BESS fires: Residents Sue energy companies after massive toxic battery fire at Moss Landing power plant
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Monterey County, CA – Following a massive lithium-ion BESS battery fire at the Moss Landing Power Plant on January 16, 2025, residents have filed a lawsuit against multiple energy companies, accusing them of failing to maintain adequate fire safety measures.
The fire, which began after a fire suppression system failed, smouldered for four days and led to the temporary evacuation of over 1,200 residents. The blaze released toxic gases and scattered heavy metals over the surrounding area, causing health concerns among the local community.
The lawsuit, filed by four residents, targets Texas-based Vistra Energy, which owns the storage facility, LG Energy Solution, which installed the batteries, and Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), which owns an adjacent battery storage facility.
The plaintiffs accuse the companies of prioritizing profits over safety and failing to comply with fire safety standards.
Environmental advocate Erin Brockovich, working with law firm Singleton Schreiber, is supporting the lawsuit. Brockovich emphasized the need for transparency, justice, and real protections for affected families. Residents have reported experiencing skin, eye, and respiratory irritation, as well as other health issues.
Despite the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) reassurances that the released particulate matter and hydrogen fluoride gas did not pose a risk to public health, residents remain concerned about long-term health effects.
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for property damage, health conditions, loss of income during evacuations, and future environmental remediation costs. It also calls for an investigation into the root causes of the fire and the adoption of updated safety standards and fire prevention measures.
Vistra Energy and LG Energy Solution have not commented on the lawsuit, while PG&E stated that the fire was not a PG&E incident.
The Moss Landing Power Plant fire may serve as a wake-up call for the energy storage industry, highlighting the importance of stringent safety measures to protect these large stores of lithium batteries from thermal runaway.
Sources:
https://www.ksbw.com/article/lawsuit-vistra-pgande-moss-landing-fire-feb-6/63694030
See the moments Moss Landing battery plant fire erupts - This video from KSBW Action News 8 captures the fire as it broke out at the Moss Landing Power Plant.