Fire breaks out at world's largest battery plant in central California
2 Min Read
A spokesperson for Vistra Energy says, "the cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but an investigation will begin once the fire is extinguished."
-
The Moss Landing Power Plant in California hosts the world's largest battery storage system. (David Monniaux/Wikipedia)
Monterey County authorities issued evacuation orders Thursday night following a fire at a battery storage facility on California's Central Coast, touted by its operators as the largest of its kind globally, Politico reported on Friday.
Vistra Energy, the owner of the Moss Landing Power Plant—a natural gas facility—and the adjoining lithium-ion battery storage complex, confirmed in an email that a fire had erupted in one of its batteries Thursday afternoon, with on-site personnel evacuated as a precaution.
"The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but an investigation will begin once the fire is extinguished," stated spokesperson Jenny Lyon.
North County Fire is currently addressing a fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant.
— California Fire Tracker (@deb8rr) January 17, 2025
As a precaution, individuals in Zones MRY-B047 and MRY-B053 are advised to close their windows and doors, and turn off any air systems until further notice. pic.twitter.com/VlMFxaYhik
Earlier, the Monterey County Sheriff advised nearby residents to close their windows "out of an abundance of caution." In response to the incident, the California Highway Patrol temporarily closed Highway 1 near the plant.
According to Politico, Vistra completed the latest phase of construction on the energy storage facility in 2023 as part of California’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its grid with clean energy solutions. The facility can store 750 megawatts of power, sufficient to supply approximately 562,000 homes for up to four hours.
California estimates it will need 52,000 megawatts of energy storage—three times its current capacity—by 2045 to meet energy demands and achieve its net-zero emissions target.
The Moss Landing battery complex has faced challenges in the past, including damage caused by a malfunctioning heat detector in 2021. Additionally, a small fire broke out in 2022 at an adjacent battery plant owned by Pacific Gas & Electric and supplied by Tesla.
Safety concerns have also sparked opposition to Vistra’s proposed battery facility further down the coast in Morro Bay.
A local ballot measure passed in November sought to block Vistra from obtaining permits to construct the facility near a power plant. However, the project remains on track, progressing through a fast-tracked state permitting process.
Read more: California wildfires could become costliest disaster in US history
