A battery-energy storage facility in Monterey County caught fire Thursday afternoon, leading to the evacuations of hundreds of nearby residents.
The fire at the Moss Landing Energy Storage Facility in Moss Landing was first reported around 3 p.m. Thursday.
The plant is described by the company as the largest of its kind in the world.
It's unclear at this time what caused the fire, what exactly is burning, or how much of the facility is involved.
As of midnight Friday, smoke and flames were still apparent at the facility — about eight hours after the incident was first reported.
An evacuation order has been issued for residents in the area, affecting at least 1,500 people.
County officials have asked residents to close windows and doors and to shut off air systems until further notice.
Vistra — the Texas-based company operating the facility — is the same company seeking to build a battery-energy storage facility in Morro Bay.
A few months ago, Vistra announced it would be pausing its application through the city in an effort to gain state approval first under Assembly Bill 205. A Vistra spokesperson said last October that the company would spend the next several months preparing its state application.
Morro Bay City Councilmember Jeff Eckles clarified to KSBY that Vistra has indicated its intent to seek approval through the state, but has yet to formally apply.
Correction, Jan. 17: An earlier version of this story said Vistra was now seeking approval for its Morro Bay battery-energy storage facility through the state. That is inaccurate. The company has indicated its intent to apply with the state, but has yet to do so. This article has been updated to reflect that.
