Power plant fire leads to evacuations, local assemblywoman releases statement
Moss Landing Power Plant in Monterey County housed lithium-ion batteries
– A fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant on Thursday led to evacuation orders for more than 2,000 residents due to concerns about hazardous materials, according to multiple reports. The blaze has consumed 40% of a building housing lithium-ion batteries, and firefighters have determined it is safest to let the fire burn while monitoring the situation.
The facility is a critical energy storage site for California’s electrical grid and has experienced previous fire incidents. Local schools were closed, and officials have not announced when evacuation orders will be lifted. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued the evacuation orders, and Santa Cruz Public Health urged nearby residents to stay indoors, close windows, and turn off ventilation systems.
Updates on road closures, including Highway 1, are available at https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.
Assemblywoman Dawn Addis.
Assemblywoman Dawn Addis, who represents the 30th Assembly District encompassing San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Santa Cruz Counties, released a statement addressing the incident. “The safety and wellbeing of our communities remain my number one priority. I am closely monitoring the fire in Moss Landing and its effects on surrounding areas. I am in open communication with local and state agencies to ensure our community and our first responders have the resources they need,” Addis said.
Addis expressed concerns about the safety of the battery energy storage plant, stating, “I am deeply concerned and have serious questions about the safety of this battery energy storage plant. I will be looking for transparency and accountability for why this happened again at Moss Landing. I am exploring all options for preventing future battery energy storage fires from ever occurring again on the Central Coast.”
Addis was elected to the California State Assembly in 2022 to represent the coastal 30th Assembly District, which includes San Luis Obispo, Monterey, and Santa Cruz Counties. She is the Chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee 1 on Health.
And yet she supports offshore windmills and a battery storage facility in Morro Bay.
Sad, but fitting considering the number of people who pushed the safety and environmental benefits of the bill. These storage facilities are relatively new, considering how long they’ve been online compared to traditional gas plants. When are Californians going to learn? We will revisit this soon when it comes time to pay for the mess, lawsuits, and increased power production/storage prices going up again because of the incident.
And yet she supports offshore windmills and a battery storage facility in Morro Bay.
Sad, but fitting considering the number of people who pushed the safety and environmental benefits of the bill. These storage facilities are relatively new, considering how long they’ve been online compared to traditional gas plants. When are Californians going to learn? We will revisit this soon when it comes time to pay for the mess, lawsuits, and increased power production/storage prices going up again because of the incident.