A massive fire broke out Thursday afternoon at one of the world's largest battery storage facilities in Moss Landing, California, forcing approximately 1,500 residents to evacuate and leading to the closure of a section of Highway 1.
The incident occurred at the Moss Landing Power Plant, situated 77 miles south of San Francisco. The facility, owned by Vistra Energy, houses thousands of lithium batteries used for storing renewable energy, particularly from solar sources.
The blaze, which produced towering flames and thick black smoke, prompted authorities to order evacuations in Moss Landing and the Elkhorn Slough area. Local officials closed nearby schools, with the North Monterey County Unified School District announcing all facilities would remain shut on Friday.
Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church described the situation as a "disaster" but noted that the fire was expected to remain contained within the concrete structure housing the batteries.
This marks the third fire incident at the Vistra facility since 2021. Previous fires in 2021 and 2022 were attributed to malfunctioning fire sprinkler systems that caused some units to overheat. The cause of the current fire remains under investigation.
Vistra Energy confirmed that all personnel were safely evacuated from the site. Company spokesperson Jenny Lyon emphasized that community and personnel safety remained their primary concern, expressing gratitude for local emergency responders' assistance.
The incident highlights the challenges associated with large-scale battery storage facilities, as lithium battery fires are notoriously difficult to extinguish once ignited.