A giant battery power plant is on fire in California

A fire broke out at the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in Central California on Thursday, prompting evacuation orders and road closures. The facility, owned by Vistra, is the largest battery power plant in the world and plays a crucial role in storing renewable energy. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office issued evacuation orders for nearby residents and closed parts of Highway 1 in response to the fire. County Health officials have advised other residents to shelter indoors with windows and doors closed and to switch off ventilation systems. Monterey County Supervisor Glen Church described the situation as a disaster, emphasizing the severity of the incident. The cause of the fire will be investigated by Vistra once it is brought under control, according to spokesperson Jenny Lyon. The facility had recently undergone an expansion in 2023, adding over 110,000 battery modules to store excess solar and wind energy. Energy storage facilities like Moss Landing are essential for power grids to maintain a stable supply of renewable energy. This is not the first incident of a battery fire in the area, with a nearby Pacific Gas & Electric battery plant catching fire in 2022 and Vistra's own facility experiencing a malfunction in 2021. The current fire is unrelated to other fires burning in Los Angeles County, and its impact on the local community and energy supply is still being assessed.