A fire erupted at the largest battery storage facility in the world, located in Northern California, on Thursday, sending hazardous smoke into the air and resulting in the evacuation of around 1,500 individuals. The incident is raising questions within the emerging battery storage sector about safety standards and practices.
The blaze occurred at the Vistra Energy lithium battery plant in Moss Landing, where intense flames and substantial smoke were reported initially. However, by Friday, the fire had significantly reduced in intensity, according to Joel Mendoza, the Fire Chief for the North County Fire Protection District of Monterey County. The Texas-based company is now allowing the fire to burn itself out, a common practice for lithium-ion battery fires that can burn at extremely high temperatures, making them difficult to extinguish.
Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries, but residents have voiced their worries over the harmful gases emitted during the fire. The aftermath of the fire, situated roughly 100 miles south of San Francisco, is just starting to be assessed. Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that this incident serves as a crucial reminder for the industry regarding the need for a safer battery system as the world pushes towards sustainable energy.
Battery storage plays a vital role in delivering clean energy when solar and wind power are unavailable, an increasingly significant operation in recent years. However, most of these systems rely on lithium batteries, which pose risks of “thermal runaway,” making uncontrollable fires and toxic gas releases a concern. Vistra holds contracts to provide energy to Pacific Gas & Electric, one of the largest utility companies in the United States.
According to Nicholas Pasculli, a spokesperson for Monterey County, the fire did not extend beyond the facility itself. Evacuations initially ordered for between 1,200 and 1,500 residents were lifted Friday evening as officials assured that there was no ongoing threat to public health. Residents were, however, encouraged to keep windows closed and air conditioning off as a precautionary measure.
Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church called the event a disaster, while Vistra’s senior director of community affairs, Brad Watson, confirmed that the Environmental Protection Agency is currently assessing air quality in the area. Vistra has also engaged an air quality consultant to ensure the safety of neighbors and plans to release findings once analyses are completed.
Concerns were amplified regarding the potential release of hydrogen fluoride, a byproduct of the fire, which is known to irritate respiratory organs and could be lethal with long-term exposure. Local residents made their health concerns known during an emergency session of the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, criticizing the firefighting response.
Despite the outcry, Sheriff Tina Nieto mentioned that monitoring devices did not detect any harmful gases in the atmosphere. Watson revealed that two prior incidents of overheating at the plant took place in 2021 and 2022 due to the batteries coming into contact with water. Additionally, there was a separate incident in 2022 at a nearby PG&E facility.
Lithium battery technology is key to stabilizing the power grid and reducing dependence on fossil fuels, and California has taken the lead in this area with over 11 gigawatts of utility-scale battery storage. Experts advocate that despite the fire risks associated with lithium batteries, they are indispensable for reducing carbon footprints and ensuring reliable energy production.
Nevertheless, the cause of this fire remains undetermined at this time. Vistra announced plans for a thorough investigation once the flames are completely subdued, emphasizing the safety of the community and their employees as a top priority.
Professionals in the field stress the urgency of developing safer battery technologies for grid use. While improvements can be made in fire prevention for lithium batteries, transitioning to safer alternatives is vital. Water-based and redox flow battery technologies are in development but have yet to be brought to commercial scale. Lithium iron phosphate batteries present a more stable option, although they still carry some fire risk.
Regardless of the type of lithium battery utilized, experts warn that larger batteries inherently pose significant fire hazards.
