Fire at the Vistra battery plant in Moss Landing prompts evacuation orders.

[hunter]

Highway 1 is closed and people from Moss Landing are ordered to evacuate as a fire burns at the Vistra power plant on Thursday night, Jan. 16.

"We do have an active fire, burning through the building. Essentially what we are doing is backing out of the facility," North Monterey County Fire Chief Joel Mendoza told the Weekly at about 6:30pm.

People in two areas just east of Highway 1 in Moss Landing behind the Moss Landing power plant were advised to shut their windows and doors and shut off air systems until further notice, as advised by Monterey County officials just after 5pm on Thursday, Jan. 16.

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https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/news_blog/updated-fire-at-the-moss-landing-power-plant-prompts-evacuation-orders/article_58f70a34-d46f-11ef-918c-4380a2b17500.html

This is an environmental disaster. The power plant is adjacent to a protected wetland. The toxins released by this inferno will linger for a long time.

These huge battery systems play an essential role in the economic viability of California's hybrid gas-wind-solar energy electric power infrastructure.

[CoopersDad]

1. I recently toured the Vistra side of the complex and had the safety features explained.

I didn’t even realize that they were also running dual combined cycle gas plants on the same site as what was the state’s largest power plant when it opened. 750 MW over three systems plus a smaller PG&E battery plant share the site. PG&E uses Tesla and Vistra uses LG.

I wonder if it was the indoor battery facility that went up or one of the outdoor units.

What a shame, this won’t improve the chances for another project planned for Morro Bay.

[hunter]

2. I won't be sad if the Morro Bay battery plant and associated offshore wind farm are canceled.

These projects will only prolong our dependence on natural gas, doing nothing in the long run to reduce the total amount of greenhouse gasses our civilization dumps into the atmosphere.

Mostly they serve as greenwash for the filthy natural gas industry.