Following a fire at a battery storage power plant in Moss Landing, Assemblymember Dawn Addis has introduced legislation that she says will help prevent a similar incident in the future.
WATCH: Cell phone video taken from boat shows fire at Moss Landing Power Plant
According to Addis, Assembly Bill 303 would remove battery energy story facilities from the California Energy Commission's opt-in certification program, returning authority for approval back into the hands of local communities. The bill would limit where battery energy storage facilities can be located so they are not built in environmentally sensitive areas, including high fire and flood risk zones. AB 303 would also require a 3,200-foot setback from sensitive places like homes, schools and medical facilities.
"Our true goal is to guarantee safety for the community and make sure that we are moving forward effectively and collaboratively with local residents, businesses and all who surround Moss Landing to know that they will be safe as well as any community where a battery energy storage may be planned that they have clear guidelines to ensure safety and community choice," Addis said.
The same company that operates the Moss Landing Power Plant, Vistra, is also proposing a battery energy storage facility in Morro Bay.
Addis has said that she wants Vistra to withdraw that proposal.
WATCH: “There’s absolutely no way to support this in Morro Bay after seeing what I’ve seen.”
