PG&E Delays Reopening of Moss Landing Battery Facility After Leak Discovery
By Lauren Martinez
Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 3:06 PM
PG&E has postponed the reactivation of its battery storage facility in Moss Landing due to the discovery of a leak in a cooling system, following a fire at the nearby Vistra Energy facility.
In Moss Landing, California, PG&E has been forced to delay the reactivation of its battery storage facility, which has been offline since January after a significant fire engulfed the Vistra Energy plant next door. The facility houses Tesla’s megapack battery storage systems.
PG&E Communications representative Paul Doherty explained, “We’ve conducted extensive inspections and cleanup in collaboration with Tesla, which included vacuuming out all particulates released during the fire, such as soot and ash.”
On June 1, PG&E began the process of turning the batteries back on but encountered a leak during their phased and cautious testing approach. “What we found is a testament to our careful methodology in bringing the system back online, allowing us to identify any equipment issues and ensure the facility’s safe operation,” Doherty stated.
Local officials welcomed the delay for repairs, emphasizing that it is premature for the plant to resume operations. Assemblymember Dawn Addis has introduced a bill that restores the permitting authority for battery energy storage systems to local residents. She expressed her concerns by stating, “I sent a letter last week requesting that PG&E remain completely offline until they provide a full report for emergency planning under SB38, which I co-authored, and share the results of their independent investigation following the Moss Landing fire.”
Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church added, “I still believe that they should not reopen the facility until the cause of the Vistra fire has been determined.”
In a related development, Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties recently released findings from a community survey aimed at gathering health-related concerns stemming from the fire. Out of approximately 1,500 respondents, 82% reported experiencing one or more symptoms, with the most common complaints being headaches, sore throats, and coughs. These symptoms were particularly prevalent in the areas surrounding Moss Landing.
Addis noted, “Understandably, the community is very concerned.” According to Vistra’s website, the process of de-linking what remains of its facility is complete, and plans for battery removal are currently underway.
Original article by NenPower, If reposted, please credit the source: https://nenpower.com/blog/pge-delays-moss-landing-battery-facility-reopening-after-leak-discovery-following-vistra-energy-fire/
