierce advocate of clean energy, agrees an investigation is needed to determine the fire's cause and supports taking steps to make Moss Landing and similar facilities safer, his spokesperson Daniel Villaseñor said in a statement.
Read more: Battery storage is a key piece of California's clean energy transition. But there's a problem with fires
Addis and two other state legislators sent a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission Thursday requesting an investigation.
"The Moss Landing facility has represented a pivotal piece of our state’s energy future, however this disastrous fire has undermined the public’s trust in utility scale lithium-ion battery energy storage systems," states the letter. "If we are to ensure California moves its climate and energy goals forward, we must demonstrate a steadfast commitment to safety."
Vistra has promised an internal investigation into the incident, and to conduct soil testing and fully cooperate with any state or local investigations.
During an emergency briefing after the fire broke out, officials said a plume released from the plant contained hydrogen fluoride, a toxic compound, according to county spokesperson Nick Pasculli.
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However, initial testing from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruled that the levels of toxic gases released by the batteries, including hydrogen fluoride, did not pose a threat to public health during the fire.
Read more: Lithium-ion batteries causing fires, dangers on California freeways, sparking calls for safety improvements
Still, many residents remain on edge about potential long-term impacts on the nearby communities of Watsonville, Castroville, Salinas and the ecologically sensitive Elkhorn Slough estuary.
"Having to experience and witness that kind of assault, not just on the people, but on the trees and the environment in general was horrifying," local resident Silvia Morales told The Times. "The aftereffects might be long term, and I'm seriously concerned about the fact that the plant is adjacent to organic farms that are producing food."
Several factors contributed to the rapid spread of the fire and complicated firefighters' response, according to North County Fire District Chief Joel Mendoza.
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A fire suppression system that is part of every battery rack at the plant failed and led to a chain reaction of batteries catching on fire, he said at a news conference last week. Then, a broken camera system in the plant and superheated gases made it challenging for firefighters to intervene.
Once the fire began spreading, firefighters were not able to use water, because doing so can trigger a violent chemical reaction in lithium-ion batteries, potentially causing more to ignite or explode.
Read more: Big rig with lithium ion batteries flips in San Pedro, sparking hazardous fire, closing freeway
The scale of the fire startled local residents and officials, who have already experienced several smaller fires at the plant and are worried about what could happen if major changes aren't made.
Exacerbating those concerns is a new battery storage site proposed in an unincorporated part of Santa Cruz County near Watsonville. An online petition to halt the establishment of any more battery storage facilities in Monterey or Santa Cruz counties has collected more than 2,900 signatures.
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to declare a local state of emergency and to send a letter to Vistra and Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which also stores batteries at the plant, to request that their operations remain offline until an investigation is complete.
Local resident Ed Mitchell, who was speaking on behalf of a newly formed community group called the Moss Landing Fire Community Recovery Group, told supervisors that the potential of electric batteries is exciting.
But, he added, it's a “technology that when it goes wrong, it’s not thrilling, it’s terrifying.”
Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this report.
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Can California’s battery storage industry survive Moss Landing fire? It better | Opinion
Sun, January 26, 2025
This image from a video shows flames rising after a major fire erupted at the Moss Landing Power Plant, about 77 miles south of San Francisco, on Jan. 16. (KSBW via AP)
When a massive fire erupted at one of the world's largest lithium-ion battery storage facilities in Monterey County, it didn't just send plumes of smoke over nearby communities — it cast a pall over the future of California's clean energy industry.
The fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant, which ignited on Jan. 16, burned for five days and ultimately destroyed around 80% of the batteries inside the building. Now, as the smoke clears, Monterey-area officials warn that the blaze may be a harbinger as the state increases its reliance on renewable energy, electric vehicles and other battery-powered devices.
"I know green is good, but we've got to move slowly," Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church told The Times. "What we're doing with this technology is way ahead of government regulations and ahead of the industry's ability to control it."
The fire earlier this month was the fourth at Moss Landing since 2019, and the third at buildings owned by Texas-based Vistra Energy. The plant is off Highway 1, about 18 miles northeast of the city of Monterey.
Read more: Monterey County officials call Moss Landing lithium battery storage fire a 'wake-up call'
Already, the fire has prompted calls for additional safety regulations around battery storage, and more local control over where storage sites are located. Officials are also demanding that Moss Landing remain offline until an investigation can be completed and major safety improvements implemented.
Assemblymember Dawn Addis (D-Morro Bay) has introduced Assembly Bill 303 — the Battery Energy Safety & Accountability Act — which would require local engagement in the permitting process for battery or energy storage facilities, and establish a buffer to keep such sites a set distance away from sensitive areas like schools, hospitals and natural habitats.
"I believe that we are living in a climate crisis and that we need to have solutions," Addis said at a news conference Thursday. "But along with those solutions, we have to be able to have safety."
Gov. Gavin Newsom, a fierce advocate of clean energy, agrees an investigation is needed to determine the fire's cause and supports taking steps to make Moss Landing and similar facilities safer, his spokesperson Daniel Villaseñor said in a statement.
Read more: Battery storage is a key piece of California's clean energy transition. But there's a problem with fires
Addis and two other state legislators sent a letter to the California Public Utilities Commission Thursday requesting an investigation.
"The Moss Landing facility has represented a pivotal piece of our state’s energy future, however this disastrous fire has undermined the public’s trust in utility scale lithium-ion battery energy storage systems," states the letter. "If we are to ensure California moves its climate and energy goals forward, we must demonstrate a steadfast commitment to safety."
Vistra has promised an internal investigation into the incident, and to conduct soil testing and fully cooperate with any state or local investigations.
During an emergency briefing after the fire broke out, officials said a plume released from the plant contained hydrogen fluoride, a toxic compound, according to county spokesperson Nick Pasculli.
ADVERTISEMENT
However, initial testing from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ruled that the levels of toxic gases released by the batteries, including hydrogen fluoride, did not pose a threat to public health during the fire.
Read more: Lithium-ion batteries causing fires, dangers on California freeways, sparking calls for safety improvements
Still, many residents remain on edge about potential long-term impacts on the nearby communities of Watsonville, Castroville, Salinas and the ecologically sensitive Elkhorn Slough estuary.
"Having to experience and witness that kind of assault, not just on the people, but on the trees and the environment in general was horrifying," local resident Silvia Morales told The Times. "The aftereffects might be long term, and I'm seriously concerned about the fact that the plant is adjacent to organic farms that are producing food."
Several factors contributed to the rapid spread of the fire and complicated firefighters' response, according to North County Fire District Chief Joel Mendoza.
ADVERTISEMENT
A fire suppression system that is part of every battery rack at the plant failed and led to a chain reaction of batteries catching on fire, he said at a news conference last week. Then, a broken camera system in the plant and superheated gases made it challenging for firefighters to intervene.
Once the fire began spreading, firefighters were not able to use water, because doing so can trigger a violent chemical reaction in lithium-ion batteries, potentially causing more to ignite or explode.
Read more: Big rig with lithium ion batteries flips in San Pedro, sparking hazardous fire, closing freeway
The scale of the fire startled local residents and officials, who have already experienced several smaller fires at the plant and are worried about what could happen if major changes aren't made.
Exacerbating those concerns is a new battery storage site proposed in an unincorporated part of Santa Cruz County near Watsonville. An online petition to halt the establishment of any more battery storage facilities in Monterey or Santa Cruz counties has collected more than 2,900 signatures.
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to declare a local state of emergency and to send a letter to Vistra and Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which also stores batteries at the plant, to request that their operations remain offline until an investigation is complete.
Local resident Ed Mitchell, who was speaking on behalf of a newly formed community group called the Moss Landing Fire Community Recovery Group, told supervisors that the potential of electric batteries is exciting.
But, he added, it's a “technology that when it goes wrong, it’s not thrilling, it’s terrifying.”
Times staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this report.
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Can California’s battery storage industry survive Moss Landing fire? It better | Opinion
The San Luis Obispo Tribune Editorial Board
Sun, January 26, 2025
Vistra’s Moss Landing battery storage facility caught fire on Jan. 16 prompting the evacuation of about 1,200 people.
The massive lithium battery fire at Moss Landing confirmed the worst fears of many Californians — including many Morro Bay residents who have been fighting for years to stop a similar project proposed in their beach community.
Unfortunately, the Jan. 16 fire that destroyed a portion of Vistra Energy’s battery storage facility didn’t tarnish just one company. It was a black mark against the entire industry, and it could make it difficult to site new battery farms in California.
Opinion
That may be unfair, given that the vast majority of energy storage systems in the U.S. have been operating safely. Yet dramatic photos of flames leaping from a building that housed 100,000 battery modules do not inspire confidence. Nor does the evacuation of 1,200 residents who have lingering doubts about the safety of air and water supplies, despite EPA assurances that there was no release of toxic materials. Nor does the fact that this was the fourth fire at the Moss Landing power station.
In the popular beach community of Morro Bay, any remaining goodwill for Vistra’s project has gone up in a cloud of smoke.
Although the proposed new plant would use a different battery configuration and newer technology, it’s hard to trust the company that repeatedly assured the community there would be adequate safety measures in place to prevent accidents. It also shared a report that concluded that even if there were a fire, residents would not be exposed to any health risk.
Who can believe such statements now?
According to a company spokesperson, Vistra has put its application for the Morro Bay project on pause.
“Pause” sounds overly optimistic.
Much as we support battery storage as a key to California’s transition from fossil fuels, Vistra would be well-advised to abandon the Morro Bay project altogether, or at least put it on the shelf for a decade or two and allow battery technology to evolve.
Governor wants investigation
Gov. Gavin Newsom, among others, is calling for the California Utilities Commission to conduct an investigation.
Of course it should. There must be a thorough, independent, transparent investigation to pinpoint the cause of the fire.
Was it a flaw that might exist at other battery farms? Or did conditions at this particular facility made it especially vulnerable?
That could be the case, since the design at Moss Landing is unusual. Battery modules are stacked inside a building rather than outdoors, as they are at most plants.
During a recent board meeting, Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo said he toured the facility in 2023. “Many of these battery units were much closer, from my recollection, to each other than what we see outside.”
Experts have speculated that if the indoor modules lacked adequate separation, it would have made it easier for the fire to spread.
Either way, the future of Vistra — one of the nation’s largest energy companies — is on the line, at least in California.
Assemblywoman Dawn Addis, a former Morro Bay city councilmember, is calling on Vistra to abandon the Morro Bay project. She’s also introduced a bill that would restore the ability of local governments to decide whether to permit new battery storage plants. (Under current law, energy companies can bypass local government and go straight to the California Energy Commission for a permit.)
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to explore avenues to prevent Vista and PG&E, which also has a battery storage system at Moss Landing, from ever bringing the systems back online.
One Monterey County supervisor went so far as to compare the incident to the partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in 1979.
The one sector that does not seem perturbed is Wall Street; analysts actually upgraded the value of Vistra stock after the fire.
“... The quick containment of the fire and the proactive measures taken by the company to assess and address the damage have provided some reassurance to investors and analysts alike,” a BMO Captial analyst told the website Investing.com.
Changing technology
It’s not just Vistra that’s under the microscope.
Sun, January 26, 2025
Vistra’s Moss Landing battery storage facility caught fire on Jan. 16 prompting the evacuation of about 1,200 people.
The massive lithium battery fire at Moss Landing confirmed the worst fears of many Californians — including many Morro Bay residents who have been fighting for years to stop a similar project proposed in their beach community.
Unfortunately, the Jan. 16 fire that destroyed a portion of Vistra Energy’s battery storage facility didn’t tarnish just one company. It was a black mark against the entire industry, and it could make it difficult to site new battery farms in California.
Opinion
That may be unfair, given that the vast majority of energy storage systems in the U.S. have been operating safely. Yet dramatic photos of flames leaping from a building that housed 100,000 battery modules do not inspire confidence. Nor does the evacuation of 1,200 residents who have lingering doubts about the safety of air and water supplies, despite EPA assurances that there was no release of toxic materials. Nor does the fact that this was the fourth fire at the Moss Landing power station.
In the popular beach community of Morro Bay, any remaining goodwill for Vistra’s project has gone up in a cloud of smoke.
Although the proposed new plant would use a different battery configuration and newer technology, it’s hard to trust the company that repeatedly assured the community there would be adequate safety measures in place to prevent accidents. It also shared a report that concluded that even if there were a fire, residents would not be exposed to any health risk.
Who can believe such statements now?
According to a company spokesperson, Vistra has put its application for the Morro Bay project on pause.
“Pause” sounds overly optimistic.
Much as we support battery storage as a key to California’s transition from fossil fuels, Vistra would be well-advised to abandon the Morro Bay project altogether, or at least put it on the shelf for a decade or two and allow battery technology to evolve.
Governor wants investigation
Gov. Gavin Newsom, among others, is calling for the California Utilities Commission to conduct an investigation.
Of course it should. There must be a thorough, independent, transparent investigation to pinpoint the cause of the fire.
Was it a flaw that might exist at other battery farms? Or did conditions at this particular facility made it especially vulnerable?
That could be the case, since the design at Moss Landing is unusual. Battery modules are stacked inside a building rather than outdoors, as they are at most plants.
During a recent board meeting, Monterey County Supervisor Luis Alejo said he toured the facility in 2023. “Many of these battery units were much closer, from my recollection, to each other than what we see outside.”
Experts have speculated that if the indoor modules lacked adequate separation, it would have made it easier for the fire to spread.
Either way, the future of Vistra — one of the nation’s largest energy companies — is on the line, at least in California.
Assemblywoman Dawn Addis, a former Morro Bay city councilmember, is calling on Vistra to abandon the Morro Bay project. She’s also introduced a bill that would restore the ability of local governments to decide whether to permit new battery storage plants. (Under current law, energy companies can bypass local government and go straight to the California Energy Commission for a permit.)
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday to explore avenues to prevent Vista and PG&E, which also has a battery storage system at Moss Landing, from ever bringing the systems back online.
One Monterey County supervisor went so far as to compare the incident to the partial meltdown at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in 1979.
The one sector that does not seem perturbed is Wall Street; analysts actually upgraded the value of Vistra stock after the fire.
“... The quick containment of the fire and the proactive measures taken by the company to assess and address the damage have provided some reassurance to investors and analysts alike,” a BMO Captial analyst told the website Investing.com.
Changing technology
It’s not just Vistra that’s under the microscope.
There is renewed focus on the lithium-ion batteries used in energy storage. The batteries are prone to catch fire, and when they do, the fires are hard to extinguish and can release hazardous gases. That explains why airlines do not allow lithium batteries in checked luggage.
However, not all lithium-ion batteries are created equal. The ones that caught fire in the Vistra plant were an older generation, dating back to 2020, while the newer battery packs use safer chemistry.
More advances are coming, and other types of systems — including ones that do not use lithium-ion batteries — are in development.
The California Department of Energy has allocated over $270 million to fund grants for development and construction of long-duration energy storage projects that do not use lithium-ion batteries.
The Sacramento Utility District, for example, was awarded $10 million for an iron-flow battery system that stores energy in external tanks of liquid electrolyte.
“The electrolyte solution in iron-flow batteries ... has a pH comparable to wine, and the batteries pose no risk of combustion. Furthermore, the materials used are highly recyclable,” according to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C.
Sodium-ion batteries are another alternative. Sodium is much easier to source than lithium and less expensive. Sodium batteries also are less likely to overheat and catch fire.
Can confidence be restored?
We cannot abandon energy storage — not if we expect to meet clean energy goals. Wind and solar are part of the solution, but we must have battery storage for those times when the wind isn’t blowing and the sun isn’t shining.
Otherwise, the climate crisis — the drought, the weather extremes, the firestorms like those that devastated the Los Angeles area — will only get worse and endanger far more Californians.
But as much as we need battery storage, communities should not be put in harm’s way.
The California Public Utilities Commission must step up and determine what went wrong at Moss Landing and use what it learns to prevent future accidents.
It must demand strict adherence to all safety regulations.
And it must push the industry to take advantage of rapidly improving technology by phasing out obsolete battery systems and replacing them with newer, safer models.
Confidence in the battery storage industry must be restored, because there is too much at stake to let it fall victim to a statewide wave of energy NIMBYism.
While it’s understandable that communities like Morro Bay would resist allowing a battery farm in environmentally sensitive and/or highly populated areas, we must remain open to finding appropriate locations.
The Moss Landing fire should be a catalyst that results in more selective siting, better safeguards and improved oversight — not an excuse used to impede an industry so critical to California’s future.
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