A fire erupted Thursday at a massive battery storage facility in Northern California, leading to road closures and evacuation orders for about 1,700 residents in Moss Landing and the nearby Elkhorn Slough area, according to The Mercury News.
The fire, which began at the Moss Landing Power Plant, was still burning early Friday, releasing plumes of potentially toxic smoke. Monterey County officials reported that fire crews were not actively combating the blaze, opting instead to let it burn itself out.
Monterey County spokesperson Nicholas Pasculli confirmed the fire was contained within the facility and had not spread further. By late Thursday, a temporary evacuation center was in use by some residents, while most evacuees sought shelter with friends or family.
Located 77 miles south of San Francisco, the Moss Landing Power Plant is owned by Texas-based Vistra Energy and houses tens of thousands of lithium batteries. These batteries play a critical role in storing renewable energy, such as solar power. However, when lithium batteries catch fire, extinguishing the flames can be extraordinarily challenging.
“There’s no way to sugarcoat it—this is a disaster,” said Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church to KSBW-TV, though he expressed confidence that the fire would not extend beyond the concrete building where it originated.
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors scheduled an emergency meeting Friday to assess the situation. Meanwhile, the North Monterey County Unified School District announced the closure of all schools and offices on Friday due to the fire.
Past incidents at the Vistra plant in 2021 and 2022 were attributed to sprinkler system malfunctions, which caused some units to overheat, The Mercury News reported. The cause of the current fire remains unknown. In a statement, Vistra confirmed the safe evacuation of all personnel and pledged a thorough investigation once the fire is extinguished.
“Our top priority is the safety of the community and our personnel, and Vistra deeply appreciates the assistance of local emergency responders,” said company spokesperson Jenny Lyon.
The plant’s lithium battery systems are designed to advance clean energy initiatives, but this latest incident highlights the inherent risks associated with large-scale energy storage.